Brendan Rodgers has accepted his job as Liverpool manager is under serious threat and said he will strive to repair the club's fortunes whether he remains at Anfield for "one day, one month or one year more".
The Liverpool manager struck a notably downbeat tone at a press conference on Friday to preview Aston Villa's visit to Anfield on Saturday. Rodgers is under intense pressure following an alarming run of results and performances stretching back to March, and has seen Carlo Ancelotti and Jürgen Klopp linked with his job in the past few days. Liverpool have denied approaching any manager about a potential vacancy but there was little defiance from Rodgers when asked if he felt his position was under threat.
“I’m never complacent enough to think it never has been,” he replied. “You need to be at your best every day when you come into a club of this stature, and thrive on that positive fear. It does not affect me. I have a belief in what I do. We nearly achieved great things. We have a new group of players and we are looking to take it forward. I do not shy away from the fact we need to get results and perform well.”
Rodgers was also asked what he felt about other managers being linked with a job that he currently occupies. He said: “When you are a manager of a club this size there is always going to speculation around your job and when you don’t win that will intensify. Since I have been here I think there have been 10 managers linked with job. That is part and parcel of the game.
"I have regular contact with the owners and the relationship is always strong. Whether I am here for one day more or one month or one year more I will always have respect for the people here, the owners and [the chief executive] Ian Ayre. I will do what I will always do and do the best I can. If you don't get results the pressure is there but I enjoy challenges. I walked in here as a 39-year-old manager and as I sit here now I am much better manager, but I understand I must get results. We know with one win you are back near the top four."
One year ago Rodgers said he hoped to be Liverpool manager for 20 years in an interview given to the Spanish sports daily Marca. On Friday he accepted that, while he intends to remain in the game for that length of time, it will not be at Liverpool.
“I don’t think the pressure goes away unless you are winning games and getting the performance level,” he added. “I hope to be a manager for 20 years. I know it won’t be 20 years at Liverpool but while I am here I want to fight for the club and the players. They have worked hard and are working harder than ever. We will look to start again.”
Rodgers, who appealed to supporters to "stay with the team", confirmed Christian Benteke will miss a reunion with Villa on Saturday with a hamstring injury, Dejan Lovren will be sidelined for several weeks with ankle-ligament damage and Roberto Firmino needs a second scan on a back injury sustained in the penalty-shootout win over Carlisle United in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday. The Brazilian is understood to have cracked a bone in his back.
(Guardian service)
