Liverpool's director of football strategy Damien Comolli has explained that the club dismissed Roy Hodgson from his position as manager due to a "cycle of negativity" sweeping through the team.
Hodgson was sacked on Saturday morning after just six months in charge at Anfield, a spell which had seen Liverpool win only 7 of 20 Premier League matches and has left the five-time European Champions languishing in 12th place and just four points from the relegation spots.
Asked what went wrong under Hodgson, Comolli explained at a press conference to unveil the returning Kenny Dalglish: "There was a cycle of negativity and it was difficult to get it back. Of course it is a shame it didn’t work out, it is difficult to explain."
Supporters were particularly vocal in their condemnation of Hodgson and his methods during his time at Anfield, but the club's commercial director, Ian Ayre, said that the decision to sack Hodgson wasn't based on the fans' distain for the former Fulham boss.
"Our decision was not based on the fans’ reaction," he said.
"Things weren’t gelling – the level and number of defeats were what drove the decision.”
Ayre was also keen to point out that the settlement package agreed with the deposed Hodgson – reported to be in the region of £7.5 million – will not impact upon the money available to new boss Dalglish to improve the squad during the January transfer window.
"We reached a mutual decision with Roy," Ayre explained. "His departure won’t affect the club’s transfer budget."
"I don’t know if we will bring players in," Comolli said. "We have been working but January is a difficult market."
And when pressed on the club's future and on the qualities that it was looking for in a long-term managerial appointment, Comolli said: "Competence, to be able to fit in to the club philosophy and playing philosophy."
That may mean that Dalglish, tied to the managerial role until the end of the season, could be considered on a permanent basis.
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