Steven Gerrard was quoted by the Liverpool Echo today outlining the changes that Liverpool have undergone over the last six months:
“What is definitely evident now is that with a bit of maturity and extra time on the pitch we have better players than some thought we had. A new manager comes in, he puts a load of belief and confidence into the players, he brings a different coach and training changes, the players enjoy the sessions and the fans are delighted with Kenny coming back. Now the structure of the club from top to bottom seems to be right. The new owners are making the right decisions. They’ve put Damien (Comolli) as a director of football, which is a good appointment. Ian Ayre is the new MD – again positive. And Kenny’s back too and he’s Liverpool through and through. It feels more like a solid structure and it feels more like Liverpool. People are only talking about the new team now, which is the way it should be for me.”
From what Stevie says, a great number of elements have come together to contribute to the transformation of the club. It is very clear from his comments that both, he had doubts about the quality of the players at the club during Roy Hodgson’s tenure, and that the ownership really disrupted the team as a whole.
These are certainly not revelations of course, but I think it is interesting to see how Gerrard manages to interlink all the elements together to show why there has been such a tremendous turnaround in the club’s fortunes. The season started with uncertainty over the club’s future with the sale of the club becoming difficult and messy. This inevitably seeped into the confidence of the players, and combined with a new manager (whose methods Gerrard contrasts with Dalglish’s as being more complicated and with less training at match tempo), it led to a snowball effect which saw the Reds slipping towards the relegation places in October.
Continue Reading on Page 2 . . .
It is about time Gerrard showed some committment to the club’s future and announce his retirement from international football before preseason training starts in July. This title is there to be won next season as the 3 London teams do not have the guts to challenge United. City will spend big but at most will only increase their points total to 75 and will be distracted by the Champions League. United will be moving heaven and earth to get back to the Champions League final and will not be as focussed on the Premier League. Gerrard can put the icing on his glittering career with a Premier League medal next season but only if he ditches his England place. He is 31 now and injuryprone. Scholes retired from England at 30.
totally agree
as much as id like to see him win a trophy as captain of england but i think your right, if anything so as we can get the best of his last years.
but to those hoping for us to win the league next season i wouldnt get your hopes up.
Neil, this title is there to be won next season. United won it with a paltry 80 points this season, six less than LFC had in second place in 08/09. Look at all the points LFC dropped this season, sulky Torres cost the club a lot of points, the standard of play under Hodgson was terrible. Without the distraction of European football next season, Dalglish and Clarke will have more time to get their tactics and selection correct for each League game.
well gerrard wont win a world cup neither will england but at 32 next year for euro 2012 and 34 for the world cup whats the point leaving it till next july spain will lift the trophy
I said this July 2011, I did not say July 2012.
I am no lover of a rather poor quality England side and can see no imminent improvement of same. I would rather have Gerard concentrate on Liverpool club matters than engaging in what can only be thought of as the thinnest of thin chances of England having Euro/World success.