Saturday, 8th September, 2012
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has insisted that the club’s American owners were key to his decision to take over at Anfield earlier this summer.
The Merseyside club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), sacked Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish at the end of the 2011/12 campaign, with poor league form not compensated for by reaching two cup finals and winning one, the League Cup.
A lengthy process to appoint Dalglish’s successor ensued, with the likes of Frank de Boer and Jurgen Klopp approached to discuss the vacancy – though both refused – and in the end Rodgers was tempted from Swansea City.
With costs having been cut in the summer and money tight at Anfield, Rodgers is having to battle even harder to succeed. But, he has stressed he was well aware of this fact and knows the situation will get better.
Indeed, Rodgers trusts Liverpool’s owners, who were central to his decision to sign.
"I came here first and foremost because of the history of the club. I could have stayed in my comfortable chair in South Wales, Swansea, having been the first Welsh team to be promoted", said the Liverpool boss in a briefing with fan sites.
"But for me I wanted to work at a club that was world class and at the very, very top", he added, before turning to owners FSG.
"I had some choices to make in the summer and I could have gone elsewhere. I genuinely came here because of the owners.
"I felt a real, genuine honesty in their approach to football and how they want to go forward with the football club.
"I knew there was going to be a wee bit of pain short term; I understood that. But hopefully for the longer-term gain, this is what we will have to go through."
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