Royalty and the Liverpool Way

"And in the years he reigned; through all the country wide, There was no cause for weeping, save when the good man died." ~ Pierre Jean de Beranger

The emotions that can occur during a 10 month football season can vary from week to week, month to month.  For most Liverpool fans, myself included, it split from one half of the season to the second half.  I generally hated weekend mornings and watching football all together from August until the day Roy Hodgson was fired (January 8, 2011). 

He (Roy) didn't understand the Liverpool way, he didn't understand the tradition and he didn't understand the fans.  He was never suited for an A+ job, nothing in his resume ever proved that to be true.  When he took over Inter Milan in the early 90s guiding a massive rebuilding period, the highest he ever took them was 7th before being fired the following season going 14-13-5.  He was never enough for Inter, that proved to be true for Liverpool as well.

His work with Fulham was magnificent don't get me wrong, but that is the level of coach he is.  C+ teams and players getting coached to a B- level.  Woy knew how to get the best out of bit rate marginal Premier League players and make them work as one solid unit.  His system worked for players that weren't special enough to create on their own, his system worked for Championship level players (i.e Paul Konchesky).

Players of the highest level, he hadn't a clue how to use them and by bringing in bit rate crap players like Konchesky and Poulsen he proved the type of players he knew how to coach.  Raul Meireles is a stunning player and under Roy he looked clueless.  Special players that could win matches on their own, can't do that when they are stuck in a 6 foot circle designated by their coach.

The morning of January 8, 2011 is the day we woke up, Roy Hodgson was finally sacked and the King after a 10 year hiatus retook the throne.

King Kenny's return has been many things; thrilling, miraculous, comical, and overall puts a smile on every Reds face.  Is there anything better than after we score a goal and seeing Kenny run up and down the touchline?  He loves Liverpool.  He loves the fans.  He loves the Liverpool Way.  His intelligence of everything Liverpool, his game intelligence he can bestow on all our players, and his wit make everyday for Liverpool amazing. 

Our climb from 19th to 5th isn't anything to turn your nose up at and say "Liverpool shouldn't play for 5th, we should play for the top 4 if not the league."  This is true, but not after the complete dismantling of everything Liverpool that Hicks, Gillett and Hodgson performed.  No one has collected more points than us since the King took over (the 3 points today tied Manchester United for 27 points since that day).  In those 9 wins we have 8 cleansheets.  We have scored in every single game he has coached in the Premier League, we are rising to the levels that Liverpool is supposed to be at.  But is just King Kenny enough? As much as I would love to think so, the true answer is no.

We can not go another season with slow middle of the road players like Aurelio, Maxi, Kyrgiakos, etc.  King Kenny has done well in promoting the youth, but it is much easier to get younger players games when you are winning.  If we were to have a slow start, like we typically do, to the season next year losing games isn't in the best interest of the development of our youth.  We need to retool and we need to continute to do it in a big way.  Buying not just superstar players, but superstar players under 24 that have a bright future (players like Defour, etc).

Before my rant gets out of hand, I believe in King Kenny and he better get his contract or Henry might have a riot on his hands.  I believe in Comolli, he is from the school of Billy Beane.  I believe in our new owners and their willingness to win and winning the Liverpool Way.  After watching Liverpool bag 8 goals in the last two games, we are headed in the right direction.  However we need to continue to do the right moves and we need King Kenny at the helm.  It would only take a few poor decisions to have Liverpool back to the point where I hate every single weekend morning and I'm cursing the football Gods for their evil ways.