Who is responsible for Hodgson's exit? Ask Goldie Lookin' Chain...

By Alex Henshaw

You won’t be surprised to learn that novelty music (Flight of the Conchords, Tenacious D etc.) is not my first love in life. Which is why I was equally surprised when the first thing to pop into my head when reflecting on today’s sacking of Roy Hodgson by Liverpool FC was the Goldie Lookin’ Chain hit ‘Drugs don’t kill people, Rappers do’. The sound premise behind this crude yet cannily observed number is that a weapon firing and killing isn’t a cause in itself: someone needs to pull the trigger. For GLC’s parody, the answer is warring hip hop artists. In Hodgson's case, the answer as to who is ultimately responsible for his P45 is less clear. I will assess the immediate potential culprits: Hodgson himself and the Liverpool players he managed.



Roy Hodgson is responsible for Roy Hodgson getting the sack
Roy Hodgson did not sign on the dotted line at Anfield and become a bad manager overnight. It is only fair to begin by talking up the achievements of a man who took a small, tight knit Fulham squad from the brink of a relegation (which, I hasten to add, the club may never have recovered from) to the giddy heights of the inaugural Europa League final only to be outdone by Diego Forlan and Atletico Madrid in extra time.

Additionally, Hodgson expertly prevented the short-term meltdown of Liverpool by persuading a jaded and mistrusting Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard into pledging their future to a club that had repeatedly broken promises to its two most iconic players. Jamie Carragher and Pepe Reina were on the end of an equally astute deployment of ego massaging to ensure the spine of the side was in place and content for the start of the season.

That’s where the positives end. From the embarrassing home defeats to the likes of Northampton Town and newly promoted Blackpool to the nail in the coffin away reverse at Blackburn Rovers, Hodgson has been unable to motivate his key players into displaying the pride and commitment to wearing the Red Shirt. Such results are too humiliating for a club with such a rich history and aspirations. Openly criticising his players' poor performance only served to alienate those he was trying to motivate.

Hodgson’s forays into the transfer market should also be seen as a key reason for his departure. Monies raised from the departure of the openly rebellious Javier Mascherano have seen the arrival of Christian Poulsen and Paul Konchesky. Neither are good enough, Poulsen in particular being a figure of ridicule amongst the Anfield faithful. Raul Meireles’ time for judgement should be delayed until next season, but a £12m outlay has shown little of the dominance and presence demonstrated at Porto and so desperately needed to fill the huge gap left by Macherano‘s departure. ‘Joe Cole’ could well be a swear word in the Red half of Merseyside by the end of the season.

However, the overriding evidence in favour of Hodgson being to blame is his lack of judgement and severe myopia to the situation at Anfield. Paper thin squad; employed by derided and discredited owners who couldn’t wait to get out of Dodge; potential new owners who traditionally ‘want their own man’. The reality is that Hodgson was seduced by the lure of one of the biggest jobs in world football. This undoubtedly clouded the judgement of a capable manager who just didn’t do the diligence properly. He ultimately paid the price.

Liverpool FC players are responsible for Roy Hodgson getting the sack
Torres, Gerrard, Reina, Carragher, Ngog, Lucas, Skrtel, Agger, Aurelio, Konchesky, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Johnson, Jovanovic, Kuyt, Maxi, Meireles, Spearing……

Quick exercise: pick out those you think would make it into a top 4 starting XI. Now pick out those you think would make it into a top 10 starting XI. Now pick out who would look cosier marshalling the turf of a respectable bottom feeder. It quickly becomes apparent that based on capability alone, the Liverpool squad is not good enough to sustain the sort of challenge expected by fans and owners alike. Hodgson had little opportunity to change his squad and suffered the consequences.

What Hodgson should have expected was the guile, inspiration and dedication the clubs senior players have systematically failed to deliver. Fernando Torres allowed a smirk to escape after his double goal demolition of Chelsea, but in general has displayed little desire to be on the pitch and few of the attributes that have put him amongst the world’s best strikers. Steven Gerrard, although intermittently hampered by injury has lost his drive and the ability to impose himself on a game. Pepe Reina looks like a goalkeeper that is up most nights worrying about the defence protecting him. Carragher’s leadership at the back has been sorely missed.

Can the finger be pointed elsewhere?
Stand up Rafa Benitez. A Champions League victory in his first season at the club assures him of a place in history and the hearts of Liverpool fans. However, despite his protestations of underinvestment and not being backed by the owners, Benitez expensively assembled the worst Liverpool squad in decades giving any successor little chance of immediate success. Hodgson suffered as a result.

The institution that is Liverpool FC should also come in for criticism. It basks in its former glories without fully realising that it is being left behind. Fans criticised Hodgson without acknowledging the impossibility of the task presented to him. Kenny Dalglish being an immovable background object also indirectly undermined Hodgson’s authority. Dalglish’s subsequent appointment only adds to the feeling that Liverpool are more interested in stroking its nostalgic ego than running a coherent, successful and respected football club.

Wherever the blame lies, John Henry, Tom Werner and New England Sports Ventures now have the unenviable task of rebuilding a club in search of a manager capable of overcoming the hurdles leading to the downfall of Hodgson. Answers on a postcard please.