From: Google Beta User on
Huh? I found that some refreshing straight talk. And even though it's
straight talk, it's not even THAT strong.

He's right. It goes both ways, ownership should facilitate sound
investment and good running of the club. Management should lay the
stage for their players to perform well, and adapt tactics well to
different situations and opponents. Then why shouldn't players be
reminded that they should give 100% and they play a part?

Nobody got on Torres's back when HE was in the papers demanding four
or five new players. This from Hodgson is much milder.

I'm not even mad at Torres even, and I don't think Hodgson is.
From: Google Beta User on
On Aug 5, 8:45 am, "michael adams" <mjadam...(a)ontel.net.uk> wrote:

> > Yet it's OK for Torres to publicly state that "4 or 5" of his team-mates
> > aren't good enough to play alongside him?
>
> Torres has been a Liverpool player for 3 years and is only repeating committments
> which were made to him when he signed. He also has an unblemished record
> of achievement for the club.
>
> Hodgson's only been in the job a month, achieved nothing so far,  and is already
> publicly slagging off his own players before a ball has even been kicked.

That was *not* slagging off. And he was using Torres's comments to
make a general point, not taking a pop at Torres.

> Hodgson is paid good money to manage the team by motivating them
> among other things - not slag them off to the press.

FFS, they're grownups.

I'll be dissapointed if I found out Torres was "hurt" by these
comments.
From: Mentalguy2k8 on

"Google Beta User" <wanyikuli(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:cf924036-9de6-4ab0-89f6-fa4f8483c431(a)j8g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
> Huh? I found that some refreshing straight talk. And even though it's
> straight talk, it's not even THAT strong.
>
> He's right. It goes both ways, ownership should facilitate sound
> investment and good running of the club. Management should lay the
> stage for their players to perform well, and adapt tactics well to
> different situations and opponents. Then why shouldn't players be
> reminded that they should give 100% and they play a part?
>
> Nobody got on Torres's back when HE was in the papers demanding four
> or five new players. This from Hodgson is much milder.
>
> I'm not even mad at Torres even, and I don't think Hodgson is.
>

I agree. I think he's drawing a line in the sand and saying to the likes of
Torres and Gerrard "look, we all know the financial circumstances, I'm here
to do the best I can and I need you to work with me. You've agreed to stay
under these circumstances and with the current squad, so stop blaming them
or the board and start performing yourselves, lead by example".

Absolutely bang on, I reckon. Hodgson's a very honest man and expects hard
graft from his players. I don't think he tolerates prima donnas.

From: WTH on
> > Yet it's OK for Torres to publicly state that "4 or 5" of his team-mates
> > aren't good enough to play alongside him?
>
> Torres has been a Liverpool player for 3 years and is only repeating committments
> which were made to him when he signed. He also has an unblemished record
> of achievement for the club.
>
> Hodgson's only been in the job a month, achieved nothing so far,  and is already
> publicly slagging off his own players before a ball has even been kicked.

If you think that's a slagging off, you must scream with agony when a
falling leaf brushes your skin...

WTH
From: CJM on

"michael adams" <mjadams25(a)ontel.net.uk> wrote in message
news:8c0ebjFru2U1(a)mid.individual.net...
>
>
> He's saying all this in public - that's the point.
>
>
> It just doesn't inspire confidence, thats all I'm saying.
>

The fact is that half the team were distracted by events last season and we
waiting for someone else to come in a clear up the mess. In fact, we were
all waiting for Gerrard to drag the team up in the latter half of the season
(like he usually does), but he didn't because he was similarly distracted.

What RH has said, initially in private and now in public, is that players
shouldn't be waiting for their luck to change or for someone to sort things
out. He's saying that top players, the kind that should be playing for
liverpool, will take matters into their own hands and will step up when
required. They will force the issue themselves, or they don't have a place
in this club.

And he's saying it in public to announce to the world that last season was
last season, and you shouldn't be expecting easy games from Liverpool this
season. Our tails are up, and we are masters of our own destiny this season.
Too many minnows play us last season with an expectation of gaining some
points, because we were so down in the dumps.