Life after Brendan

[Dirk Gently]

Brendan Rodgers has spoken many times about a three year plan and I think he felt that eventually things would click with our players, results would improve and he could change the squad around in the summer to bring in more players that suited his style so we could have a better season next time. It is impossible to say whether he would have succeeded or not but clearly his own complete faith in his methods was not shared by those that hire and fire at the Club or by a fair percentage of supporters.

I'm afarid I think that's a vast over-simplification of what was a very complicatd situation.

[weybridgewanderer]

I think Brendon's statement that he wanted to focus ballwork in training rather than fitness had a huge impact.

A number of players have lost weight since he departed and we look much fitter. The players do not all look Donald Ducked with 20 minutes to go.

Add to this :

we now seem to have a core of a team every week, rather than turning up each week wondering what the team will be
wondering what the formation will be every 15 minutes. We seem to be fairly settled with either a 4-4-1-1 or a 4-4-2

[Woodcote Royal]

Wimb, so Liverpool doesnt count as a good team then.

Well obviously, but to be picky we never 'beat them' in 90 minutes and the cup is the cup,

That's not being picky, its utter nonsense.

[facaldaqui]

I was a critic of Rodgers, and I was glad he was sacked, though the gentleman in me would probably not have taken the decision that soon. But I'm hearing too much about how arrogant he was supposed to be. Yes, he talked management-speak twaddle and overrated our performances, but in the interviews I saw him do, he seemed a likeable and pleasant chap.

[Wimb]

Wimb, so Liverpool doesnt count as a good team then.

Well obviously, but to be picky we never 'beat them' in 90 minutes and the cup is the cup,

That's not being picky, its utter nonsense.

We didn't beat them in a regulation 90 minutes I fail to see how that's nonsense? when the conversation was about winning league matches, matches that usually if I'm not mistaken are played over 90 minutes?

It was a great win, but it was in a cup competition where you have nothing to lose totally different situation in my opinion.

[Woodcote Royal]

We beat a full strength Liverpool oufit and were comfortably the better side in both legs.

To dismiss these two performances as somehow inconclusive because they weren't against Doncaster/West Brom in the Championship or,laughably, because the second leg went to extra time, is utter nonsense IMHO

[Elmer Park]

Brendan Rodgers has spoken many times about a three year plan and I think he felt that eventually things would click with our players, results would improve and he could change the squad around in the summer to bring in more players that suited his style so we could have a better season next time. It is impossible to say whether he would have succeeded or not but clearly his own complete faith in his methods was not shared by those that hire and fire at the Club or by a fair percentage of supporters.

I'm afraid I think that's a vast over-simplification of what was a very complicated situation.

Fair point well made Dirk. I still think there is some truth in what I said although I was probably being too kind to Mr Rodgers. Clearly though there is no single issue which has made the big difference and I suspect even Brian McDermott would take a lot of words to explain why he thinks things have improved under his Management.

[Man Friday]

We beat a full strength Liverpool oufit and were comfortably the better side in both legs.

To dismiss these two performances as somehow inconclusive because they weren't against Doncaster/West Brom in the Championship or,laughably, because the second leg went to extra time, is utter nonsense IMHO

And mine.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

I don't think McD has just created a winning side out of nothing. Rodgers was close to achieving something - we were a good side underperforming. That's not to say that getting rid of him wasn't the right thing, nor is it to underestimate just how much good McD has done. I think Rodgers created a good foundation, but over complicated things and got his man management all wrong.

McD has installed not just belief, but also a common understanding amongst the players. Griffin was a superb acquisition too.

[Man Friday]

Rodgers was close to achieving something

Like I'm close to breaking the 100m record. Well, I've got a pair of running shoes.

...but over complicated things and got his man management all wrong.

But apart from that he was brilliant.

Enough, enough, enough. Look, most of us don't wish him any ill will at all. In fact, I hope he has a great rest of life. But, he was seriously out of his depth. If he succeeds at another club (and I hope he does) then I'll come back and say I got it all wrong but all the evidence so far indicates strongly that he will not make a successful manager at this level. Even his interviews months later only confirm that he's floundering. Quite frankly, his interview with Dellor a week or so ago was painful to listen to and only confirmed that he wasn't, and never will be, up to it.

[winchester_royal]

I'm sorry, but we can't sit here and say that McD is just taking advantage of BR's good work. Two completely different styles, with very different team selections, the two regimes are incomparable. The fact of the matter is, Rodgers was completely the wrong choice to take charge of a team in such a huge state of transition. The younger players could not cope with his airy-fairy methods, and his refusal to play Mills was baffling.

McDermott has shown what this squad can achieve with the right couple of loan signings, and has given us a much better chance of staying up, as well as a lucrative run in the cup.

[glass half full]

I'm sorry, but we can't sit here and say that McD is just taking advantage of BR's good work. Two completely different styles, with very different team selections, the two regimes are incomparable. The fact of the matter is, Rodgers was completely the wrong choice to take charge of a team in such a huge state of transition. The younger players could not cope with his airy-fairy methods, and his refusal to play Mills was baffling.

McDermott has shown what this squad can achieve with the right couple of loan signings, and has given us a much better chance of staying up, as well as a lucrative run in the cup.

I agree. The situation required someone to keep things simpler and Briam McDermott is just that person.

[facaldaqui]

I don't think McD has just created a winning side out of nothing. Rodgers was close to achieving something - we were a good side underperforming.

I'm not sure about that. If we played the same team now, I think it would lose again (it would be without Mills, Karacan, Griffin, Kizanishvili, and without Gunnar in midfield). There were many on this board who said that no manager could have succeeded with that unbalanced team. Obviously, Brian didn't think he could, or he would have kept it the same.

[weybridgewanderer]

I don't think McD has just created a winning side out of nothing. Rodgers was close to achieving something - we were a good side underperforming. That's not to say that getting rid of him wasn't the right thing, nor is it to underestimate just how much good McD has done. I think Rodgers created a good foundation, but over complicated things and got his man management all wrong.

McD has installed not just belief, but also a common understanding amongst the players. Griffin was a superb acquisition too.

1 point a game in his first month, one point a game in his last month, one point a game over 23 games

what makes you think he was close to achieving anything more than a point a game average?

[Royal With Cheese]

I don't know if given time BR would have turned things around. I was surprised when he got the push. McD has done what's needed at this moment in time. Simplified the system, try and play a settled team and has brought in a couple of excellent loanee's to help out.

But steady on folks, we're not out of the woods yet. There's a lot of football still be played and a lot of hard work to be done to sav eour Championship status. McD will be primarily judged on this at the end of the season.

[Maguire]

1 point a game in his first month, one point a game in his last month, one point a game over 23 games

what makes you think he was close to achieving anything more than a point a game average?

In his last month it was W2 D1 L2 (and that draw should've been an easy win too). 7 points from 5 games is > a point a game.

[weybridgewanderer]

1 point a game in his first month, one point a game in his last month, one point a game over 23 games

what makes you think he was close to achieving anything more than a point a game average?

In his last month it was W2 D1 L2 (and that draw should've been an easy win too). 7 points from 5 games is > a point a game.

ok, his last 4 games was a point a game (same as his season average) rather than the last month, my bad, sorry

[Wimb]

I was probably being too kind to Mr Rodgers.

Everyone have been. Brendan "Kunt Extrordinaire" Rodgers has been talked up by the likes of Royalee and the rest of his fanclub, even after he was sacked.
That lot kept claiming that we would be relegated for sure now that we had sacked "the man with the world class plan".
Instead we have gone on a winning streak.
Clearly Rodgers did not know what he was talking about, and the people that bought into his bullshit don't know what they're talking about either.

See this is exactly what pisses me off about this board. I don't really care that people disliked Brendan Rodgers nor do I mind if people put their faith in Maccy D (as fans we should all back whoever the manager is)

But today has once again shown the fact that the so called 'progress' under Maccy D is far from clear cut and our performance today should go some way to show those that believe Rodgers was clueless and Maccy D the answer to our failings the fact that it isn't quite so clear cut.

Oh and quickly WR, as much as I actually agree with you that Liverpool was a good performance regardless of the circumstances/competition the fact is nobody knows if Rodgers would have done the same. My point has been that the league is what matters right now.

Similarly my entire entry into this thread was to point out that our new manager has yet to do anything that our old manager didn't do. Yes McD won 4 in a row but did Rodgers have such a kindly run of fixtures? I showed how Rodgers picked up similar wins to Maccy boy but such facts have been glossed over because they didn't come in a row

I think this will be my last entry into this thread until the end of the season. I honestly have no idea right now who was the better manager and who will be proved 'right or wrong' and in my opinion it's an impossible question to answer.

The fact is that I hope Maccy D keeps us up and goes onto the kind of success Coppell had, but my honest opinion is that Rodgers was never even given the proper chance.

[SLAMMED]

12 points in 5 games seems pretty good for a team in our position. But I guess there will always be negative people about.

The fact of the matter is, we could be in a much worse position at the moment. We can't complain when teams like Portsmouth are on the brink of extinction. Some of you don't realise how lucky we are.

[Man Friday]

our new manager has yet to do anything that our old manager didn't do. Yes McD won 4 in a row but did Rodgers have such a kindly run of fixtures?.

Apart from collect points and win cup matches (9 points in first 10 matches Vs McD's 14)? That's the facts side of the argument. More subjectively, team morale is much improved and we actually look like a football club again, not an HND assignment.

I think this will be my last entry into this thread until the end of the season.

Thank God for that as the moment McD loses or draws a match you come back saying he's doing no better than Rodgers. It's tedious. As you say, why don't we just wait for the results to speak for themselves just like I suggested a few weeks ago when I proposed we review the first ten league matches (9 points Vs 14 by the way + cup wins). I also suggested that in 10 matches there will be enough to be representative (e.g. some "easier" ones, some "harder" ones but you don't seem to accept this when it doesn't suit you to).