This is a look at what awaits Roy Hodgson when he pitches up at Anfield, to take over from Rafa Benítez. It is also a call to arms to deluded fans to get real about what the club can realistically achieve with the current problems.
Thanks to The Fulham Review editor, and Craven Cottage Newsround award-winning blogger (plus honourary Tomkins Times’ member) Richard Allen for this in-depth look at how Hodgson got Fulham punching above their weight.
This piece was originally published on June 21st. Since then it’s become widely accepted that Roy Hodgson will be appointed this Thursday. This tallies with information I received a couple of days ago: that the appointment will only take place once Standard Chartered officially replace Carlsberg as the club sponsors. With this in mind, I’ve brought this piece back to the top of the site, as the main featured article.
A former teacher involved with the Liverpool Boys team, and long-standing season ticket holder, gives his view on why fans should put their differences aside – over the management issue at least – to unite behind Roy Hodgson.
I think it’s fair to say – if not necessarily fair on him – that Roy Hodgson would be the most unpopular appointment as Liverpool manager since … well, since Bill Shankly. Not that Shankly was a particularly unpopular appointment. But he certainly wasn’t already a big name. Then again, Liverpool were floundering in the old Second Division at the time.
It is the 17th October, 1987. Liverpool are playing Queens Park Rangers on a surprisingly warm autumn afternoon at Anfield. Kenny Dalglish’s side, well beaten to the title by local rivals Everton the previous year, have started well.
Subscribers to this website will know that I named Manuel Pellegrini as my choice for the vacant Liverpool manager’s job some weeks ago, even when his odds were 40-1.
This is for Subscribers only, and relates to a specific Tomkins Times project.
With Kenny Dalglish apparently in the running for the vacant manager’s job – or at least, throwing his hat into the ring – I thought I’d share the chapter on the Reds’ legendary no.7 from Dynasty: 50 Years Of Shankly’s Liverpool.
The one question I’ve been asked most following my meeting with Rafa last autumn is ‘who was the kid he pointed out as very promising?’
