Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Roy: How Reds Inspired Me

Roy Hodgson has revealed how Liverpool's legendary 'pass and move' brand of football helped inspire his managerial style.

The newly-installed Reds boss admits watching the club during the trophy-laden decade of the 1970s shaped his approach to coaching.

Now Hodgson hopes to implement a similar style at Anfield once again as he begins his Liverpool tenure.

"All the things I've always liked are the things Liverpool were famous for in their heyday," he said.

"Pass and move, always move it quickly and once you lose it get back in to position.

"That was the mantra which took Liverpool through their great years.

"I like a high-tempo passing game. I like players to work hard, I like players to get back in position. Those are my principles. I was influenced by the Liverpool team which dominated the 70s with all its great players and playing the football they played.

"Also the Arsenal team of 1970-71 with Don Howe, who I thought was an exceptional coach, and the Chelsea team around about the same era of Dave Sexton.

"All those teams, for me, played football the way I was hoping to coach a football team to play.

"And they're also teams who had great success in playing that way and had managers and coaches who I as a young coach thought I could learn from."

Hodgson also pledged not to become involved in any mind games with other managers, describing such ploys as 'nonsense'.

"I must say I've always believed you don't have battles with other managers," he stated.

"Football teams have battles with other football teams, clubs have battles with other clubs and I've never subscribed to that theory that it's me and you.

"I used to find it quite ridiculous in Italy when they used to compare your record against another manager. It's nonsense.

"If you happen to be manager of a club who is fighting for survival against a club which wins the title every year, the chances are that in the battles you've had he's won one and you've won five. That's the way it goes."

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