Was Brendan Rodgers second choice to Roberto Martinez for the coveted Anfield role?
As Liverpool’s start to the season is becoming one of the premier talking points so early into the campaign thought has turned to who is at fault for such a sluggish start. An unconvincing win over Hearts in the Europa League, 1 point from 3 games and a disastrous transfer window has seen Liverpool being criticised from many circles. Despite the one point coming in an impressive but sloppy draw with reigning champions Manchester City there is no hiding place.
The manager must take some of the blame despite all the problems that are obvious with the hierarchy at the club. But did Liverpool simply appoint the wrong man?
Brendan Rodgers was of course a brilliant manager at Swansea achieving great things during his time there and a firm advocate in passing football and a high pressing game; the modern day blueprint for footballing success. But he did not introduce that style at former team Swansea City the foundations had originally been built by Roberto Martinez. The Spaniard has since gone on to defy the odds with a perceptively weak Wigan side; fending off relegation last season despite seeming out of the race at one point.
Liverpool chased the former Wigan and Swansea player but it was revealed by Martinez that in fact he turned down the role at Anfield. A persuasive chat with an owner who had genuine and formulated plans for the future for his club in Dave Whelan convinced him to say. Something you could be said doesn’t seem apparent at Liverpool. Was he first choice? If the manager said he turned it down, there is no reason to disbelief him.
Tom Werner of FSG claimed at that time that Brendan Rodgers was in fact the only person offered the coveted role but after the litany of errors and misjudgements they have made since taking over the club you struggle to take anything they say remotely seriously.
So it depends on who you believe as to whether Liverpool simply got their second choice. Brendan Rodgers inherited a very good Swansea side but he did also add quality in players such as Michel Vorm and Scott Sinclair but he has not yet been able to reproduce the style of play he helped engrain at the Liberty on Merseyside. His managerial career has the obvious plus of his time at Swansea but a spell with Reading was disappointing and while his time at Watford was encouraging it hardly spoke of a future Liverpool manager.
Perhaps that is simply because he never created this style, he continued it from Roberto Martinez, who probably was or should have been Liverpool’s first choice.
What do you think did Liverpool get the wrong man?
image: © illarterate
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