I have to admit it, I have a soft spot for Liverpool. I don't class myself as a Liverpool supporter, but I have always admired them and look for their result before just about any other team. Also, being brought up in Sheffield and following Sheffield United, I didn't have much success to shout about. So I guess Liverpool were my other team.
That's why I am worried. Worried about their short term future and long term future.
Let's start with the short term - This weekend's loss was a disaster to what was already shaping up to be nightmare season. There were already some rumblings, although slight, about Hodgson's tenure. Reports of unhappy players and bad results are a terrible mix and could derail Hodgson's Liverpool career before it even got started (can you say Brian Clough at Leeds?).
The loss has probably put Hodgson firmly on the hot seat whereas before he was barely on it. Another awful result or a series of poor results and Hodgson will likely be out before he has chance to create a team in his image. A bad loss to a poor team or a one sided loss to a good team and I think Hodgson is gone.
Then what? After all, Hodgson has a good pedigree and is well respected by his peers. Was even a possible candidate for the England job (but not now). Who can Liverpool attract to take the reigns who is also good enough to get the job done and keep Liverpool up with Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal and now Man City? I really can't think of anyone off the top of my head that fits the bill.
And what about the long term. Money is so critical now if you want to compete with the best clubs in Europe. Just look at what money has done for Chelsea and more recently Man City. I don't think Liverpool are broke, but they don't have the money of the top clubs. The current owners, Hicks and Gillett really don't have the billions that it seems like it takes to compete for the EPL title or the Champions League on a regular basis.
Having said that, Liverpool certainly have enough money to be able to compete with the best in Europe to a certain point and occasionally win an EPL or even a Champions League like they did a few years ago. They just seem to have stagnated while others have progressed. Admittedly, Chelsea and Man City progressed by finding a rich new owner. But Man U and Arsenal have new stadiums and especially Man U, seem to be doing things right off the field to build on their name recognition with worldwide tours and such. I just don't see that with Liverpool.
It's sad, but the only way out I can see for Liverpool is to find a billionaire owner to inject tons of money into the club. A new stadium with at least 65,000 capacity needs to be built ASAP and ideally, a quality manager who is a long term prospect. Mourinho could turn things around and if he worked his way out like he did at Chelsea, Liverpool would at least be a force again and could attract a long term manager like Man U and Arsenal have enjoyed for so long.
Regardless, I don't enjoy seeing Liverpool near the bottom of the league and yes, I do worry for them.
