I just woke up and saw the news, so I'm going to be reading for the foreseeable future. I have stayed out of this debate the past few weeks and months, not out of cowardice to express my opinion, and not in a holier-than-thou attempt to seem to be above criticizing the manager, but rather in the hope that my silence would spare all of you the grease and gloop of my sloppy and confused emotions about it all. In short, I had nothing new to contribute - just the same questions (albeit important questions), the same doubts that all of us have had and have been expressing. In short, I've been utterly baffled by it all. But I will say this.
I think FSG were very fair to Rodgers. They gave him a chance to rebound from Stoke (and really from all of 2014-15), but the shoots of new growth were not there and their decision last night makes clear sense. We can't be afraid to try something new and different.
I think Brendan was fair to the club and to us. He clearly gave every effort to put us back in the fray at the top and he clearly tried everything he could think of. It didn't work out, but I'll not slate him for his effort and I wish him well in the future.
Having wished him well and continued to treat him with respect, I think it is fair for us to be excited about what comes next. We needed a lift, badly, and it is clear to me that we needed a change. Banking on the owners to make the right decision (whatever that is) on our next boss is a scary proposition, but the idea that we will be changing the structure of the footballing side of things in the wake of this sacking fills me with hope, something that has been dormant for quite some time.
The club is more than one man, more than one season, more than one slump or one streak of victories. It's a continuum, linking the past to the present and leading to the future. We all remember the glorious, unbearable pressure of those European nights under Rafa, not to mention all the seasons and moments that came before and built the platform from which he led his charge onto the continent. While we are not entitled by some divine right to be included in that mix year after year, no one can argue that our club doesn't belong at the head table, our knives out stabbing at the best meat, the top prizes. Hopefully this decision is the first step on our way back there.
Thanks Brendan and best of luck. YNWA.