Liverpool FC: Looking To The Future With Brendan Rodgers
After a dismal league campaign in the 2011/12 season, which saw controversy, cup finals and the dethroning of a king, Liverpool are looking to the future after appointing Brendan Rodgers as the right man to take them forward.
After a dismal league campaign in the 2011/12 season, which saw controversy, cup finals and the dethroning of a king, Liverpool are looking to the future after appointing Brendan Rodgers as the right man to take them forward. Kenny Dalglishs second spell as Liverpool manager lasted just one and a half seasons and in that time the Scotsman took his beloved team to two Wembley finals, winning the clubs first trophy since 2006. Despite giving the Anfield faithful a taste of the glory days, success in the Carling Cup proved to be too little for the clubs American owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG). A defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup final dashed Liverpools hopes of completing a domestic cup double and a string of poor results and an 8th place finish in the league proved to be the deciding factor in FSGs decision to bring in a new manager. The virtues of Liverpools ideal candidate for the vacant managerial job were made clear immediately. The owners wanted to bring in a talented, young manager and Swanseas Brendan Rodgers was seen as the ideal candidate. The 39 year old, who has worked under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, took Swansea from the Championship to an 11th place finish in the Premier League last season. Rodgers signed a three year deal with Liverpool and was promised time to build his own team, implementing his personal fashion of tactics. The Northern Irishmans impressive strategies and modern style of play, were enough to land him one of the most prestigious jobs in football. Rodgers travelled to Holland and Spain, two of the worlds most attractive footballing nations, to study their tactics and train as a coach. He is now known for favouring the Tiki-Taka pass and move style of play that the Spanish national team is famous for and was able to input those tactics on his Swansea side last season. The Welsh team impressed in their debut season in the Premier League and as a result, Rodgers was snapped up in a shrewd appointment by the Anfield owners. Liverpool fans have been longing for attractive football to be played at Anfield and after a clear out of the dead wood and a rebuild of the current squad, Rodgers is the man to bring such a change. Players such as Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll, who flopped in their first season on Merseyside, could be in for a nervy summer transfer window, as Rodgers will be looking to bring in creative midfielders and speedy wingers to help creative his style of play. Critics would say the choice to make Rodgers manager of Liverpool is a risk, but sometimes risks need to be taken in order to progress. The employment of B-Rod, or King Brenny as some Kopites are wittily referring to Rodgers by, is certainly part of FSGs long term vision for the club and time is undoubtedly needed as a key ingredient for this recipe of the future.