Babel Out To Repay Hodgson

Ryan Babel today revealed how
Roy Hodgson has assured him
he will get more playing time in
his favoured striking position -
and the Dutchman is
determined to repay the boss
by realising his full potential.
The 23-year-old believes the
arrival of the new manager has
presented him with a fresh
opportunity to showcase his
talents at Anfield.
It is a chance he is eager to
grasp with both hands, though
he is well aware training hard at
Melwood is the first step on the
road towards a regular first-team
berth.
"It's clear when a new manager
comes in, everyone's chances are
equal again with others," Babel
told Liverpoolfc.tv. "It is positive
for me and maybe everybody
who was in a difficult situation.
"I hope this is a chance for me to
establish myself, but the first test
for me is to work hard in every
training session and try to show
what I can do. In the end, it is the
manager's decision if he uses me
or not.
"I am very confident and positive
- I feel well and have been
training well. Hopefully it is just a
matter of time before I can get
some confidence back to finally
show everybody what I can do."
Babel was deployed in his
preferred position of striker by
Hodgson in the first leg of last
month's Europa League qualifier
against Trabzonspor at Anfield -
and he claimed the only goal of
the game with a clinically-taken
effort on the stroke of half-time.

While keen to prove his worth in
the role, the Holland international
knows with Fernando Torres in
the ranks he may not always get
the opportunity to play up front.
Nonetheless, with Liverpool
competing on four fronts, Babel
is optimistic of establishing
himself as a key component in
Hodgson's blueprint for success.
"The manager has told me he
would like to use me up front
more than normal, so hopefully
that will give me enough chance
to show how much I like that
position," he said.
"I was very pleased to hear this. I
have always said my ambition
was to play in that position, but
at the same time I am very
realistic.
"Fernando is very important for
the club and he will always be
our No.9, but you know you can
also be very important for the
club too if you are used well.
"It will be a long season and we
will need every player. Hopefully I
can give the confidence and the
trust back to the club that they
have shown in me."
He added: "The only thing you
ask for as a player is for a fair
chance, then you know what you
can do.
"There are different opinions
about what a fair chance is.
Some people will say one game
or 15 minutes is a fair chance,
but I think every player needs a
couple of games in a row to get
used to the players and the pace
of the game to adapt and show
what they can do. That is the
same for me."
A feel-good factor has
reverberated around Melwood
since Hodgson's arrival - and
Babel believes the changes made
by Liverpool during a busy
summer are having the desired
effect.
He said: "It's going very well. It's
been great working with the
new manager and staff. There
are also some new players who
have come in and the mood
within group is wonderful.
"I think the way of playing has
been changed a little bit and the
new manager has a bit of a
different vision to the former
manager.
"I think that is maybe what
Liverpool needed - a different
change. It's very positive.
"I am very excited. Like I said, a
lot has changed since the new
manager has come in. We have
new physios, new staff and new
players - everything is new.
We've also changed some rules
and I think it is working
positively for the group."