Not on Buck but from the welcome BR thread: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/...t-room-welcome-brendan-rodgers.1945274/page-4
El-Cap, you really know how to kick a man when he's on the up! Ok, I was wrong initially but you'll find many posts thereafter with my support of BR and keeping him for the long term even when it looked bleak.
I didn't bother to read these, I know that I was upset at how they treated Kenny (and I still am a bit) and I wrote that I was skeptical of the appointment and that we would lose a season changing direction. Initially, I was also skeptical of BR's MBA type platitudes and his tactical adjustments. So I was wrong on the latter but not on the other items. But I am dead cert that not a single one of you said we would be in first place on the 25th anniversary of Hillsborough.
Reading through that was interesting, a couple thoughts came to mind: 1. Looking back, it's a bit funny that most of us (myself included) wanted a "big name" manager like Guardiola or Van Gaal to come in and change our culture. It's understandable that we'd want a proven manager, someone with a track record, but I think fans in general have this misconception about "small club" managers that they are not prepared to manage big clubs. When you look at the track record of really great managers past/present like Shankly, Paisley, Sacchi, Guardiola, Wenger, Klopp etc., you see that typically the most successful stage of their career is their first few years with "big" clubs, even though most of them came from small clubs or no significant managerial experience. Shankly had very mixed success at four "small" clubs before coming to Liverpool, and his track record wouldn't suggest that he would be such a smashing success here Paisley's only managerial experience was as assistant to Shankly Sacchi began with relative success at Parma, and then went to Milan and won the league and back-to-back European titles pretty quickly Guardiola's only managerial experience before Barcelona was Barcelona B Wenger was successful in France at "smaller" clubs, went to Japan for 18 months, then went to Arsenal and had his most successful period as a manager in his first few years there Klopp was at a second-tier club for seven years and got them promoted once but didn't really do anything else significant with them, then went to Dortmund and has been great I'm glad FSG took a chance and went and got the young, hungry up-and-comer who could really build something rather than jump on the coaching carousel by trying to sign an older "proven" manager who probably wouldn't have been around for more than a couple seasons. I understand the risk involved, but it's kind of strange to me why mid-table and lower clubs in the PL (or the lower levels) don't try to find a Martinez or Rodgers rather than just falling back on the Sam Allardyces of the world. 2. It will be really interesting how FSG approach Rodgers' second contract/extension and what responsibilities they let him have. In their world, the way they've operated in baseball, the manager is just one part of the whole operation and is easily replaceable, so he should never be given too much responsibility lest he leave the organization and a huge gap needs to then be filled. I think soccer is way different and the manager's influence is hugely important. I wonder if they'll give Rodgers more power and try to retain him for the next 10 years, or if they still view the manager as one piece of the puzzle and won't budge on the responsibilities they give them.
Fussballer said: ↑ Colour me, "Uncautiously pessimistic". Rodgers is the bog-end of the managerial pool. Don't like this one bit. Rodgers has done sweet FA in the EPL and is even worse than Martinez. Now if they want to have him as a puppet to LvG then it might work. But this isn't moving forward. It's standing still and even moving backwards. Glad I didn't get tickets for the US tour as I'd be spitting venom from the stands towards the gaffer. Ooooooo! *********** Me I'm happy to say the I welcomed the new broom, even though I was a little pissed at Kenny going. In truth though, I never really thought, except for a couple of really exciting matches when we were buzzing and Maxi was scoring, that Kenny could take us farther. I may be an old fart follower, but I'm a progressive follower. The football world is constantly changing and we have to keep ahead of it. Sorta like Hodgson... But oh my! It's still a long way to the next match innitt...?
I think he was being sarcastic. Obviously, LB was skeptical. I remember FR and myself going back and forth with him at the time. To be fair, I think it had less to do with Rodgers and more to do with FSG sacking Dalglish. The fact remains that BR had to earn the trust and respect of a lot of people. But, he's doing that, and we can only be happy that our manager is honest, hard-working, and suprisingly humble (relative to some).
I for one will raise my hand as being one of the doubters at the beginning. I felt pretty strongly that the club was so fecked up at multiple levels at the time it really needed an experienced, first tier manager with the gravitas to call the big shots and stand up to the baseball guys at FSG as and if necessary. Really concerned about the lack of any space for a learning curve - the knives would be out quick (and they were for awhile). Plus, Rodgers didn't endear himself with the early pronouncements and geez I wish that self portrait had never been so publicized. But delighted that its turned out so well.
This was my post from the day he was appointed: "I said I would back whoever they appointed, whether I agreed it with it or not. Time to move past the disharmony and bickering." I think I was referring to LB and 26 -- wow, you two were going at it!!
I have no idea where I fell in the mix. I can't see any posts from me on it - I think my concerns were reserved for fsg.
It really is a nonsensical and inaccurate comment that started this. Most posters were skeptically optimistic from my recollection. I hardly recall anyone calling for BR to be fired. It was natural for people to be skeptical of a non-high profile manager coming to Liverpool FC. Outside of Swansea I had no idea what BR's resume was so I inquired more into his managing philosophy and style. Once I saw element's of Barca's philosophy in his plans it was very easy to like him. The promise was there... The results would later come to verify that promise. The important thing is that BR has been very effective and has been doing it with style. PS. He is still developing as a manager I believe, so I am very curious to see what comes from him in 4-5 years time.
I agree with the bold part. The " ... calls for resignation of Rodgers ... " that a large of number of commentators, especially on talk radio, are claiming happened early on are largely the work of fiction or the vocal phone-in minority. Even with Hodgson, I think it was more the anger at the owners than the manager who many rightly felt was palpably out of his depth. I was one of those who had finally accepted that Dalglish had to go but was looking at other candidates chief among whom was Roberto Martinez. Although, I had reined in my scepticism about Rodgers by the end of last season, until this recent November I was constantly carping about the regular tactical ineptitudes whenever we lost points to the likes of Everton, WBA, Southampton, Newcastle, Hull among a few teams to which we lost points.
Oh ye of little faith...! We needed a new broom. Too much baggage involved with all the old boys and it seemed to me, hard as it was, that Kenny had come as far as he could. I liked what I read about BR and was putting faith in a more progressive manager and style, to match the new style of ownership. I'm prolly the oldest fart aficionado on BS and one thing I have found over the years is. You have to move forward, you have to move on and adapt. Especially when dealing with the evolution of the game. You can't go back. Otherwise we'd still be playing 2-3-5, with boots rooted to your spot on the pitch.