Roy Hodgson says he retains the support of Liverpool’s owners and does not fear for his future, despite sharing principal owner John W Henry’s opinion that this season has been unacceptable.
Henry and Tom Werner, Liverpool’s new chairman, staged a 90-minute question and answer session with supporters on the club’s television channel on Monday, when Henry, discussing the “three-to-five-year rebuilding project” needed at the club, conceded: “Where we are at this point isn’t acceptable.”
Hodgson responded defiantly, and angrily, when asked if that could be interpreted as criticism of his brief tenure.
“I don’t have any fears, worries or concerns,” he replied. “But if you put it to me – ‘You feel there is no chance whatsoever of you getting sacked’ – then I would be in a minority of one in that respect. It happened to Chris Hughton, it happened to Sam Allardyce, Martin O’Neill resigned – we are all in that situation. But, as a professional who knows his job, you would have to excuse me for not going down the route of ‘Who can we get rid of next?’
“Unless there is a major influx of cash into the club and the team is going to be changed from one moment to the next, then whoever takes my place will be doing a similar job with similar players.”
Hodgson’s position has been only one bad result from being under debate all season but he has found assurance in the pragmatic approach of New England Sports Ventures since their £300-million takeover in October. “They are very good. Their vision for the club is spot on,” he said. “People have made mileage about the current results being ‘unacceptable’ but, if I was on the phone-in, I would have been saying the same thing. I did not join Liverpool to be in mid-table. I came here because I believed we could be in the top four, in the Champions League and winning things. That’s my ambition. Certainly it is the owners’ ambition. I’m hoping they’ll help me – especially in terms of recruitment – get the team in the top four.
“Maybe the current crop can get us there. It is going to be difficult after a bad start. But I’m not saying that we have such a bad team we can’t make it. All I’m saying is that I’m looking for a little bit of help along the way to improve the areas where we have got a few weaknesses.” –