Onekligen fått en del skit av Liverpool-fansen som läser vad de vill läsa. Jag gillar Andy Carroll som spelare, precis min dröm att ha en sådan som röjer väg på Elland Road, och han kan fortfarande bli en toksuccé. Ville bara belysa risken i att handla en Joey Barton-light som är rätt oprövad på planen för så stora pengar, och att engelska spelare är för dyra.
Men man får ge Liverpool att nettomässigt är det inte stora pengar för att få in Carroll och Luis Suarez, och jag är helt för att sälja den sure Fernando Torres som på alla sätt signalerat att han inte vill spela vidare på Anfield utan hellre vill dra på sig Chelsea-tröjan och samtidigt höja lönen rejält.
Fick ett underhållande mejl av Henrik Petersen, som verkar hålla på Pool, och han bad mig släppa Roy Hodgson: ”Låt dig inte dras med i nån gammal sunkig svensk sportnationalism i det fallet, snälla! Läste en intervju med Kuyt nyligen, som sa att sedan manager – (och tränar-) bytet, så har laget börjat träna snabbt passningsspel på små ytor, istället för att spela 11 mot 11, med Roy gapande om att ”hålla positionerna.”
Petersen bad mig också läsa igenom en radda av Hodgsons citat under sitt halvår som manager och jag erkänner, jag skrattade ofta och mycket. Undrar om inte även Roy sett humorn i dem?
I preferred to put my weight behind David Ngog and Ryan Babel, who’s never really been given a proper chance at centre-forward at the club. I’m hoping that between now and Christmas we’ll have ample quality to see us through that period.
On not buying another striker
A club like Liverpool shouldn’t have to rely on non-specialists like Dirk Kuyt or Ryan Babel ‘doing a job’ up front when they are primarily wide players.
Hodgson changes his mind a month later.
They’ll be a formidable challenge – there’s no question about that.
On Carling Cup opponents, struggling league Two side Northampton
I thought we did quite well when (Northampton) they took the lead in the extra time and we threw caution to the wind it gave us the equaliser.
Hodgson uses the words ‘throw caution to the wind’ about playing a League Two side. At Anfield.
That was as good as we have played all season….. To get a result here – against Everton – would have been Utopia.
After the loss to Everton
I know Sir Alex (Ferguson) is not really a Liverpool man so I’m a bit concerned about my excellent relationship with him.
I sincerely hope he forgives me for moving north and hopefully we can have a glass of wine together, maybe in secret.
Hodgson endears himself to Liverpool fans everywhere
I prefer to talk about the game and talk about issues that interest me. Mr Ferguson is entitled to any opinion he wants to have but I’m not going to come here and say I agree or disagree.
Hodgson refuses to defend Fernando Torres against accusations of cheating
I understand (Frank) Rijkaard has just been sacked from Galatasaray – he must be a great manager to have been sacked by Galatasaray.
‘Nice guy’ Roy on the Champions League and La Liga winning manager
You would have to ask (Glen Johnson) ‘do you think you’re playing at top form and are you playing like the best right-back in the country for your club?’ If he says yes, obviously we will have to agree to differ and if he says no, then you’d have to ask the question ‘why not?
Showing his man-management skills
The protest does not help but it is something I have had to live with since I came to the club.
Criticising the fans’ protest against the club’s former owners
I was disappointed – and I’ve told him this – that he – Dalglish – applied for the job in the summer because I don’t think that was ever really going to happen for him.
Putting Liverpool legend Dalglish in his place, a man who has won more trophies than Hodgson has Premier League away games in his entire time in England
I’ve been involved in some big derbies in my career and you know how much they mean to the fans…. I didn’t like losing in those games, which I did quite often. I did poorly so it would be nice to change that.
Hodgson shows he’s the man for the big occasion before losing 3-2 to Manchester United.
He’s a quality player and we will be working hard on our tactics to make sure he doesn’t dominate the game.
On Fulham’s Danny Murphy, who was sent packing by Liverpool six years ago.
I think it would be a sad day for football and for Liverpool if someone who had been brought in with the pomp and circumstance, and the money it took them to release me from my previous contract, and being feted as one of England’s best managers – if after eight games people are deciding this guy has got to go
Showing his modest side.
Are you from Denmark? (No, Norway replied the journalist) Ah, two countries I never want to work in again.
Insulting a Norweigian journalist and a large part of Liverpool’s fan base.
We have got a lot more expensive failures on our list than good players that we have brought in for next to nothing.
Having a dig at Champions League winning former Reds boss Rafa Benitez and his transfer record
What do you mean do my methods translate? They have translated from Halmstad to Malmo to Orebo to Neuchatel Xamax to the Swiss national team. So I find the question insulting. To suggest that, because I have moved from one club to another, that the methods which have stood me in good stead for 35 years and made me one of the most respected coaches in Europe don’t suddenly work, is very hard to believe.
Reeling off some of the massive clubs he’s managed. Not so much a who’s who of European football as a who are they?
Today was a famous victory
After a 1-0 triumph over Bolton at the Reebok.
There aren’t many quality left-backs around in the world, never mind in England – so to find an English one ( Paul Konchesky) who can go straight into the team without any adjustment problems is a big advantage.
Hodgson, who sold Roberto Carlos to Real Madrid while manager of Inter Milan, knows a good left back when he sees one.
Christian (Poulsen) is an all-round player. He is capable of scoring goals, a good passer of the ball and a good defender.
After paying £4.5m on the 30-year-old plodder.
He’s not that bad on the ball.
After seeing him play.
It is very early for me to make very strong judgements about where his best position is.
Hodgson shows the depth of his research on £11.5m signing Raul Meireles, who has played his entire career in central midfield.
I don’t understand questions about Liverpool and Fulham players being different types
Who said Hodgson doesn’t grasp how big a club Liverpool is?
I’ve had several bad experiences. Even at Halmstad in the 70s, in the year we won our second championship, it took until the second half of the season to win our first game away and that broke a record going back two seasons. We went over two seasons without winning an away game.
On his wretched away form throughout his career.
Fans make their frustrations felt every time we lose, but unfortunately they may have to do that a few more times, because I can’t see us going through a season winning every game.
Roy promises the good times are going to roll again after the 2-0 defeat to Stoke
I don’t know where the stories came from that Gerrard would be fit for Newcastle.
From your Head of Sports Medicine Dr Peter Brukner, Roy.
It’s not as if he’ll be playing with a bunch of also-rans. I’m not asking him to play in the reserves.
Asking Torres to play against Utrecht while also motivating his reserves
I thought it would be a nice game for him (Torres) and a chance for him to get his confidence back. But I also had a talk to our fitness people and they made me see sense that it wasn’t the wisest thing to do.
Revealing who picks the team (efter att Torres inte spelade Utrechtmatchen).
I think we will cross that bridge when we come to it… I am not naive to believe there won’t be any danger and we will never lose a player like Torres, I understand these things can happen
Issuing a stern hands-off Torres warning to pal Ferguson. Well, kind of.
When it was mooted the club wanted me for the job I made it clear to Kenny I wanted him on board and it wouldn’t be like it was with Benitez where he’d be here in name only. It wouldn’t be the case that Kenny would be never be allowed to step foot into Melwood.
Having another dig at the Spaniard, a claim which was exposed as a lie by the Champions League winning manager
He’s not so much a player I can really take responsibility for. I’d have to share the responsibility for Joe, less so than for people like [Christian] Poulsen, [Raul] Meireles and [Paul] Konchesky, who are players I was quite happy to bring to the club.
Washing his hands of Joe Cole
Ever since I came here, the famous Anfield support hasn’t really been there.There was the problem with the owners and Kenny being so popular and the job going to me, so I have had to live with that. I have to hope the fans will become supporters because we need support. We are not deliberately losing games.
Roy puts the final nail in his coffin
