Hodgson comes out fighting

LIVERPOOL manager Roy Hodgson has apologised for his perceived criticism of fans but has told supporters he will not resign over poor performances.

The 63-year-old also appealed to owners New England Sports Ventures (NESV) for patience as he tries to bring long-term success to the club.

Hodgson heard the Anfield crowd turn on him after Wednesday’s defeat to Wolves, which increased speculation about the 63-year-old’s future.

The Kop sang the name of Kenny Dalglish and sarcastically chanted “Hodgson for England” as the team with the worst away record in England came to Anfield and secured a deserved victory.

Coming on the back of a 3-1 loss at Newcastle, Liverpool have now slipped to within three points of the relegation zone after their worst start since 1953/54.

After the game Hodgson upset fans by claiming he had never had the “famous Anfield support” but he apologised for those comments and stressed his determination to turn things around.

“Things have been misinterpreted,” said Hodgson ahead of today’s vital home game against Bolton.

“I was responding to a question about how it felt to be jeered by fans, making it clear it hurts me and I was disappointed by it because no-one wants to feel they are unpopular.

“It’s not been an easy ride for me and I was not the first-choice appointment with a lot of fans.

“But if I have offended them in any way I deeply regret that.

“All I can do is apologise and make it perfectly clear there was nothing offensive in my comments.”

On his current position the former Fulham manager said: “It has taken me a long while to get to this elevated position coaching one of the best clubs in Europe.

“I was very pleased to get the job — I left a very good job to take it — so the last thing in my mind is walking away from a club like this or walking away from football.

“I want to be here, I want to change things, I want to turn it around and I want to help the club and the new owners get the success they want.”

Despite recent performances having taken a turn for the worse it seems NESV are reluctant to effect a change of manager at the current time. They may be forced to change their position, of course, if results fail to improve but Hodgson appears to have the time he has pleaded for to get the club on a surer footing.

“I can only beg for the patience and the time we need to do it, especially considering the difficult start we’ve had,” he added.

“I am confident given that time and the competencies I possess and the quality of players we have in the club — with the possibility of maybe adding to that in future transfer windows — this club will once again be up the top there.

“In the past there was a little bit more time and patience but that has diminished over the years.

“I know with the right amount of time and patience and with a little bit of luck we will get back to where we should be. We are not there at the moment and we have to keep working towards it.’’

Hodgson admits the criticism he has received is painful but pointed out he has been in many difficult situations before and will ride out the storm in search of a brighter future.

“Of course it hurts, The day when it becomes water of a duck’s back is the day you don’t do the job,” he said.

“The job is about sadness and occasionally it is about a bit of gladness and euphoria. This year there has been plenty of sadness — there’s been a few glad moments — but I’m confident that will change.

“We are not in a crisis situation but on Wednesday we let ourselves down very badly and we have to bounce back and give a totally different performance against Bolton.”

For his part, Owen Coyle insists Bolton’s wretched league record at Anfield will count for nothing as his side aim to make it a miserable start to 2011 for Liverpool.

Wanderers last claimed a point at Anfield on New Year’s Day 2002, and since then have lost all eight league games they have played there, conceding 19 and scoring just once.

But Coyle, who is set to take a squad of just 15 to Merseyside, is remaining positive. He said: “Our past record is not something that concerns me. What’s happened before has no effect on tomorrow’s game. We believe that if we get to our best we’re capable of a positive result.

“We’re going to a magnificent football club that have top-class players. They will be disappointed by some of the results they have had but that takes nothing away from how dangerous they can be as opponents.”