Topic: I like your manifesto. Put it to the test-o.

[lfc_bhoy]

Plenty of reasons why not.

The best being, fuck 'em.

[chuckmynorris]

He just knows to say the right things. Liking the man more and more after reading these interviews. The fact that he feels that we should bring through as many youngsters as possible brought a smile on my face.

And this part as well: “My world has been about creating rather than waiting. If you wait, you rely on somebody else to make a mistake. If you create you do everything possible to win the game. I’d rather lose a game trying to win it than lose it trying to not get beat.”

Which in my opinion have been our problem for a long time now.

[peachybum]

Time and results will tell. I'm concerned that so many people are going to dump unreasonable and frankly stupid expectations on him and the club. We need time to build and time to approach that task in the right way.

Personally I'd like him to shut up. And I'm not the only matchgoing red thinking this. He's on every forum and being quoted every day.

Every manager does pre match press conferences, especially when you're on tour and promoting Liverpool to a new town/city each game.

[Brightonscouse]

Actually I'd like to experience a world where the media doesn't hate LFC. I loved Rafa for taking them on, and Kenny too, but after a while it got to be more counter-productive than ever. If Rodgers can get the press on his side without compromising the club, why not?

Plenty of reasons why not.

Are our owners based in the US ?
Are our kit suppliers from there too ?

New Head of media relations from ?

Being media savvy and getting "the brand" out there whilst trying to repair some of the damage from last year, is not a bad thing. We are just not used to being open with the press, within certain limitations I might add.

Whilst I appreciate what is being said about keeping the cards close to our chest so to speak, when a reporter (in the case of our interest in JA) knows the answer and asks a question anyway is it not best to tell the truth rather than say "no comment" or lie because we all know the press will make something up if they don't get the answer straight from the horses mouth.

[peachybum]

We controlled 8 out of 10 games last season...and it didnt end well in terms of the league.

I'll give Rodgers every chance, and can't wait to see what he can do. He needs time.

We didn't 'control' many games at all last season. Having chances, crosses isn't control.

[Zlenpasha]

A manifesto, really?

This poor lamb is being hyped up so much that when he starts to crumble a bit under inevitable pressure it might really get ugly fast.

[Andy @ Allerton]

Are our owners based in the US ?
Are our kit suppliers from there too ?

New Head of media relations from ?

Being media savvy and getting "the brand" out there whilst trying to repair some of the damage from last year, is not a bad thing. We are just not used to being open with the press, within certain limitations I might add.

Whilst I appreciate what is being said about keeping the cards close to our chest so to speak, when a reporter (in the case of our interest in JA) knows the answer and asks a question anyway is it not best to tell the truth rather than say "no comment" or lie because we all know the press will make something up if they don't get the answer straight from the horses mouth.

The CLUB is in Liverpool.

[Andy @ Allerton]

We didn't 'control' many games at all last season. Having chances, crosses isn't control.

Yes. We did. We battered most teams all season but couldn't find the net. A record number of woodwork bound efforts shows just how many clear cut chances we made. Terrible finishing was the order of the day sadly.

[Finn Solomon]

The CLUB is in Liverpool.

Yes but right now the team and the manager isn't.

[nocturnalvin]

Truth is, Americans do like manifestos and what nots. I bet there are graphs in those pages.

[Tarantino Red]

Enjoyed reading that.

I knew it would be followed by the usual arguments regarding his interviews.

He's just took on one of the biggest jobs in football, under new owners, in preseason..... Of course there's going to be interest & interviews. He doesn't say anything outlandish, at all. Just describes his vision & what he wants the club to achieve.

That's it.

Give him a break, ffs.

[Alex7]

I'd like him to do less interviews personally. Doesn't sit right with me that he's seemingly doing several interviews a week and is chummy with the media to the extent he is.

Why? You seem to create controversy and find fault with some of the weirdest stuff. Kenny Dalglish, as much love as I have for him, was poor with the media last year. He started off really well when he was caretaker, joking with them, letting it be known when they were out of line.. but by the end of his reign he'd repeatedly shown the club in a negative light in the media. This is Liverpool, and doing the best thing for Liverpool is the goal. Brendan Rodgers has clearly sat on the outside and realised how much trouble we've had with both the press, and the publics taking on us in the last few years. He's identified that as a key area not only for his survival, but for Liverpools survival. You've got to be able to deal with them, you've got to show them dignity when they offer nothing in return, be the bigger man. When they get out of line, scold them, SAF style. If you do what the king did, offer up absolutely nothing.. they will just fish even deeper, make something out of absolutely nothing in order to make a story.

Not only that, but he's doing a promotional tour in America and under the camera/microphone every day. Similar stuff coming from every club - SAF talking about Hazard, Lucas Moura, Berbatov and Van Persie openly for example. Many more out there but that being the most obvious. He's saying all the right things, and I see him as much too smart and sophisticated a man to have not known what he was doing re: comments about Carroll etc.

[Walshy®]

Time and results will tell. I'm concerned that so many people are going to dump unreasonable and frankly stupid expectations on him and the club. We need time to build and time to approach that task in the right way.

Personally I'd like him to shut up. And I'm not the only matchgoing red thinking this. He's on every forum and being quoted every day.

Fucking hell Andy give it a rest will you, you are getting boring and pathetic.

[Jizz Capuchin]

Any soft twat can cobble together a booklet. Just ask Fat Scouser.

Top four last year:
1. a man who can't read English
2. a man who can't speak English
3. a man who can't see English
4. a man who can't read or write English

We need to fuck these Professor Pageturner types right off out of football if we want to get anywhere fast. Remember the last learned fuckwit we had in charge with his "my Xanax to Marshmallow philosophy" and "I've read books. Big ones. With words. And only a couple of artistic illustrations" ? Well fuck that. Give me a man who looks at magazines with pictures in it but doesn't bother with the words. Give me a man who says "lump it the big fella so he can knock it down to the little man in the hole" rather than all this patient pressing and control shite. Give me a man who doesn't keep secrets but tells Sky Sports News every aspect of his transfer plans out the window of his Austin Allegro with a cheeky wink. How dare he already tell us how much he devalues the FA Cup by giving up our right to play in the 3rd round so we can get knocked out by Dagenham And Redbridge rather than face one of the big teams, the fucking shithouse! Next thing we know, he'll be playing the Under 14's in the Europa la Liga. Burn this fucking Brian Rodgers and his mini skirted dancing girls at the stake.

[Not funny reecehenebry]

He reminds me of Maureen to be honest. He talks a lot about himself and what he does. I cannot understand how it helps to tell the world what your footballing plan is all the time. It may work for Barca, who have 4/5 of the top 10 players in the world in the team and the rest in the top 25.

Sometimes you can surrender the ball in matches for your benefit. Most often it's best to allow the other team the slog of figuring out how to beat you and how you play. Brendan seems determined to tell them all what we are going to do and how.

Seems fucking stupid to me. Bring back the days when no one knew the team we were going to play, never mind the tactics and style we would use, or the formation.

Rafa#s biggest footballing mistake was to play the same 4231 all through his last season. Hodge's constant mistake over 34 years was to play the same 442/451 system and under Kenny (once Lucas was injured) everyone knew how we were going to play. All can work when you have th players good enough and clever enough to do it for you. Hasn't worked for us in years.

I hope Brendan doesn't become that predictable.

[helmboy_nige]

Another strong interview from the new man.  I also think it's important for Rodgers to get his point across to the fans.  The easiest way to do that is through the media.  You sense when he speaks to the media he's not talking to them, he's talking to us.  He's using the media for precisely what it's there for.  This is in stark contrast to some of the other managers who look to cosy up to the media so they will do them favours.

What's not to like about that approach.

He comes across as a genuinely good guy with some great ideas.  I've bought into his ethos already and hope the results over the long term prove him right.

Can't wait for the Man City home game...

[Finn Solomon]

Top four last year:
1. a man who can't read English
2. a man who can't speak English
3. a man who can't see English
4. a man who can't read or write English

[Gnurglan]

I like what he had to say. He needs to be able to present his intentions. He wants stability, he prefers his team to keep the ball, he's respectful to our previous managers and he doesn't promise the world.

[nocturnalvin]

He reminds me of Maureen to be honest. He talks a lot about himself and what he does. I cannot understand how it helps to tell the world what your footballing plan is all the time. It may work for Barca, who have 4/5 of the top 10 players in the world in the team and the rest in the top 25.

Sometimes you can surrender the ball in matches for your benefit. Most often it's best to allow the other team the slog of figuring out how to beat you and how you play. Brendan seems determined to tell them all what we are going to do and how.

Seems fucking stupid to me. Bring back the days when no one knew the team we were going to play, never mind the tactics and style we would use, or the formation.

Rafa#s biggest footballing mistake was to play the same 4231 all through his last season. Hodge's constant mistake over 34 years was to play the same 442/451 system and under Kenny (once Lucas was injured) everyone knew how we were going to play. All can work when you have th players good enough and clever enough to do it for you. Hasn't worked for us in years.

I hope Brendan doesn't become that predictable.

thats got to be the strangest thing i've read, at least for today. How is surrendering the ball a good thing ? A counter attack tactical set up is different from surrendering the ball and letting an opponents find out how to beat us. The rest of the post is just strange.

[MichaelO]

Why? You seem to create controversy and find fault with some of the weirdest stuff. Kenny Dalglish, as much love as I have for him, was poor with the media last year. He started off really well when he was caretaker, joking with them, letting it be known when they were out of line.. but by the end of his reign he'd repeatedly shown the club in a negative light in the media. This is Liverpool, and doing the best thing for Liverpool is the goal. Brendan Rodgers has clearly sat on the outside and realised how much trouble we've had with both the press, and the publics taking on us in the last few years. He's identified that as a key area not only for his survival, but for Liverpools survival. You've got to be able to deal with them, you've got to show them dignity when they offer nothing in return, be the bigger man. When they get out of line, scold them, SAF style. If you do what the king did, offer up absolutely nothing.. they will just fish even deeper, make something out of absolutely nothing in order to make a story.

Not only that, but he's doing a promotional tour in America and under the camera/microphone every day. Similar stuff coming from every club - SAF talking about Hazard, Lucas Moura, Berbatov and Van Persie openly for example. Many more out there but that being the most obvious. He's saying all the right things, and I see him as much too smart and sophisticated a man to have not known what he was doing re: comments about Carroll etc.

Spot on. We were very poor with the media under Kenny. We need the media more then they need us. Therefore an attitude change is a must.

[didi shamone]

Manifestos and philosophies are all well and good but without signing quality players it's not worth a toss. People get excited by talk of young players being integrated into the first team as if it's something we haven't aspired to before. The truth is that every club would love to do that but if the quality is not in the youth teams theres no point.
I like his ideas on how the game should be played but I reckon it's his signings that will make or break him. Ask Kenny. If Borini is a flop and we bring in Allen and it turns out that he's an overly hyped journeyman for big money, our results will be poor and everyone will rightly question whether he understands the level that's required of players at this club. I choose these two examples because he's worked closely with both and shouldn't make mistakes with them.
If however they turn out as fantastic bargains that our rivals would love to have in their teams then he'll be rightly hailed as a shrewd judge of players. Our results will improve and it's happy days.

Basically we could be sultans of ping or perhaps in dire straits.

[Andy @ Allerton]

Why? You seem to create controversy and find fault with some of the weirdest stuff. Kenny Dalglish, as much love as I have for him, was poor with the media last year. He started off really well when he was caretaker, joking with them, letting it be known when they were out of line.. but by the end of his reign he'd repeatedly shown the club in a negative light in the media. This is Liverpool, and doing the best thing for Liverpool is the goal. Brendan Rodgers has clearly sat on the outside and realised how much trouble we've had with both the press, and the publics taking on us in the last few years. He's identified that as a key area not only for his survival, but for Liverpools survival. You've got to be able to deal with them, you've got to show them dignity when they offer nothing in return, be the bigger man. When they get out of line, scold them, SAF style. If you do what the king did, offer up absolutely nothing.. they will just fish even deeper, make something out of absolutely nothing in order to make a story.

Not only that, but he's doing a promotional tour in America and under the camera/microphone every day. Similar stuff coming from every club - SAF talking about Hazard, Lucas Moura, Berbatov and Van Persie openly for example. Many more out there but that being the most obvious. He's saying all the right things, and I see him as much too smart and sophisticated a man to have not known what he was doing re: comments about Carroll etc.

Kenny didn't change with the media. They changed the slant on what he was saying. It's a shame that some of our fans fell for it.

[Not funny reecehenebry]

thats got to be the strangest thing i've read, at least for today. How is surrendering the ball a good thing ? A counter attack tactical set up is different from surrendering the ball and letting an opponents find out how to beat us. The rest of the post is just strange.

A counter attacking setuo needs you to surrender the ball in order to gain space in behind, it's not a huge leap lad.

Telling everyone how you are going to play is stupid. Let them figure it out themselves.

[lankyguy007]

He's trying to get the fans to understand what he's trying to do. There's nothing wrong with that. Far too many fans think they know more about football than managers and when certain decisions are made, criticise them without looking at why they were made. BR's just trying to get his philosophy across so that people do understand what he's doing.

Whether by these interviews he's inadvertently adding more pressure and expectation I don't know. Yes I'd like slightly less in terms of interviews but we haven't even played a competitive game yet. Some of the criticism is very odd so far.

[Andy]

Personally I'd like him to shut up.

I agree, but only because he comes across so well that I am one of the people that gets very excited about the coming season (before having a word with myself).

However half the point of pre-season tours to America (or China or wherever) is to generate interest for the club in a new and lucrative market. Expecting our manager not to do press conferences, or even be arsey with the media, is either naivety or stupidity. It is the modern football world.

The problem is that Rodgers says everything I want him to say, in an erudite and charming way (the bastard!). He's too bloody good at them. If the Prem was won on press conferences, we'd piss on everyone in the league. So, so different to Hodgson...

I just hope, come the end of the season, we are saying he is too good at winning football games too!

[nocturnalvin]

A counter attacking setuo needs you to surrender the ball in order to gain space in behind, it's not a huge leap lad.

Telling everyone how you are going to play is stupid. Let them figure it out themselves.

A counter attack tactical set up isn't about surrendering the ball, its sitting back when the opponents have the ball, and counter with pace into their vulnerable spots. Its a world of difference.

Its no secret how teams play, and he didn't go about telling anyone the details of his match day set up did he. Its like when people say Spain and Barca plays in one way only, fact is, they don't. The devil is in the details. And you are already assuming they wouldn't be changes to how he set his team up.

[Andy @ Allerton]

He's trying to get the fans to understand what he's trying to do. There's nothing wrong with that. Far too many fans think they know more about football than managers and when certain decisions are made, criticise them without looking at why they were made. BR's just trying to get his philosophy across so that people do understand what he's doing.

Whether by these interviews he's inadvertently adding more pressure and expectation I don't know. Yes I'd like slightly less in terms of interviews but we haven't even played a competitive game yet. Some of the criticism is very odd so far.

I'd like him to show the fans what he's trying to do by getting a team out there and playing well.

Your talking on the pitch matters a million times more than anything you'll ever say off it when you're talking about football.

[lankyguy007]

I'd like him to show the fans what he's trying to do by getting a team out there and playing well.

Your talking on the pitch matters a million times more than anything you'll ever say off it when you're talking about football.

I agree yes but there's nothing wrong with trying to explain your basic philosophy to help people get on side.

[Andy]

Kenny didn't change with the media. They changed the slant on what he was saying. It's a shame that some of our fans fell for it.

I found some of kenny's interviews very, very hard to watch. The press are going to ask managers difficult questions, and I felt bad when kenny didn't deal with them as well as I wanted.

It will be interesting to see how Rodgers deals with difficult questions when they come up. He doesn't seem the sort of guy that will pander to media - at the moment he is communicating his expectations and ideas to us the fans, the players and the rest of the world.

[Andy]

A counter attack tactical set up isn't about surrendering the ball, its sitting back when the opponents have the ball, and counter with pace into their vulnerable spots. Its a world of difference.

Its no secret how teams play, and he didn't go about telling anyone the details of his match day set up did he. Its like when people say Spain and Barca plays in one way only, fact is, they don't. The devil is in the details. And you are already assuming they wouldn't be changes to how he set his team up.

Exactly.

Utd and Arsenal over the last ten years have played counter attacking - but only when it is effective. They must have scored loads of goals straight from defending a corner, but no one would say their over-riding tactic was the counter attack.

[Andy @ Allerton]

I found some of kenny's interviews very, very hard to watch. The press are going to ask managers difficult questions, and I felt bad when kenny didn't deal with them as well as I wanted.

It will be interesting to see how Rodgers deals with difficult questions when they come up. He doesn't seem the sort of guy that will pander to media - at the moment he is communicating his expectations and ideas to us the fans, the players and the rest of the world.

Different opinions and all that but Kenny dealt with every interview exactly the way I wanted. It was obvious he was wise to the two faced back stabbing that the media gimps were up to and wanted to make them aware that he knew. His contempt when dealing with the press towards the end was spot on.

[Alex7]

Kenny didn't change with the media. They changed the slant on what he was saying. It's a shame that some of our fans fell for it.

So you are suggesting I fell for it? Have a word mate. Of course the medias tone changed, it always will, thats a given. Kenny was poor with them though in every press conference. What started out funny quickly became frustrating and petulant. The man was too ingrained in Liverpool and despised the media for the way they have portrayed our club, and they fed on that. If you couldn't see the noticeable difference in his body language and tone after Suarez's case then I can't debate with you.

[nocturnalvin]

So you are suggesting I fell for it? Have a word mate. Of course the medias tone changed, it always will, thats a given. Kenny was poor with them though in every press conference. What started out funny quickly became frustrating and petulant. The man was too ingrained in Liverpool and despised the media for the way they have portrayed our club, and they fed on that. If you couldn't see the noticeable difference in his body language and tone after Suarez's case then I can't debate with you.

it shouldn't matter to the supporters. It, however, mattered to the owners.

[BarryCrocker]

It’s got to include at least:

[Andy]

Different opinions and all that but Kenny dealt with every interview exactly the way I wanted. It was obvious he was wise to the two faced back stabbing that the media gimps were up to and wanted to make them aware that he knew. His contempt when dealing with the press towards the end was spot on.

Fair enough - I did like a lot of his interviews, he's got a brilliant dry sense of humour which often undermines difficult questions. Maybe it was the pressure towards the end, but I found some of his (mainly post-match) interviews difficult.

Obv I still love the guy tho. Our greatest player, one of our greatest managers, and a great human being.

[Andy @ Allerton]

So you are suggesting I fell for it? Have a word mate. Of course the medias tone changed, it always will, thats a given. Kenny was poor with them though in every press conference. What started out funny quickly became frustrating and petulant. The man was too ingrained in Liverpool and despised the media for the way they have portrayed our club, and they fed on that. If you couldn't see the noticeable difference in his body language and tone after Suarez's case then I can't debate with you.

Couldn't possibly disagree more. He was spot on in every press conference. The press twisted every one of them.

[SMD]

Okay and as much as the press want to twist anything, it means nothing unless we allow the pressure to mount.

So with that in mind, Rodgers should be allowed to fulfil his media duties and if at this point in time you're not interested in what he has to say or the volume then don't pay attention. As far as I'm concerned, Rodgers has done nothing to warrant any criticism so far.

[Alex7]

Couldn't possibly disagree more. He was spot on in every press conference. The press twisted every one of them.

I beg you to explain how the press twist a mans facial and body expressions, his tone and other such stuff. With the line of questioning? Kenny just didn't want to be there, that is painfully obvious. And the press fed on it.

[Carra-ton]

I wouldn't mind if Rodgers is a media-whore as long as he gets us back on the map. Frankly, the small time mentality of always looking at the past and looking at ourselves as the victim even when not, is boring.  Lets look ahead, I know Liverpool as a whole has become incapable of that, but let us try.

[Carlos: Very Kickable]

He reminds me of Maureen to be honest. He talks a lot about himself and what he does. I cannot understand how it helps to tell the world what your footballing plan is all the time. It may work for Barca, who have 4/5 of the top 10 players in the world in the team and the rest in the top 25.

Sometimes you can surrender the ball in matches for your benefit. Most often it's best to allow the other team the slog of figuring out how to beat you and how you play. Brendan seems determined to tell them all what we are going to do and how.

Seems fucking stupid to me. Bring back the days when no one knew the team we were going to play, never mind the tactics and style we would use, or the formation.

Rafa#s biggest footballing mistake was to play the same 4231 all through his last season. Hodge's constant mistake over 34 years was to play the same 442/451 system and under Kenny (once Lucas was injured) everyone knew how we were going to play. All can work when you have th players good enough and clever enough to do it for you. Hasn't worked for us in years.

Although I agree with A@A that the general media interaction should be kept on the slow burner I don't mind interviews like this one where the vision of the club is outlined. It's important for two reasons.

Firstly, it sets an agenda for the media. One of the reasons Mourinho is so good with the media and Kenny wasn't is that the nature of the beast has changed. In the old days it was possible to be taciturn and not say much because journalists wouldn't report something without any substance to it. Nowadays, not saying anything is not an option - standards have slipped plus there is a 24 hour rolling news cycle which needs filling. Actually it doesn't matter what you say but you have to be on the front foot setting the agenda and shape the media to suit you. That's why Andy's point (with all respect) doesn't make any sense. You acknowledge that the media twisted and changed everything that Kenny said yet you want the manager to pursue a strategy more like Kenny's?

Secondly, outlining the philosophy in this way actually takes pressure off Rodgers - ie if it fails we need to find another way to make possession based pass and move football work - its less a question of the manager's personal failings. This is an important difference from Mourinho who loaded much of the pressure on himself rather than the playing philosophy. Rodgers has to do this to get the players to buy into it as he has little track record to fall back on. It's good as everyone at the club has a unified idea of where we are heading and what everyone is meant to do - in marked contrast to last season.

I disagree wih your point we need to be constantly changing how we play. Look at the top five clubs and you could describe to a T how they would be playing half a season in advance.