Hodgson optimistic despite financial worries
September 06, 2010 16:26:33 UK
Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has set his sights on silverware this season, despite the current hard financial times at the club.
With the future ownership of the club still undecided and the deadline looming for the Royal Bank of Scotland's £237million loan, due to be repaid by Tom Hicks and George Gillett in early October, Hodgson is still looking on the bright side.
"The club is up for sale and nobody knows what direction it will take if and when new owners are found," he said.
"A few years ago when the situation was far more stable, the money to buy new players was available.
"When that situation arises I'm pretty sure that it won't be difficult for us to start achieving things again but at the moment the task is really to hang on to the players we've got and make certain we don't have a situation where we have got a total rebuilding process."
Hodgson believes staff and players will not be lowering their expectations as they seek to win a first trophy for four years.
"The stature, traditions and ability of Liverpool to attract players certainly makes it an achievable task even though we are in strange times," he told the League Managers' Association's magazine The Manager.
"You should never try to dampen people's enthusiasm and optimism.
"Furthermore every season we see teams not expected to win titles winning them.
"It doesn't always go to the favourite in any country so we should never play down the Liverpool fans' incredible desire and passion to keep winning trophies - and the Barclays Premier League in particular - and keep their noses in front of Manchester United."
Liverpool are currently 7.50 to win the Barclays Premier League and 34.00 to finish in the top four.
One player to publicly back Hodgson in his first season in charge is defender Jamie Carragher, who believes his new boss has done well in the transfer window despite the financial restrictions he has had to work under.
Despite the sale of Javier Mascherano to Barcelona Hodgson managed to persuade stars Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard to remain at the club, as well as bringing in Fulham defender Paul Konchesky, Porto's Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles, ex-Chelsea star Joe Cole, goalkeeper Brad Jones, Serbia's Milan Jovanovic, Denmark's Christian Poulsen and young Rangers centre-back Danny Wilson and the re-signing of Fabio Aurelio.
Of the rest of his first-team squad he also sold Albert Riera to Panathinaikos, goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri to Cesena and sent left-back Emiliano Insua and Alberto Aquilani out on loan.
Carragher told Press Association Sport: "I think he has done very well but time will tell. You have to judge signings after Christmas - good or bad.
"We've started quite nicely and hopefully the couple of players we have brought in (late on) will help.
"Everyone realised we needed a left-back so Konchesky came in and Raul Meireles coming in is something we can all look forward to.
"Maybe he can replace the Xabi Alonso/Aquilani-type of player so I think it is looking okay."
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