Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has certainly won over many Reds fans who were initially sceptical about his appointment. A lot of that is down to the fact he is pretty much an old style manager. Old school in how he deals with the press and very much old school in his style of management. It is a style that we hope will also impress Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres When speaking about his talks with Jamie Carragher and Gerrard, Roy emphasised for the need for a good team spirit and increase in morale with a new season just around the corner:
“It would be foolish to dismiss the importance of team spirit. The Liverpool sides of the 70s and especially the 80s achieved greatness because all the players had similar values to one another on and off the pitch. That’s been the strength of the club for so many years and was the mantra which took it so far and made it one of the most important football institutions in the world. I’m not comparing myself to Shankly – nobody can – but I buy into his view when it comes to managing a successful team. It’s vital all the players are fighting for the same cause. It’s my job to find the right combination of players to bring success back to Liverpool.”
It has been an issue, including with many other bloggers on this website, that during a difficult time off the field, we must have players who are very much committed to the cause of playing for Liverpool Football Club. It is why you will see many Reds fans feeling indifferent about some good Reds players wanting to leave the club, and it is a attitude that I subscribe to, that if you don’t want to play for the club then you shouldn’t be here.
I’m glad to see that Roy feels that the need for team spirit is a very important factor in reviving the fortunes of the club. The “right combination of players” is very important in this regard too, not only those that can improve the team in regards to technical ability but also to improve the team in terms of desire, players with the right mentality.
Hodgson has already stated that every player at the club should be given a fair crack of the whip because it was only two seasons ago that they “unluckily,” according to Hodgson, lost out in the title race. Certainly the mentality of the players in this regard, must be crucial, for you don’t lose footballing ability over the course of one season, you do though, invariably lose confidence if things start to go wrong.
One of Hodgson’s biggest tasks will be to reinvigorate both confidence into the team, and to show the team’s biggest stars that the club has ambitions by signing good players. Good additions to the squad will certainly boost the confidence of everyone around them and Hodgson will hope that this, along with his vision for the future, will persuade Liverpool’s two most important players to stay at Anfield.
British duo plot Liverpool revival – FootballFancast Caption Competition
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Thanks a million