Three years, £300 million, no trophies. The stark reality of Brendan Rodgers’ time as Liverpool boss makes for grim reading. Anyone who knows football, of course, knows that the story could well have been very different.
It is a mark of just how apathetic the fans and Liverpool owners, Fenway Sports Group, had become towards Brendan Rodgers, that, just 18 months after coming so close to the Premier League title, he was sacked. That it was done just 10 or so games into the new season, after giving him money to spend in the summer, suggest a slight mismanagement by FSG.
“The biggest challenge facing the new manager, however, is that of keeping hold of Phillipe Coutinho”
What the decision does is throw a shroud of uncertainty around the team. With no time to get to know the players, the new manager has to decide who his chosen 11 is, pick a formation and try to improve results. As for the players, it could shake them all enough to generate a positive reaction. It may just unsettle them even more.
The biggest challenge facing the new manager, however, is that of keeping hold of Phillipe Coutinho, easily Liverpool’s star performer so far this season. The talent is evident, and at just 23 has a long time to develop into a fully world class operator. The problem is that every world class player Liverpool have held in recent seasons, barring the obvious exception of Steven Gerrard, has gone on to pastures new as they are hitting their peak.
“Centre-back has almost become a buzzword for all of the issues with the structure of Liverpool in recent times”
If the manager is able to keep hold the ‘little Magician’, and can build a team around him for the next couple of season, it would be a massive boost. What Brendan Rodgers has left behind, despite the ultimately chaotic transfer policy, is a solid group of young, talented players who could mature into the spine of the team. Players like Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge, Christian Benteke and captain Jordan Henderson are all players with the ability to thrive, especially if given both the time and the right formation to gel. Keeping them all fit simultaneously is the real challenge, with Benteke, Henderson and Firmino all injured at the time of writing.
A number of problem areas still need to be addressed, however. Centre-back has become almost the buzzword for all of the issues with the structure of Liverpool in recent times. Big-money signings such as Mahmadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren just have not delivered, with only Martin Skrtel showing the quality to handle Premier League opposition, week in, week out.
“What the new manager must create is a sense of optimism and excitement around the team”
All this means that young Emre Can, a player I personally admire greatly, is pushed into the centre-back position from his natural holding midfield role, which he was ultimately signed to fill once Steven Gerrard departed, albeit with at least another season of development in mind.
The feeling around Anfield right now is one nearing a disconnection with the players on the pitch. What the new manager must create is a sense of optimism and excitement around the team, with fans excited by the team which they are coming to see. If the first few results do indeed go well for whoever it may be (although it looks increasingly like Jurgen Klopp), this may well provide the spark for a charge towards a top four place that Liverpool are only three points adrift of.
What is evident is that the same patience and financial resources need to be given to the new man as was given to Brendan Rodgers. The manager may have changed, the problems haven’t just yet.
Connor Higgs
Image: daniel0685 via flickr
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