As Roy Hodgson becomes the new manager of Liverpool Football Club, the fanfare hasn't really followed - which begs the question, does England really want a English manager after all?
I remember playing Championship Manager 1997-98 like it was yesterday. Back then Cardiff were languishing in the old Division Three, so it always a challenge to get them promoted to the Premier League; which I'm sure many of you reading this post may well have attempted. However putting my Welsh interests aside and when I didn't fancy playing at Gay Meadow or the Baseball Ground, I often played as Liverpool - which put Roy Evans to pasture as I revelled in Kop glory. It was then I came across Blackburn manager Roy Hodgson:
manager mysterioso. I mean who was he? One day he was in the Premier League, then he got sacked and just kind of fell into football obscurity.
Truth was that Roy was plying his trade across Europe and beyond in a managerial blitzkrieg. His nomadic ways would make even Dean Saunders and Nicolas 'Le Sulk' Anelka blush, managing in Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Norway and even the Middle East. Now he is in charge of one of the top four football teams in England; one which arguably boats the richest and most successful history of teams in England. Liverpool FC, stooped in a financial mire and made to accept second tier European football for the next season, have chosen Roy Hodgson to weather the storm.
I thought this was good news for Liverpool. Yet what was the response from the fans? Well. Erm. Good? The tone of slightly pleased, but cautious Scousers on radio phone-ins seem to paint the picture. "
Could have been worse I guess". "
But is he a glamour manager?" "
Will he get Torres and Gerrard to stay?" "
So what has he won?" "
Is he a big manager?" "
We need someone competent to see us through these bad times". The latter of these is paraphrased from what Jason McAteer said when asked on 5 Live, who seemed less than impressed with the appointment. Shame that the response was so muted - especially when Roy could be regarded as one of the possible replacements for the England job. And yes, he was born in Croydon.
So why the disappointment? Who did you want instead? Capello? Pellegrini? Mourinho? Scolari? I find it hard to swallow that whilst the England team apparently needs an Englishman to take it on is that fans in England can't embrace a manager of their own on their own doorstep. Is it a question of quality that Hodgson doesn't float your boat? Or is it because he has managed Fulham and has a name you can easily pronounce?
We have to go back to CM 97-98 to find out when Liverpool last had an English manager. In fact, you have to go back then to find when any of the Big Four had a full time English manager. Fergie's been there since the Eighties, whilst Wenger has been at the Arsenal helm since 1996. Except from caretaker stints from Ray Wilkins and Graham Rix, Chelsea too can't boast an English manager. Admittedly the Big Four became more relevant in the 21st century, but this highlights how the summit is devoid of English managers. To this day no English manager has ever won the Premier League - could this be a significant factor in why England seem to 'fail' at international tournaments?
Perhaps - but does the Premier League give enough chance for English managers to thrive? No. Do the fans give enough support for English managers to succeed? Evidently not either.
