Topic: From Roy to Rodgers: Pulling the Trigger

[Les Willis]

Well, at least some are noticing the alarm bells
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18308992

It's all hypocritical bollocks. Especially from Graham Taylor ffs.

You employ Roy, you get defensive football. It didn't work for us, but it might work for England. It won't be pretty, but we could 1-0 ourselves to the quarters at least. We're bound to fuck up on penalties somewhere down the line though, so we won't win..

[DoogyRev]

And I'm writing this because frankly I don't know what the fuck to think.

Yeah i get that impression. Is your post a critique of the posters on this forum or what? Do you remember the reaction to Shanklys, Paisleys and Fagans appointment?

[Lazy Gun]

A small, not entirely serious, thought experiment. 

I am FSG.

Gee, that Premier league thing looks pretty cool, and there’s lots of Americans already over there, so they must see a money-making deal.

What’s that you say, that Liverpool team seems to be in a bit of bother.  The boosters are campaigning, organising and want a change.  Weeks from Chapter 11, but one of the best supported teams on the planet.  Say, lets check this one out.  Liverpool mmm.. didn’t the Beatles come from there?

Put in a low-ball offer and see if we get lucky…. Well shit, guess what, we won.

Well the natives seem happy so that’s good.  Manager seems a bit odd – he needs a good PR advisor and speech therapy.  We’ll given him a go, as we know diddly-squat about soccer, plus the press and the local boys on the roster seem to like him.

Whats that?  Losing games against state sides.  Empty seats in the stands. Merchandising income down, and the fans don’t like him.  Get rid of the coach and replace him with that wee guy I keep seeing around the place – the fans seem to like him, and it’ll get us through till the end of the season.

Bit worried about these fans.  They seem to think they should have a say in the running of my club.  WTF is that all about.  Need to get this sorted out ASAP.

Well shit, the wee man did OK for an old guy.  Hey wee man, way to go!! I’d like to bring in someone new young, cheaper and break that connection with the fans, but now’s not the right time.  Lets give the wee guy a longer contract and see if he can get us into that Eurovision Football thing.

Well shit, that didn’t go too good.  Won one of them small cups but didn’t get near the Eurovision thing.  That’s $+30m per year down the tubes, but the fans still wanna keep the wee dude.  No way man.

Lets put in place that system we have at the Sox, Coach, Team Manager and General Manager.  It works here so its bound to work over there.  Now we need some young coaches we can get this show back on the road.

Who do the press like?  Well there’s this Martinez guy who seems clean-cut and keen, and the Rodgers guy from that welshland team.   

Whats that?  The fans like this Benitez dude.  Great coach, past winner of the Eurovision thing and guarantees membership every year.  That guy on the staff we inherited from the Texan redneck says he has bad table manners, is mouthy and what’s worse, the fans want him.  WTF!!  If those fans think they fuckin’ run this club they can think again.  We’ll show them who’s boss this time.

Had a nice coffee with that Martinez guy.  He’s good but what’s the deal with his boss.  Jeez he tells the press when he’s going for a shit.  Guess it’s the Rodgers boy then.  Funny, I never knew Northern Ireland was in Welshland.

Oh fuck, he doesn’t want a Team Manager.  Well we’ll go with him for now and put someone into position in a while with a different title.

He wants how much for new players!!  Fuck.  We’ll give him some of that, but if he doesn’t get 4th place and that Eurovision thing his ass is grass.

At least we’ve put them fans in their place.  History and tradition is all well and good but it’s our club now.  Just buy the tickets and merchandise and leave the running of the franchise to us.

[DoogyRev]

A small, not entirely serious, thought experiment. 

I am FSG.

Gee, that Premier league thing looks pretty cool, and there’s lots of Americans already over there, so they must see a money-making deal.

What’s that you say, that Liverpool team seems to be in a bit of bother.  The boosters are campaigning, organising and want a change.  Weeks from Chapter 11, but one of the best supported teams on the planet.  Say, lets check this one out.  Liverpool mmm.. didn’t the Beatles come from there?

Put in a low-ball offer and see if we get lucky…. Well shit, guess what, we won.

Well the natives seem happy so that’s good.  Manager seems a bit odd – he needs a good PR advisor and speech therapy.  We’ll given him a go, as we know diddly-squat about soccer, plus the press and the local boys on the roster seem to like him.

Whats that?  Losing games against state sides.  Empty seats in the stands. Merchandising income down, and the fans don’t like him.  Get rid of the coach and replace him with that wee guy I keep seeing around the place – the fans seem to like him, and it’ll get us through till the end of the season.

Bit worried about these fans.  They seem to think they should have a say in the running of my club.  WTF is that all about.  Need to get this sorted out ASAP.

Well shit, the wee man did OK for an old guy.  Hey wee man, way to go!! I’d like to bring in someone new young, cheaper and break that connection with the fans, but now’s not the right time.  Lets give the wee guy a longer contract and see if he can get us into that Eurovision Football thing.

Well shit, that didn’t go too good.  Won one of them small cups but didn’t get near the Eurovision thing.  That’s $+30m per year down the tubes, but the fans still wanna keep the wee dude.  No way man.

Lets put in place that system we have at the Sox, Coach, Team Manager and General Manager.  It works here so its bound to work over there.  Now we need some young coaches we can get this show back on the road.

Who do the press like?  Well there’s this Martinez guy who seems clean-cut and keen, and the Rodgers guy from that welshland team.   

Whats that?  The fans like this Benitez dude.  Great coach, past winner of the Eurovision thing and guarantees membership every year.  That guy on the staff we inherited from the Texan redneck says he has bad table manners, is mouthy and what’s worse, the fans want him.  WTF!!  If those fans think they fuckin’ run this club they can think again.  We’ll show them who’s boss this time.

Had a nice coffee with that Martinez guy.  He’s good but what’s the deal with his boss.  Jeez he tells the press when he’s going for a shit.  Guess it’s the Rodgers boy then.  Funny, I never knew Northern Ireland was in Welshland.

Oh fuck, he doesn’t want a Team Manager.  Well we’ll go with him for now and put someone into position in a while with a different title.

He wants how much for new players!!  Fuck.  We’ll give him some of that, but if he doesn’t get 4th place and that Eurovision thing his ass is grass.

At least we’ve put them fans in their place.  History and tradition is all well and good but it’s our club now.  Just buy the tickets and merchandise and leave the running of the franchise to us.

sentimentally that had the potential to be close the truth, but in actual fact its wide of the mark. cringe. sorry mate, i know it was an experiment, try again.

[WOOLTONIAN]

having a re-think

[Banquo's Ghost]

The OP is thought provoking but I think misses one of the psychological dilemmas for for the 'modern' Liverpool fan: hypocrisy versus loyalty.

I worshipped at the feet of Rafa Benitez. I did not want him to leave. Nonetheless, I gave as much support to Roy Hodgson as my broken heart could provide until he made such support laughable with his attack on fans. Even then, I argued that he should choose to resign rather than be sacked, hoping that he might finally find a shred of self-awareness and dignity.

I wanted Rafa back immediately, holding no truck with those who argued it would be divisive.

Supporting Kenny was an absolute joy, a return to the glories of my youth, even though I shared the thoughts that it was too much of a risk to his legend because of the fickle nature of fans these days. Sadly, that gnawing doubt was proven correct. I was and still am aghast that he was doubted and sacked.

I wanted Rafa back immediately, holding no truck with those who said FSG had objections or a new structure which excluded him.

Now we have Mr Rodgers, and he will have my support. Not because I feel hypocritical or changeable in my loyalty, but because our owners have made the decision and it my job to support the manager. That's what LFC supporters do, to the best of their ability. Wanting him to succeed is not disloyalty to Rafa. It's a recognition that Rafa will not, in all probability, ever manage this club again. It is either this small 'hypocrisy' or abandon the club forever.

That latter course would most certainly be hypocritical, as I would always hope for LFC results to go well, involved or not. So the candle I hold for Rafa must be put into a dark, private dungeon whilst my public support, as whole-hearted as I can manage, increasing over time and familiarity, is with Brendan Rodgers, the manager of Liverpool Football Club.

So, fickle?

[WOOLTONIAN]

“Sherlock (Wooly’s) Two Pipe Problem”.

Confusion reins in our fan base at the moment (as indicated in the OP)
Therefore I have donned Sherlock’s Deerstalker pipe and slippers to find a solution to the problem.
 
I cannot speak for others but my confusion stems from the lack of faith I had as a youth.
In those early days of my youth I looked at the fixture list the week before the season started and played the season out in my mind.
The formula A + B + C21-H30-O2  = SUCCESS
(A) being Home points (B) being away points

Stoke (home) Fuckin CERT ! 3 Points
Man U (away) hard game, close call settle for draw
Crystal Palace (home) Fuckin CERT ! 3 points
Everton (away) like feeding strawberries to donkeys 3 points
etc etc
When finished we end up with 17 x 3 pts 2 x 1pts (Home) = 53pts
All we need now is 21 pts for Champions league (qual) or 37 for the League title.
Picking up the 21 pts is simps, far too easy in fact. So I now review the away games, with a second pipe load.
1st Attempt 7 wins 5 draws 7 lost = 26pts
Its so easy to see that on review 4 draws could easily be wins. 3 lost could easily be draws.
new attempt 11 wins 4 draw and 4 lost = 37pts

there you go, Liverpool - League Champions 90pts

But what happens in the real world of recent years
The formula A + B - C21-H30-O2  = the following

Stoke (home) 0-0 WTF ! Do the club not realise how many hours I put in to make that one a fuckin CERT !!
what’s the point of me spending all my time pre-season playing every game in my mind for them to fuck up at the first hurdle.
That’s it season over, we're fucked, what’s the point we're shite.

Which is the worst ? My cannabis induced hallucinogenic league title
or my throwing the towel in after one match ?

I had faith all my life that Anfield is a fortress. We do not throw away silly points at home.
It seems to me that either I will have to return to the pre-season pipe, or it’s up to Brendan and the players to restore my faith. Make Anfield the fortress it once was and the happy days will return again.

Brendan’s “make coming to Anfield the longest 90 minutes of an opponent’s life."
Sounds like a bloody good start to me, lets hope the players get on board and give the fans some faith.

[Skrtelonparole]

The OP is thought provoking but I think misses one of the psychological dilemmas for for the 'modern' Liverpool fan: hypocrisy versus loyalty.

I worshipped at the feet of Rafa Benitez. I did not want him to leave. Nonetheless, I gave as much support to Roy Hodgson as my broken heart could provide until he made such support laughable with his attack on fans. Even then, I argued that he should choose to resign rather than be sacked, hoping that he might finally find a shred of self-awareness and dignity.

I wanted Rafa back immediately, holding no truck with those who argued it would be divisive.

Supporting Kenny was an absolute joy, a return to the glories of my youth, even though I shared the thoughts that it was too much of a risk to his legend because of the fickle nature of fans these days. Sadly, that gnawing doubt was proven correct. I was and still am aghast that he was doubted and sacked.

I wanted Rafa back immediately, holding no truck with those who said FSG had objections or a new structure which excluded him.

Now we have Mr Rodgers, and he will have my support. Not because I feel hypocritical or changeable in my loyalty, but because our owners have made the decision and it my job to support the manager. That's what LFC supporters do, to the best of their ability. Wanting him to succeed is not disloyalty to Rafa. It's a recognition that Rafa will not, in all probability, ever manage this club again. It is either this small 'hypocrisy' or abandon the club forever.

That latter course would most certainly be hypocritical, as I would always hope for LFC results to go well, involved or not. So the candle I hold for Rafa must be put into a dark, private dungeon whilst my public support, as whole-hearted as I can manage, increasing over time and familiarity, is with Brendan Rodgers, the manager of Liverpool Football Club.

So, fickle?

Amazing post. Sums up exactly my thoughts the last few years, especially with regards to Rafa.

[Alan_X]

I'm a bit confused as to how KP's one day retirement relates to us?   

Read down, there's a piece about Rodgers as the second story.

[Hinesy]

Doogy- its not a critique of anyone but myself. I don't claim to write startlingly insightful posts rather open my heart to how I'm feeling at any one point in time. When I talk about football, for me is feelings not facts and all I wanted to say was that right now I'm not sure what to make of FSG. And that we as fans say we're styled to act in a special way but in reality we pick and choose our heroes and villains same as anyone and none of us are always right or wrong. I thought Rodgers was potentially a smalltime appointment now I'm excited by the potential. So as you pointed out what the fuck do I know. And do you know what? Makes life a lot easier

[John C]

I had faith all my life that Anfield is a fortress. We do not throw away silly points at home.
It seems to me that either I will have to return to the pre-season pipe, or it’s up to Brendan and the players to restore my faith. Make Anfield the fortress it once was and the happy days will return again.
Brendan’s “make coming to Anfield the longest 90 minutes of an opponent’s life."
Sounds like a bloody good start to me, lets hope the players get on board and give the fans some faith.

I think you can plot exactly when Anfield lost its Fortress status Wooly - it was during the Souness era. Its never been the same since imo.

Loved the OP hinesy. The situation has been disconcerting but if we cement the baseline with an acceptance that the owners are extremely ambitious unlike the former insouciant owners then you have a clear starting point.
From there, taking in to account how they became so wealthy, you have to factor in basic managerial principles including ruthlessness. Benefit of doubt was afforded towards Roy initially but ruthlessness bestowed upon Comolli. Perhaps sentimentality shouldn't have been exercised when they appointed Kenny but it was not an unsuccessful period. But here is the dilemma.
There was probably at least 5 games last season when we were all genuinely shocked about how poor they played, together with a few other mediocre performances and too few goals. Kenny’s role was to either make a tactical change during the games to correct the inadequacies and essentially to ensure they are not repeated. As successful company managers they would probably struggle to understand why there would be a recurrence of such under-performances and they laid the blame squarely at Kenny’s feet. Many of us vehemently rejected that Kenny should shoulder any blame while secretly worrying what his thought processes where and why he’d made some awful decisions. There’s your inconsistency which is the DNA of any football fan but compounded by a million in the tempestuous defence of the King.

Kenny simply didn’t deliver whilst Roy created an invidious position for himself.

There has been some invective comments made towards the owners but I hope I’ve appeared consistent in support for them except perhaps once when I alluded to the time when Rafa was appointed. The club had a clear plan then. I’m sure they had some sort of plan this time but discussions about the various structures, roles and responsibility became perplexing.

Yes, we’ve replaced a multiple cup winning manager with a hopeful, but I think they have finally instilled their own vision.

Tergiversation will, no doubt, continue.

[kapil08]

A small, not entirely serious, thought experiment. 

I am FSG.

The only thin you currently are is a bit disturbed. Stop experimenting.

[rickythered]

If we all stand behind our new manager and show him support and not expect miracles in his first season I'm sure he will come good. Have a really good feeling about our Brendan if he's given a few seasons to stamp his philosophy and style on the team. Time we all stood by our mantra You'll never walk alone and mean't it. Zero tolerance for whingeing bitches this season from me anyway.  

[thekremlin]

If we all stand behind our new manager and show him support and not expect miracles in his first season I'm sure he will come good. Have a really good feeling about our Brendan if he's given a few seasons to stamp his philosophy and style on the team. Time we all stood by our mantra You'll never walk alone and mean't it. Zero tolerance for whingeing bitches this season from me anyway.  

I agree with this wholeheartedly. We've got a new man with little to no preconception attached to him, he's not a club legend nor is he a dowdy old fool. He's said the right things. On top of that, FSG seem to have finally put in place their own set-up (or will do soon). This has to be a clean slate. There's no more gambling, it's not stick or twist anymore. FSG (and we as fans) need to stick with Brendan and see what he can do. Unless there's a catastrophic failure of imminent relegation proportions then he must be given time and opportunity to stamp his vision and authority on the club.

One thing that does worry me (and I can't quite put my finger on why) is if some of our players will be committed enough to allow him to succeed. Some of them seem to be very comfortable with mediocrity, as if playing for Liverpool is enough in itself. Brendan (are we calling him that or Rodgers? BR?) will have to instill a new culture into the players very quickly. I, for one, can see him doing this.

This has to be the one for us, it either works or I think we'll never get back on our perch. Interesting times ahead.

[lucas65]

First training session - shoot inside the posts and not at them     

[Not funny reecehenebry]

Doogy- its not a critique of anyone but myself. I don't claim to write startlingly insightful posts rather open my heart to how I'm feeling at any one point in time. When I talk about football, for me is feelings not facts and all I wanted to say was that right now I'm not sure what to make of FSG. And that we as fans say we're styled to act in a special way but in reality we pick and choose our heroes and villains same as anyone and none of us are always right or wrong. I thought Rodgers was potentially a smalltime appointment now I'm excited by the potential. So as you pointed out what the fuck do I know. And do you know what? Makes life a lot easier

Just to point out I like Rogders. Do I think he will work here?, no idea.

However like you I worry it's all just a well run PR machine that's got us excited. It's the type of thing that Fenway are great at. We have been treated to it over the last two weeks, and I worry that the Pr (similar thing happened with Commoli, touted as a young, hardworking, notice the small details kinda guy. Well spoken and knew what to say.) ability of our owners far outweighs the football club running ability.

Again to out point I like the cut of Rodgers, and while not even in the top half of my top 10 managers for us, he seems to have the steel to make his ideas real.

We have gone from system to system, from idea to idea and manager to manager without a real hint of what's expected of each. yesterday it was Rodgers that was giving us the clean idea's he had for the club, but I thought the way we were doing it was that the structure came from the top and the manager fitted that. Under the current system , Rafa was by far the safest bet, with Van Gaal very close behind him. Not that I want a discussion on that now, manager has been chosen. However it does highlight the random nature of the owners.

Basically we haven't looked at the best options becuase we were looking to cement a culture at the club defined by top football men in higher positions, instead we have jettisoned that, while still keeping the young manager that wasn't such a chancy move under the original system. In doing so we have put all the eggs in one basket, and heaped pressure on the new man (not that he seems to mind as yet, surely though he is deemed a huge gamble considering he has never once managed top players, or in a real top position where the pressure has crunched proven managers before).

The last poster was right, the concern isn't the manager but the system that back the manager. It seems that we are doomed to make the same mistakes we made under Rafa with Parry and Purslow, read Rodgers and Ayre. We haven;t kicked on since rafa introduced the football ethos though the youth system, we still haven't made the leap from grumpy unsure but I'm never wrong teenager to certain capable and defined Adult.

I can't help feel that Rafa, Roy and Kenny had nothing to do with any of that.

[Trada]

Rodgers, Barca and 'Tiki Taka'

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/rodgers-barca-and-tiki-taka

[Mutton Geoff]

Completely disagreed with this.

Hodgson was never the right appointment but most fans were fair enough to give him a chance. It's really the lack of hope of the performance  on the pitch  (for me the more important criteria) and off it that did it.  The football was appalling and we're gonna for a relegation fight, that I had no doubt. It's just an unfortunate episode in his career in which he also showed his worst side.  It's an episode best for both him and we to forget.

My guess you need to re read what i meant or the sub context of it it was not a defence of Roy at all.

until this incident we have never turned on a manager so soon in his tenure as we did with Roy, where we wrong to do this well actually no but it went against the grain and was abhorrent to me of anything our traditional fans and I stood for, and it made us look as no better than the other fans that we normally mock who want a revolving door for their managers office every season!

Doing that although justified allowed the comments last season from people being reproached for saying Kenny should be sacked to come back with well you wanted Roy sacked!
The point is no matter how justified it was that is beyond doubt when we openly campaigned for Roy to go we let the genie out of the bottle and perhaps some patience and tolerance for our managers within this fan base has been lost for ever with it!

I hope not but I fear so especially if it goes tits up before xmas next season!

[KiNki]

i thought i'd add this piece to this thread. 

Downsizing of Anfield ambition
By Steven Kelly

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Even after two cup finals there was no patience for the greatest living servant of our club. If things go pear-shaped next season, they’ll be asking us to "be patient" for the former boss of Swansea City, a man Reading sacked. Good luck with that.

We’d spent the week tuning in to The Dave Whelan Hour on Sky Sports and read about the arrival of Van Gaal — presumably sought after to placate the media after Kenny’s prickliness. After all, when did Louis ever annoy anyone? So then it transpires that it’s going to be Brendan Rodgers and there may not be a director of football after all. Given the intense cyber-squabble about whether Kenny or Comolli bought the players, this streamlined solution would baffle many.

We had argued about why Benitez wasn’t spoken to, largely because his name is poison and he’d never work with a director of football. How’s that argument panning out now? For all of his irritating idiosyncrasies and flaws, there’s little doubt Rafa was the best available (realistic) candidate. When they start spewing forth about "leaving no stone unturned" it wouldn’t take a malicious mind to reach the conclusion that they’re lying.

Given recent shenanigans, and the decline in Red Sox fortunes, you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re not so much alchemists as purveyors of pyrite.

They’ve sacked almost everyone connected with the Suarez episode, apart from Ian Ayre and the divil himself. The former claimed Dalglish would have been sacked even if we’d won the FA Cup. In a pig’s eye.

Was the King really in charge? If they really are abandoning their director of football experiment, isn’t that a tacit admission of their own error? People saw in the chase for Martinez or Rodgers the immediate downsizing of ambition, and yet one puzzle remained in that conspiracy theory: where is the profit for them in mid-table mediocrity?

True, Liverpool fans will still turn up in numbers, buy all sorts of dreadful tat with a Liver bird on it and are the lords of rationalisation when it comes to predicting swift returns to former glories.

But what is glory nowadays? A top four place, nothing else matters.

The whole scenario, the numerous sackings and the very public search for a new boss; the same delusion slithered slowly beneath our thoughts — they’ve made pots of money in their lives, surely they can’t be this dim? I seem to recall saying something similar about Hicks and Gillett.

We have had to put up with all manner of outsider glee. We must, apparently, deal with our new reality and forget history.

We got 86 points three years ago. Played in the Champions League final five years ago. We went to Wembley three times this year. Has your club averaged one cup final a year since the turn of the century? If it hasn’t I respectfully ask that you shut your trap and keep your fat nose out of it. You can be seen in our rear-view mirror for once. Feel free to rejoice.

I really don’t know what to make of Rodgers though. City were decent at Anfield last season, and they survived with more wiggle room than the more experienced Wigan managed. Many of my religion are subscribing to the Shankly delusion; continuous references to managing Carlisle and Huddersfield in the ’50s ignores the fact we were halfway down a lower division at the time.

William Goldman once wrote about Hollywood: "Nobody knows anything." This may be the biggest Liverpool FC masterstroke since December 1959. Realistically, I can’t help feeling that I’m looking at another naked emperor.

I did my bit for Kenny, citing all manner of preposterous possibilities to claim that the King’s latest attire was a fashionista’s dream.

It’s time for somebody else to take up the slack on the groundless optimism tack because Liverpool FC have finally managed to achieve the impossible; I no longer care.

Yet come August…

------------

come august, as always, i am focused on supporting my....

I'll be there, singing the same old songs, and perhaps a few new ones for our new manager, god help him, and any new ditties for any new signings we make. 

[Aitken Drum]

  here's my thoughts right now and it leads back to my We're all hypocrites thread.

You're not hypocrites at all. Uncertainty comes and the Reds perform unevenly. You find yourself torn between courses of action.  That isn't hypocrisy. That's paranoid schizophrenia.

[kdorg]

Downsizing of Anfield ambition
By Steven Kelly

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Even after two cup finals there was no patience for the greatest living servant of our club. If things go pear-shaped next season, they’ll be asking us to "be patient" for the former boss of Swansea City, a man Reading sacked. Good luck with that.

We’d spent the week tuning in to The Dave Whelan Hour on Sky Sports and read about the arrival of Van Gaal — presumably sought after to placate the media after Kenny’s prickliness. After all, when did Louis ever annoy anyone? So then it transpires that it’s going to be Brendan Rodgers and there may not be a director of football after all. Given the intense cyber-squabble about whether Kenny or Comolli bought the players, this streamlined solution would baffle many.

We had argued about why Benitez wasn’t spoken to, largely because his name is poison and he’d never work with a director of football. How’s that argument panning out now? For all of his irritating idiosyncrasies and flaws, there’s little doubt Rafa was the best available (realistic) candidate. When they start spewing forth about "leaving no stone unturned" it wouldn’t take a malicious mind to reach the conclusion that they’re lying.

Given recent shenanigans, and the decline in Red Sox fortunes, you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re not so much alchemists as purveyors of pyrite.

They’ve sacked almost everyone connected with the Suarez episode, apart from Ian Ayre and the divil himself. The former claimed Dalglish would have been sacked even if we’d won the FA Cup. In a pig’s eye.

Was the King really in charge? If they really are abandoning their director of football experiment, isn’t that a tacit admission of their own error? People saw in the chase for Martinez or Rodgers the immediate downsizing of ambition, and yet one puzzle remained in that conspiracy theory: where is the profit for them in mid-table mediocrity?

True, Liverpool fans will still turn up in numbers, buy all sorts of dreadful tat with a Liver bird on it and are the lords of rationalisation when it comes to predicting swift returns to former glories.

But what is glory nowadays? A top four place, nothing else matters.

The whole scenario, the numerous sackings and the very public search for a new boss; the same delusion slithered slowly beneath our thoughts — they’ve made pots of money in their lives, surely they can’t be this dim? I seem to recall saying something similar about Hicks and Gillett.

We have had to put up with all manner of outsider glee. We must, apparently, deal with our new reality and forget history.

We got 86 points three years ago. Played in the Champions League final five years ago. We went to Wembley three times this year. Has your club averaged one cup final a year since the turn of the century? If it hasn’t I respectfully ask that you shut your trap and keep your fat nose out of it. You can be seen in our rear-view mirror for once. Feel free to rejoice.

I really don’t know what to make of Rodgers though. City were decent at Anfield last season, and they survived with more wiggle room than the more experienced Wigan managed. Many of my religion are subscribing to the Shankly delusion; continuous references to managing Carlisle and Huddersfield in the ’50s ignores the fact we were halfway down a lower division at the time.

William Goldman once wrote about Hollywood: "Nobody knows anything." This may be the biggest Liverpool FC masterstroke since December 1959. Realistically, I can’t help feeling that I’m looking at another naked emperor.

I did my bit for Kenny, citing all manner of preposterous possibilities to claim that the King’s latest attire was a fashionista’s dream.

It’s time for somebody else to take up the slack on the groundless optimism tack because Liverpool FC have finally managed to achieve the impossible; I no longer care.

Yet come August…

------------

That piece really sums up where I am at and how I feel thanks for posting it as I had not seen it.

[trenchtownrasta]

pesky humans and their emotions.

[Hinesy]

pesky humans and their emotions.

[Fat Scouser]

Make no mistake, FSG had a plan. They knew they were sacking Kenny after the fall out from the Suarez/Evra incident. By not even speaking to Rafa, they showed their hand... they want a nice, shiny, new, media friendly LFC. They will sell up as soon as the time is right.

I don't know why anyone has a problem with people saying that. They are the current owners, that's all. They have no emotional ties to the club.