Roy Hodgson believes it would be a 'sad day for football' if he was sacked by Liverpool's new owners.
Liverpool manager expects backing from new owners
Roy Hodgson believes it would be a 'sad day for football' if he was sacked by Liverpool's new owners so soon after being appointed manager.
Hodgson was named as Rafa Benitez's successor in the summer but has come under pressure following a poor start to his reign, with the Reds languishing in the bottom three ahead of Sunday's eagerly-anticipated Merseyside derby.
The takeover of the club by New England Sports Ventures (NESV) has fuelled further discussion about Hodgson's position, although new owner John W Henry has
backed the boss and his players to turn their form around.
Hodgson feels questions about his future are therefore 'insulting' to both him and Liverpool, saying he fully expects the club to remain loyal after going to great lengths to secure his services.
"I think it would be a sad day for football and for Liverpool if someone who had been brought in with the pomp and circumstance, and the money it took them to release me from my previous contract, and being feted as one of England's best managers - if after eight games people are deciding this guy has got to go," he said.
"It would be sad for me. These things happen in football. You can't have the years in football I've had without ever being sacked, but it would be a sad day for Liverpool because that isn't Liverpool's style. So I find that type of question insulting to me and even more insulting to the club.
"They didn't employ me lightly. It took them two months to make the decision, they interviewed a lot of people before they decided I was the right man and they paid Fulham the compensation they wanted.
"For me the job is not two and a half months, it's longer than that. But I'm aware that if we keep losing then people might say 'this is not the right man'."
Torres
Liverpool's bid to get back on track has been boosted by the availability of Fernando Torres for the clash with Everton following a muscle strain, although the Spain striker has not been at his best this season.
Torres' attitude has been questioned as well as his form after a disappointing World Cup and a summer when he was linked with a move away from Anfield, but Hodgson has no doubts about his commitment to the Reds.
Hodgson said: "I think his future is relatively secure at the club. The one thing we have to remember about Fernando Torres is that he's a human being who has come in for an enormous amount of criticism, not least during the World Cup from people in Spain and around the world.
"The cry goes up 'What's happened to Fernando Torres?' Maybe nothing's happened to Fernando Torres.
"Maybe he's not playing very well and he's not happy not playing well. Could it just be that? Maybe I see things too naively at times.
"He's trying very hard to play well but he's been hampered by one or two minor injuries. Certainly in training I see him trying to help our cause as best he can."
