Liverpool defender Paul Konchesky has backed manager Roy Hodgson to turn things around.
Reds defender feels Hodgson has what it takes at Anfield
Liverpool defender Paul Konchesky has backed manager Roy Hodgson to turn things around at the struggling club.
Konchesky followed Hodgson to Anfield from Fulham in a £5milliion deal over the summer, but has suffered along with the rest of the team from a lack of confidence that has seen them slump to 18th in the Premier League.
Hodgson has been under severe pressure to deliver results in his time in the hotseat at Anfield, but has so far failed to deliver having seen his side go six league games without a win.
However, there were signs on Sunday that the gloom could be lifting with a 2-1 victory over Blackburn, after the takeover deal of the Merseysiders was finally completed earlier this month.
The veteran coach is certainly not out of the woods yet, but Konchesky feels that Hodgson, who he has spent the best part of the last three years with, has the ability to put the Reds back on track.
"He has probably been through one of the lowest points of his career," Konchesky told the
Liverpool Echo.
"He wanted to come to Liverpool and do really well. It has been tough for him, just as it has been tough for us, but he is the one who gets the brunt of it.
"But I think he is the man who can take Liverpool forward. He is finding his feet with the players now and the players are getting to know what he is about. He works hard on the training ground, he wants to help you improve from day-to-day.
"He is not ashamed to tell you things that he thinks should be happening but if the players think something can be done another way, he will listen and take it on board. He is now starting to get his points of view across and I'm sure he can take us a long way.
Sticking together
"We have had a bad time and we have had to stick together. The manager has taken the brunt of the criticism but he has stayed in good spirits to try and lift the players. Hopefully we can now go from strength to strength."
The 29-year-old has struggled with injuries since moving on transfer deadline day in August, but feels that he has now settled down following the takeover by New England Sports Ventures and that the club will start moving forward.
"When you are on the outside, you read about the things that are going on but you don't really appreciate them," added Konchesky.
"It's completely different when you come in and see it for yourself. It was hard at first to try and settle in.
"But I've got my head down and the lads have made me feel really welcome. In general, I've had a great two months here and I'm looking forward to the future. Touch wood, I feel fit now and hopefully I've had my share of injuries. I just want to have a good season now.
"There's a chance to get some momentum going now. It would have been tough if we had not got a result last weekend but things feel much better and the only way everyone is looking now is up. The aim now is to get back-to-back wins and push forward.
"We have had chances in the games we have lost and drawn but when the luck isn't going for you, there is not a lot you can do. But we set a tone last Sunday and kept going. It was one-way traffic and we just had to be patient."
