Ok, how about this. I've put up points for keeping him and you complain that I don't counterbalance that with reasons why someone else would be worse. That's fair comment, simply because although I have indentified certain risks with players and so on, I don't know that anyone new will be worse. You, on the other hand, seem intent on getting someone new in, so why don't you tell me why you think someone new will do better? And not better long term, but better between whenever you want rid of Mr Hodgson and the end of the season. What is it about the new (as yet unidentified) manager that will make the difference? How will this new manager succeed in getting us a better league finish, especially bearing in mind that the players he has to work with will now be learning their third playing system in six months?
Simply put, the ideas and the way Hodgson is going about his job just aren't working, and we've seen from the season so far that he's very very set in his ways. He's suggested over and over again that "his methods" are fine because of where he's worked in the past. He has no intention of changing anything at all, and he's got us in to a position where we don't EVER look comfortable playing to his style. There are rumours, and admittedly they are just that at this time, that the players aren't particularly happy with what they're being asked to do. I'm not in favour of 'player power' but there has to be a happy medium somewhere along the line, surely?
If it's a straight choice of having the same tactics, approach, and effort we've seen so far OR having a new start with a manager with a fresh approach and ideas then that, to me personally, is a complete no-brainer.
Names? Realistically, Dalglish until the end of the season is one idea, certainly. You can't possibly tell me that Dalglish wouldn't get more out of our current squad than Roy Hodgson. Rijkaard, if you're looking for someone with an attacking mindset is another who could come in right away.
How would they get us a better finish? I agree, it's not guaranteed, but as I said before with Dalglish - there's no doubt in my mind that the effort would improve markedly playing for the biggest legend in the history of this club. And for all the rumours of certain players being happy under Hodgson, there's no way they'd be any less happy playing for Kenny Dalglish. As for Rijkaard, he has a very attack-minded approach, and right now we're not in a position where we can continue to approach games like Stoke, Wigan, and others with a softly softly we're-shit-scared-of-you-and-would-settle-for-a-point-here mentality. We need to start believing that we can take teams apart, and a side full of internationals isn't approaching ANY game like that at present.
Nothing is guaranteed. But I've always been of the mindset that this club shouldn't be settling for draws at smaller sides, or writing off the season in November. It should be competing, and if it isn't then that needs to be addressed. I wasn't calling for Rafa's head, because he'd already proven that it was in him to take this club further. He had one bad season and we sacked him, but it wasn't like it is now. Rafa had the backing because he understood this club and it's fans and culture, but at the same time his hands were tied and he was working under horrible pressures from within the club. I don't think Hodgson understands this club one little bit, and he's in an enviable position where the bigger problems have been sorted for him, yet he's still struggling like fuck to get things right. He's not the right guy, and you yourself have admitted that. I think it comes down to how much you're willing to put up with, and after three years of absolute shite surrounding this club I'm not of the mind to keep settling for more nonsense which needs to be addressed and isn't quickly enough.
I've had enough of one problem after the other, I want to fall in love with football again, and Roy Hodgson is stopping me doing that.
