Hodgson's First Liverpool Interview

Liverpoolfc.tv was this morning granted the first interview with new boss Roy Hodgson. Here's what he had to say in full.

How pleased were you to see the comments from both Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher this morning endorsing your appointment?

That was really nice and I am looking forward immensely to meeting them. I bumped into Jamie in Port Elizabeth but had no chance to really speak to him and that would have been too soon anyway. I am looking forward to speaking to those two in particular today, but also getting in touch with the other players who are either on holiday or still at the World Cup.

How proud are you to have become only the 18^th manager in our history?

I'm extremely proud. The club's tradition in terms of its football and its managers is really second to none and it was an opportunity which was absolutely impossible to turn down. I am both proud and excited at the prospect of working as the Liverpool manager.

The Fulham fans loved you but was the lure of the Liverpool job just too great to turn down?

I don't think there are many jobs that would have tempted me away from Fulham, to be perfectly honest. I had such a good relationship with the Chairman and the Chief Executive, the players were magnificent to work with and everything was as good as it gets, but on the other hand when there was a chance that Liverpool wanted me, and they asked to speak to me, I asked the Chairman for permission. He wasn't too happy to give it but fortunately for me this job came about and I am really happy to be here.

When did you first hear of the club's interest in you and what was your immediate thought about the possibility of one day managing Liverpool?

It was a while ago, certainly before I went to South Africa. The club has had a very diligent process. I was perhaps one of the first people they spoke to but they were determined to go through the full process and make certain that they researched everything. I'm grateful for that because it means they have chosen me having done all their homework, interviewed other candidates and plumped for me. That makes it an even nicer feeling being here today.

How did you feel when you heard of Liverpool's interest?

It was an enormous feeling of anticipation, expectation and then of course hope that having had the initial discussions that they would decide I was the right man for the job.

You took your first steps into management at a time when Liverpool began to dominate Europe - did you watch the likes of Bob Paisley closely and pick up anything that helped you as a manager?

What we picked up was the Liverpool style. On paper it was a relatively simple style but in actual fact simplicity is the hardest thing to achieve. Working in Sweden, as I was at the time, they were all very impressed with the quality of the passing, the quality of the movement, the way players were always available for each other. Of course the quality of the players they produced at that time, firstly Toshack and Keegan and then Dalglish and Rush, and then the great partnerships at the back with Smith, Thompson, Hansen and Lawrenson; we were brought up on that. When I was at Malmo I brought a group of coaches over and Bob Paisley was great. Graeme Souness was the coach but Bob was still around at Melwood and I remember having a cup of tea with him. He was a really interesting man to meet. You can never turn the clock back and live those times again, but it would be nice if we could fashion an image again which in some way represents what these people pioneered so many years ago.

How much do you know about the traditions and history of the club and was this one of the motivating factors in your decision to come here?

It's very important you have that as a manager. At Liverpool it's highlighted really because the traditions here are so great, but even if you go to a smaller club it's still important that you're aware of what the club has done in the past and what the club means to the people. There's nowhere more keen on what a club means to the people than the city of Liverpool.

You've managed the likes of Inter Milan and the Swiss and Finnish national sides - where does this job rank amongst those roles?

It'd be foolish to compare but it'd also be dishonest to say anything other than it's going to be a highlight of my career. I have worked long and hard to reach the level I have reached.

What are your main priorities on taking charge?

It's important to get started straightaway, working with the players, trying to create an environment which will give us a chance to become better and hopefully improve upon the last season.

How key is it to you to keep the big-name players at Anfield - most notably Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard?

It's important, of course. I don't think there's anybody here at the club who would welcome losing them. Certainly the fans wouldn't welcome losing them and us as a club I'm sure will do everything we can to make certain they stay with us. I'll be trying to persuade them that this is the place to be. I'll ask them to give me a chance to work with you and give us a chance to improve on last season. They're all disappointed, I'm sure, after last season's results and I'll be doing my level best. It would be foolish to give guarantees that it's going to happen because I can't speak for the players themselves, but I'll be doing my best to keep them.

Do you have any plans to speak to any of your senior players who are at the World Cup or those who have returned home before they report back to training?

I'll see the ones who are here today. There are a couple of meetings this afternoon with senior players, in particular Steven and Jamie, and I'll contact the rest by telephone. I will make certain that before the end of the week I have had a conversation with all of the players to tell them I'm here and am looking forward to welcoming them back when they come.

Is the World Cup a hindrance as you will not have much time to assess your squad as a group ahead of the Europa League qualifier in July?

It is a hindrance, but it's foolish to complain or moan about it because there's nothing you can do about that. The World Cup comes around every four years, they are very important occasions for the players and you've really got to wish them well and hope they enjoy the experience. As a club manager there's no doubt it does disrupt your preparations, in particular for us this season with a game as early as July 29. It's not an ideal scenario but football throws up situations which are less than ideal and we as managers and players have to deal with it.

Have you identified any potential new signings?

We haven't really had a lot of time to talk about that as yet. It was only on Tuesday it was finalised that I would be the new manager. I've had very little time to sit down with the Chairman and Chief Executive and in particular the Chief Scout to see what avenues he's been pursuing. Of course I know players and I've got ideas, but it'd be very wrong for me at the moment to start talking in detail about that. It's a major area of work.

Have you spoken to the board about your transfer budget?

No, not as such. One thing they made clear to me is we have to work within whatever restraints are in place at the club, but they've also made clear that if we were unfortunate to lose somebody then that money would be made available. I'm hoping that won't be the case because I don't want to lose anybody, but we haven't gone much further than that. The Chairman is here today and I'm sure that during the course of the day, when I've spoken to the players, there will be meetings and discussions along those avenues as well.

You've been successful in many countries over Europe - what would it mean to win silverware in England with Liverpool?

It would mean a lot. I've never really played up my Englishness when I've been abroad. I've tried to fit in with the various cultures. I've not been one of those people saying 'We don't do it this way in England', I've always tried to avoid that, but at the same time I don't think I'll ever pretend than I'm anything other than English, so to win something in your own country would be really fantastic. If I can do it here at Liverpool it will be a real crowning glory for me.

Did you talk to any former Liverpool players or staff about the job before taking it? Did Danny Murphy say anything to you before you left?

No I was with Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson with the BBC but we steered well away from the subject and it was never mentioned. I've met Kenny with Christian because he was part of the process of selecting the new manager. Kenny is a person I have known for a long time, but otherwise I haven't canvassed anybody about the job simply because until Tuesday I wasn't told exactly 'We are giving you the job and everything has been agreed'. I have been very wary about speaking to people. Danny Murphy called me during this period saying he'd heard a rumour I was going to Liverpool. It was only a rumour so there was no point in talking about it.

Do you plan to speak to Danny?

 What I intend to speak to Danny Murphy about is Fulham and giving my very best to the players. I'll tell him how much I enjoyed working with him and the rest of the players there and thank them for their great efforts on behalf of Fulham Football Club and on me as a manager, which I suppose has promoted me to a position whereby Liverpool came calling. I owe all of those players a great debt of gratitude and I will make that clear to them, but I don't intend to talk to him about Liverpool. I have plenty of people here to talk about Liverpool with.

Kenny Dalglish was key in the selection process and actually interviewed you. How much respect do you have for him and are you looking forward to working with him at Liverpool in the future?

I have a lot of respect for Kenny, as everyone has. He was arguably one of the best players ever to pull on a Liverpool shirt. He's achieved legendary status at the club and will always have a place in the hearts of Liverpool fans. It's very important for Liverpool Football Club that people like Kenny are with us, working with us and helping to promote the club and help it in every way he can. His name is up there with the true greats and deserves to be up there because he was a magnificent player.

The team endured a difficult season last term, losing 19 games and going out of all the cup competitions very early. What are your ambitions for this season?

The ambition initially is to do better. For Liverpool the ambition always has to be to try and achieve a Champions League place and that's what we'll be trying to do as soon as possible. There's no point in setting low goals to make yourself look a bit better if you get beyond that goal. I don't think any of the players or staff wants anything other than a successful Liverpool year and we want to hit the ground running. You can't do more than work for that. There's no point throwing out empty promises. Words are words and actions are actions and we have to show by our actions first of all on the training field and then at Anfield and other stadiums that we're ready and good enough. That's my task, to work with the players and ensure we are good enough.

Do you have a message for the Liverpool supporters?

The message is thank-you for having me here. I'm really looking forward to working with your team and looking forward to getting your support, which I've seen so many times throughout the years. I said recently that this is one of those clubs where your motto 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is really lived by the fans. It's a club where you feel you're not alone. I shall need lots of help and lots of support and I sincerely hope you make sure I never walk alone. That would be my message. Help me to do a good job and I'll do my best to do it.