Hodgson Welcomes Comolli Appointment

Damien Comolli has come in as Liverpool's new director of football strategy, and this appointment is something that Roy Hodgson has welcomed. The former Tottenham sporting director had not long ago left St Etienne, in a similar role, and his arrival is one that Roy believes will enable him to concentrate entirely on first team matters, as he explained: 'I feel very good about it. It is something the owners were very keen to put in place. 'It is a strategy which I think makes sense, especially for our club at this moment in time because we are in a period of transition with new owners. 'They want a management structure in place which they can identify with, from American or European models and not necessarily an archetypal, if somewhat outdated, English model. 'The days of the dictator-type English manager have long since passed when everything went through one man and no one dared even buy a paper clip without that person's approval. 'There are people who dip into the roles which Damien will take over but I think it is important we have someone who will co- ordinate things in that area. 'He will certainly take a lot of the minor things that you have to deal with, allowing me to concentrate on the team management and he will help us bring the team forward. The Reds Boss doesn't feel that this undermines his authority, or influence, as the manager at all as it'll actually give him an increased ability to do what he should be doing, managing the team, as well as offering him greater help with who comes in, as he also explained: 'As far as I am concerned it does not have any effect on my role as manager; I shall be selecting the team and working with the team and making all the decisions which revolve around the team and the matches we play. 'There is no impact for me as such on my daily work, where he will help the club and help me is in the matter of player recruitment.' Roy also says that he's held further talks with John Henry this week and is more than happy with the plans that they have and the direction in which they are looking to take, with the arrival of Comolli a step in that right direction with that first vision shown. In my honest opinion Roy is right that football has changed a great deal however there are certain Boss' around that wouldn't want someone overlooking them and hand picking players that they want as this person, in our case Comolli, does in some ways almost become like the Boss as they can start deciding which players come in and then the pressure increases on the actually Boss, Roy, to use these and it might not fit into their way of thinking or planning. I'd expect that Roy will have a say and if he didn't want a certain player he'd not be pressured into agreeing.