For Roy Hodgson, top class managerial posts must be like buses, after seemingly ages without one coming along, two pop up almost simultaneously. With England being unceremoniously dumped out of the World Cup after losing 4-1 to Germany in the last 16, questions will be asked over Fabio Capello’s future as manager. With Hodgson still favourite for the post at Liverpool though, it raises a troubling dilemma both for Roy and for Reds fans.
Roy, despite his 35 year career in management, has never managed a club in England at the highest level. He may have tremendous experience of continental football and has distinguished himself in some European leagues, but at 62, he no doubt still has the desire to finally prove himself at the top level of the game. After his great season with Fulham, getting the un-fancied London club to the Europa League final, he has certainly attracted the attention of others, and with the Liverpool job now available, he has become a leading contender for the post. It is a job he would certainly covet, but with the failure of the England team at the World Cup, an additional factor has been put into the mix.
Every Englishman would love to have the chance to manage the England football team, even with all the pressures that the job brings. With Capello rumoured to be meeting FA Chairman Dave Richards within two weeks, will Hodgson wait until the outcome of the meeting before deciding his future? It is a tricky one: should he wait and see if he can get the chance to become national manager or does he decide to take the Liverpool post if it is offered to him. It will surely be a great test to his commitment to taking on the Reds role if he takes it before the England situation is clarified. If he opts to delay in view to getting what he may see as a bigger prize, what affect will that have on Liverpool FC?
If we disregard whether he is the right man for the job or not, he may well be Liverpool’s prime candidate. If he is offered the job this week for example but Hodgson delays until a decision is made on the England job, then we must surely look elsewhere for a new manager. Nobody could blame Hodgson for wanting to weigh up his options in regards to these two jobs as he was waited all his life for such options to be made available to him, but what Liverpool need is somebody who would gladly pass up England for the Reds, and get started on the rebuilding work required before we end up only appointing a new manager a week before the Reds season kicks off.
In some respects, the England and Liverpool managerial posts are similar, both teams have underachieved massively recently and will need large scale rebuilding work to get a team together to be a force again. Players will also be disgruntled and Roy would be forgiven for seeing both as poisoned chalices. He will not see things that way though because of the context of his own career and tremendous chance both jobs could bring to him. If he delays or hesitates too long in his decision though, we must quickly move on to the next candidate and make sure the right man takes the reins at Anfield.
Follow us on twitter @live4Liverpool
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at editor@live4liverpool.com
no dilemma for this reds fan, HODGSON FOR ENGLAND! that’s what i say and if fabio is out of work? why not? stevie rates him very highly, as did the rest of england during qualification, not his fault the players bottled it, yet again, on the big stage! maybe stevie G and fabio can convince EACH OTHER that anfield could be the place to be?
Hodgson for England
We definitely don’t want Hodgson, he’s a mid table manager who’d be a poodle and just agree to whatever the Hicklets want.
Nero fiddled while Rome burnt – LFC Board have had more than enough time – they are the reason were in limbo – no wonder the protests are gathering momentum
Woy for Liverpool, don’t think so, the momentum of supporters against this happening is huge, He could well be the worst appointed manager to have ever managed Liverpool before he even accepts the post ( and I thought it would remain Souness’s title forever) Go manage England Woy, if people think that a 12th place finish is fantastic then stay at Fulham, because that’s where we will be if he is appointed. He will just be the whipping boy who won’t say boo to a ghost and all our top players will be sold before the season starts with no money being spent on new player. The board and Purslow have sold us down the preverbial nile and we are fast becoming the new Leeds. Hold tight guys, it’s going to be a hell of a ride in to the depths of English football.
There will be new owners! Hold tight to your faith in our beloved club! Then things will get sorted…
If roy is the man then give him a chance, I would take him before any of the other foreign managers out there. He will have a better understanding of our club than a lot of what was on offer…
Give Roy Hodgson a chance
Roy Hodgson seems like a nice man but is definately an average manager. Just show how quick and low the owners and board have brought this once great club.
No one of any calibre will touch the Liverpool job. This is our lot at the moment. The yanks and Purslow don’t want dalglish because they know he would be to powerful. This has got Purslow written all over it
Give the England job to Roy! We could swap him for Fabs! New owners coming in soon so Roy would only end up like Hughesy at Man City!
Go get Hiddink or Rykarrd just pay the necessary extras and get us a proper manager who has presence and can attract other top players!
Just look at Roys past managerial ratings for games in charge, and games won/drawn/lost on wikipedia. For club sides he averages about 40% wins, and roughly equal 30% for games drawn and lost. So based on 42 games that should see us finish with a massive 63 points, oh yeah well would you believe it, thats the same as Rafas worst year then, and thats using Roys averages not his worst. Now there is progress for ya!
God help us.
we are talking about the same manager that lifted Fulham to the lofty heights last season of 12th in the league with a negative goal difference, and lost more than they won or drew.
pos pld w d l gf ga gd pts
12 Fulham 38 12 10 16 39 46 ?7 46
Why us?