They really said that?

Ah, hindsight, it's a wonderful thing.

Use this thread to post comments from those in football and the media who, on reflection, got it so so wrong.

Phil Thompson (July 2010)

"I think with Roy, the club is going back to the old British style of management and the old way of doing things," said the former Liverpool assistant boss.

"I can see the spirit of the bootroom coming back to Liverpool under Roy and there is an Englishness and Britishness about the way he does things.

"The bootroom was a very special time for Liverpool and first Bill Shankly, then Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish had tight-knit little communities around them.

"When Rafa came in, he brought a lot of Spanish people with him. He had a Spanish coaching staff, a Spanish medical team and even towards the end, he had a Spanish staff at the Academy.

"There was a big change in the ethos of the club under him and it went away from being British to being Spanish.

"I can see Roy changing all that and he will want the heart of the team and the club to be English again.

"I can already see a different management style under Roy and I think he will want to be more low-profile than Rafa was.

"I think Roy is what we need right now. We've had a poor season and a lot of well-documented problems off the pitch, and Roy will bring the stability the club needs."

Good job we've still got some Spanish staff at the Academy eh Phil?

He (Meireles) had two training sessions and played on Thursday night and he played again on Sunday so it is very early for me to make strong judgements about where his best position is. The work we do on the training field will show me how best to use him.”

Hodgson on Meireles

From what I saw I thought we dominated the second half totally. I thought the shape of the team was good today; the quality of our passing and movement was good. We didn’t score goals and Everton did but I refuse to accept that we were in any way outplayed or any way inferior. I watched the performance and the second half was as good as I saw a Liverpool team play under my management that is for sure.”

Hodgson on derby defeat

Ian St John, July 2010

“When Hodgson was at Fulham I don’t think he went to work in the morning thinking we need three points to keep us up there with Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal. Liverpool are totally different to Fulham.

“He knows the history of Liverpool and he'll have seen Liverpool play a million times. I think he'll understand that he can’t play dull and average football.

“He can’t bring a system to Liverpool that's not exciting.

Danny Murphy, July 2010

"I admire Roy Hodgson. He has a philosophy of playing good football."

"People spoke about [recently appointed Real Madrid manager] Jose Mourinho but I personally didn't see him as an ideal fit with Liverpool because right now, they need someone who has an empathy for the club."

"Maybe it's time Liverpool had an English manager who knows about the club.

"He has real tactical knowledge too - in a way it has come from Roy's Italian [managerial] roots, it is an Italian style,"

Michael Owen, July 2010

"I suppose the ship had to be steadied and there are not many managers available of his experience and know how.

"I am sure he knows what he's doing and the Liverpool fans will give him a good reception."

Roy Hodgson, 14th December 2010

"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.

I guarantee fourth.

Before someone else does it.

Quote From Richard Keys:
‘Did you smash it?’
‘Mind you, that’s a stupid question. If you were anywhere near it you’d definitely smash it,’
 ‘You’d have gone round there any night of the week and found Redknapp hanging out the back of it.’

Before someone else does it.

Paranoia settling in again crouchinho?.

Paranoia settling in again crouchinho?.

Good to see people are getting off topic only 6 posts into the thread.

4 July: "I like a high-tempo passing game"
All the things I’ve always liked are the things Liverpool were famous for in their heyday. Pass and move, always move it quickly and once you lose it get back in to position. That was the mantra which took Liverpool through their great years. I like a high-tempo passing game. I like players to work hard, I like players to get back in position. Those are my principles. I was influenced by the Liverpool team which dominated the 70s with all its great players and playing the football they played.

30 October: "That's what he's good at" (On Dalglish)
He is doing a great job alongside us and we involve him in our scouting while he still works at The Academy and plays an ambassadorial role. That's what he's good at.

before someone else does it

hodsgon (sep 2010) - "we're incredibly overstaffed"
hodgson (oct 2010) - "we need new players"
hodgson (nov 2010) - "Our recent games have put a lot of demands on a fairly small squad with"

you couldn't script it

Paranoia settling in again crouchinho?.

No just doing the dirty work for people before it drifts off topic on to a 'Why are you only quoting Hodgson and not Rafa' debate.

Enjoy the quotes in this thread, old chum

I was expecting more hilarity from the likes of Houghton, Whelan, Hansen etc.

 The thing is everybody says silly things and it is proven so with the benefit of hindsight. All managers make bad signings, extolling the virtues of the latest Robbie Keane while the player declares he's supported the club "since he was a boy", all managers say things which try and show them in the most favourable light.

 Posters too say things which prove to be incorrect, I know I've done it countless times. Also, as much as possible most people try and be supportive of whoever is the manager of the club at the time, or who is on the clubs books at the time. As such, loyalty to the cause can lead to people dogmatically sticking to their guns, despite absolutely glaring evidence that they've called it wrong.

 I should think every single manager, every single player, and every single fan would be able to have one or many more of their quotes dug up which would make them look like a bit of a mug. Hodgson was not unique in this respect by any means, nor was he unusual amongst Liverpool managers of recent years in trying to find every excuse under the sun to pass off his failures. He was probably unique only in that he tried to get his excuses in before he'd even f***** it up. That was a bit off the wall I'll give him that.

Rafa .........“I travelled to Geneva with Sir Alex Ferguson for the UEFA coaches conference last week. He's a nice person.”

Here I was hoping this would become a light hearted comic thread. More the fool me

We were sh*t !!!

Best quote ever on life under Roy Hodgson.

Here I was hoping this would become a light hearted comic thread. More the fool me

Ha ha . ....not when the big fella get's to his work:

racerx34 - Here I was hoping this would become a light hearted comic thread.

"It looks like the club is sinking at the moment. They need a lift. Even if the board come out and said Roy is staying at least it’s clear to the players. 

. ... "But if it was as simple as changing the manager everyone would be doing it."

Oops.

Dalglish did reveal Babel would not be moving to either Hoffenheim or Ajax, stating: "He's staying here." Asked what that means regarding Liverpool's move for Ajax forward Luis Suarez, Dalglish preferred to focus on Babel by reiterating: "He's staying here."

Even Kenny can do it 

"game well and truly over" from that tit of a man that is Andy Gray.

Rafa .........“I travelled to Geneva with Sir Alex Ferguson for the UEFA coaches conference last week. He's a nice person.”

Sarcasm doesn't count.

When asked could Liverpool beat Barcelona.