Brendan Rodgers is adamant he will not change his style despite the pressure rising after recent positive statements about his team backfired with defeats in their last five games against Oldham in the FA Cup, West Brom in the league and Zenit in Europe on Thursday night.
The Liverpool manager, whose team face Swansea today, has been mocked for saying they had a “terrific chance” of finishing in the top four, before a 2-0 loss to Albion left them 12 points adrift of Spurs in the final Champions League spot.
However, Rodgers claims some of his earlier statements have been taken out of context. “I can’t control how the things I say are promoted. If you say the same thing to six different people, you will get six different interpretations of that,” he said. “For me, I will always say that something is possible if it’s mathematically possible. Say, for example, we won 10 of our last 12 games then that would take us close to fourth place. While there’s a chance I have to retain my optimism.
“So while we haven’t given up, we also know it is going to be very difficult. I don’t want to be hung out to dry as a fool. The reality is, it’s still there because the points mean it is still achievable.
“I have got to where I am in life because I am optimistic. For me, the glass is always half-full. And I have tried to promote that way to the players because if you don’t think you can do it, you’ll never do it. It is as simple as that.
“˜You can live without water for so many days, but you can’t live a second without hope. If you never have hope and want to achieve something, then you’ve got no chance. While we can mathematically do it, I retain that optimism.”
He regrets having to allow experienced fringe players like Craig Bellamy and Maxi Rodriguez leave before the start of the season and is bracing himself for interest in stars like Luis Suarez, Daniel Agger, Lucas and Martin Skrtel if they miss out on the top four again. “I am a realist,” he said. - Dail Mail