'Liverpool players back me,' says under-fire Roy Hodgson
• 'The support I have had has been from the players'
• Hodgson puts Wolves defeat down to poor performance
After coming under renewed pressure from the Anfield crowd during the defeat by Wolves, Roy Hodgson said he has the support of his Liverpool players. Photograph: Tim Hales/AP
Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Thu 30 Dec 2010 15.37 GMT
Roy Hodgson insists he still has support from the players after the Liverpool fans turned on him during last night's home defeat by Wolves. Liverpool are now only three points above the relegation zone and Hodgson had to endure the Kop singing the name of Kenny Dalglish and ironic chants of "Hodgson for England".
"I have been lucky the support I have had has been from the players and within the club," he said. "I haven't had a lot of support from the fans ever since I came here. The fans have not been happy with what they have seen in the whole of 2010 and since I came here we have not won enough games to keep them happy.
"That is understandable in the sense that they were hoping when I came here the latter part of last season would be forgotten and we would start flying again. That hasn't happened and as a result, as manager, you are the one in the firing line, but of course it doesn't make the job easier because it makes the players more nervous.
"I can only say as a manager you have to understand that fans care for their club and want it to do well and when it is not doing well they voice their disapproval. That is the way of football today. When you take on any job, especially a big job like this one, and results don't go the way people want – especially when you lose games at home – you are going to be a target for disapproval.
"I have to accept that and try to keep doing my job and try to improve things for the club and hoping that the results turn around. It is a vicious circle and in order to break it we have to start playing well and winning matches because if we don't they are going to reserve their support until such time as we can do it."
Despite the criticism, Hodgson is adamant he is the man to take the club forward and suggested the players have to shoulder some responsibility for the latest debacle. After nearly three weeks without competitive action because of weather postponements the team showed a lack of cohesion against Wolves, although Hodgson pointed out it was quality that was lacking.
"I think all bad results knock everyone's confidence but I think I can look [myself] in the mirror," said Hodgson. "I am trying the best I can do and the group of players I put out there was probably the best XI, apart from Daniel Agger who has been injured long term.
"When I think about it, had I chosen a different team which did not have a midfield of Dirk Kuyt, Lucas Leiva, Steven Gerrard and Raul Meireles, with Fernando Torres and David Ngog up front, I don't think things would have been different.
"I fear whatever team I chose the performance would have been the same and that showed when I made the three substitutions and it didn't alter the level of performance. I don't think there are many players happy with how they played. I put it down to it being a bad day for us."
• 'The support I have had has been from the players'
• Hodgson puts Wolves defeat down to poor performance
After coming under renewed pressure from the Anfield crowd during the defeat by Wolves, Roy Hodgson said he has the support of his Liverpool players. Photograph: Tim Hales/AP
Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Thu 30 Dec 2010 15.37 GMT
Roy Hodgson insists he still has support from the players after the Liverpool fans turned on him during last night's home defeat by Wolves. Liverpool are now only three points above the relegation zone and Hodgson had to endure the Kop singing the name of Kenny Dalglish and ironic chants of "Hodgson for England".
"I have been lucky the support I have had has been from the players and within the club," he said. "I haven't had a lot of support from the fans ever since I came here. The fans have not been happy with what they have seen in the whole of 2010 and since I came here we have not won enough games to keep them happy.
"That is understandable in the sense that they were hoping when I came here the latter part of last season would be forgotten and we would start flying again. That hasn't happened and as a result, as manager, you are the one in the firing line, but of course it doesn't make the job easier because it makes the players more nervous.
"I can only say as a manager you have to understand that fans care for their club and want it to do well and when it is not doing well they voice their disapproval. That is the way of football today. When you take on any job, especially a big job like this one, and results don't go the way people want – especially when you lose games at home – you are going to be a target for disapproval.
"I have to accept that and try to keep doing my job and try to improve things for the club and hoping that the results turn around. It is a vicious circle and in order to break it we have to start playing well and winning matches because if we don't they are going to reserve their support until such time as we can do it."
Despite the criticism, Hodgson is adamant he is the man to take the club forward and suggested the players have to shoulder some responsibility for the latest debacle. After nearly three weeks without competitive action because of weather postponements the team showed a lack of cohesion against Wolves, although Hodgson pointed out it was quality that was lacking.
"I think all bad results knock everyone's confidence but I think I can look [myself] in the mirror," said Hodgson. "I am trying the best I can do and the group of players I put out there was probably the best XI, apart from Daniel Agger who has been injured long term.
"When I think about it, had I chosen a different team which did not have a midfield of Dirk Kuyt, Lucas Leiva, Steven Gerrard and Raul Meireles, with Fernando Torres and David Ngog up front, I don't think things would have been different.
"I fear whatever team I chose the performance would have been the same and that showed when I made the three substitutions and it didn't alter the level of performance. I don't think there are many players happy with how they played. I put it down to it being a bad day for us."
