Premier League Ponderings: Rodgers sacked as Liverpool manager

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: "BRENDAN RODGERS" BY GEOFFREY HAMMERSLEY ON FLICKR (CC BY-SA 2.0)
On Oct. 4 notorious Brendan Rodgers was relieved of his duties as the manager of Liverpool after an uninspiring start to the Liverpool season.

After three and a half seasons in charge, Brendan Rodgers was relieved of his duties as the Liverpool manager in the wake of a 1-1 draw with Everton on Oct. 4, bringing to an end what was the second longest management tenure in the Premier League.

Every year since I’ve started this column, I’ve made sure to use the first managerial dismissal of the season to reflect on the nature of the game, and whether or not these men truly deserved to be fired, often reflecting on just how short of a period they were given. Nothing bugs me more than owners casually disposing of their manager when results start to take a swing toward the negative without giving the man in charge a chance to right the ship.

This is different though, not only due to the fact that I have an emotional investment in the Liverpool results, but also because none of those things apply to the removal of Rodgers from his post. Hired in 2012 after an impressive season guiding Swansea City to Premier League survival, Rodgers was tapped by Liverpool’s ownership who were looking for a young, dynamic coach to move the team forward under a new vision.

An indifferent first season, where the team finished in second place, Rodgers oversaw the most remarkable title challenge in living memory, guiding Liverpool painfully close to their first title in over 20 years and setting new goal scoring standards due to Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge’s deadly partnership. The loss of Suarez to Barcelona and the injury to Sturridge turned the following season into an almost instant disappointment. Not only had the club lost the league’s top two scorers, but also the new signings brought in were mostly massive disappointments.

Scrutiny surrounded his position over the summer, but ownership made the call to keep Rodgers, electing instead to replace his coaching staff and again providing him with the funds to build his side. Many supporters and pundits saw this as fortunate, as a clear sign that the owners would continue to back him.

Despite the public support, an uninspiring beginning to the season has provided no signs of improving on the indifferent end to the last, as Liverpool has given a series of passionless, insipid performances, toothless attacks and shambles in defense. It was becoming clear that Rodgers was out of ideas and fresh blood was needed, but no one was expecting ownership to pull the trigger so early in the season.

So what does the future hold for Rodgers and Liverpool? The club has already begun the search for a replacement, with German manager Jurgen Klopp the hot favourite to take the job and move the club forward.

As for Rodgers, he is far too good of a manager to be out of work for too long, and as soon as another club finds themselves with an opening, he will surely be one of the first names linked.

The Liverpool job may have been too big too soon for him and a team in the upper mid-table area would be the perfect place for his visions to fully come to fruition.

Goodbye Rodgers, thanks for 2014.