Rodgers still backs himself

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers feels he is still the best man to lead the club - but understands why there is speculation about his future.

Rodgers still backs himself

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers feels he is still the best man to lead the club - but understands why there is speculation about his future.

A disappointing defeat in the FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa means that the former Swansea boss has failed to win a trophy in his first three seasons at Anfield.

However Rodgers does not believe anyone else could done a better job with the resources at his disposal.

“There will always be names mentioned at a club like Liverpool. That is the mark of a huge, worldwide club. That will continue for however long I’m here.” Rodgers told national newspapers.

“I don’t think there’s anyone better [than him] for realising the FSG (Fenway Sports Group) goals and I didn’t take over a 10-year machine that was used to winning.”

“When you lose a big game like at the weekend, this is when you find you are at a big club because the critics come after you. But that is something you have to deal with.

“I will hold myself up against anyone to manage this club and to fit the model of what they want. I am super-ambitious in terms of wanting to win and there will be no greater place to do that than here, but of course in modern football there are lots of processes that go on behind the scenes that people will never be aware of.

“In terms of what we are trying to do, I do not see anyone better in terms of the hand we were given.

“When I came in, the team was eighth. Yes, we had the Carling Cup win but, in terms of where the club wanted to go, we implemented a philosophy that was exciting, that won games, that almost won the league unexpectedly and qualified for the Champions League. We’ve got to two cup semi-finals this season, one of which we have not performed well in.

“The plan here is to be consistent winners, not to be ’nearly men’. We do not want that label. We are here to win and there is no one more ambitious.

“If there comes a time when that is not the case and we move on, there will be no one who respects the owners more than me. But I will fight for my life to be here and if I can get the tools here to help us we can be really successful.”

Vice-captain Jordan Henderson will be part of Rodgers’ plan at Liverpool after signing a new long-term deal.

“It is great news for the club and Jordan that he will be spending the best part of his career and development here at Liverpool and he is a big part of the plan going forward,” the Reds boss said.

“The club paid big money for him at the time because he had big potential and that potential has been developed and he will go into the next phase of that.”

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