Brendan Rodgers: Manager of the season?

Brendan Rodgers: Manager of the season?

If someone had suggested at the start of the season that Liverpool would be top at Christmas, a guffaw would have been the most common response, and it would have been justified. After all, Liverpool have had four terrible seasons, in which they have had to suffer the ignominy of missing out on qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. But, heady days are back now at Anfield, and if Liverpool can maintain their current form, then they look odds on favourites to finish within the top 4 and return to the European Elite.

And at the forefront of this change has been a man who was managing in the Championship only 3 seasons ago. Brendan Rodgers’ story is an incredible one. From being Jose Mourinho’s understudy, to being the “chihuahuas” in a horse race for the title. Rodgers has left a mark on Liverpool FC already, and it is his fearlessness and passion that have made it possible.

Right from the time he took over, Rodgers has more often than not, said the right things. Some Liverpool fans would argue that he went over the mark with his comments on Liverpool being able to finish as high as second last season, but Rodgers has largely handled the media brilliantly.

To Liverpool fans, Rodgers is now at the forefront of a revolution. A Red revolution. A revolution that has seen Liverpool become one of the most exciting teams to watch in all of Europe. A revolution that has seen Rodgers’ philosophy change from a possession-based game, to a wonderfully eye-catching brand of counter-attacking football. A revolution that has all of Europe sitting up and taking notice. Rodgers has had his troubles, but now, it is Liverpool’s time to rise again.

From Simon Mignolet to Daniel Sturridge, Rodgers has got every Liverpool player contributing to their success this season. Obviously, Sturridge and Luis Suarez will take a lot of the plaudits for their wizardry, but the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Jon Flanagan have been equally important to Liverpool’s rise.

Rodgers has got Sterling to lift his game to a whole new level. From being a raw pacy 17 year old, Sterling has developed into one of the brightest young stars of English football. Sterling’s tactical nous and his end product have improved immensely. Jordan Henderson has improved from a “Headless Chicken running around” to one of the top midfielders in the Premier League. Steven Gerrard has been transformed from an all-action midfielder to a more subdued deep-lying role, with Henderson doing the dirty work for him.

Where Rodgers has to be credited the most, is in his use of Liverpool’s academy. The likes of Sterling, Suso, Joao Teixeira, Jon Flanagan have all benefited from Rodgers placing his wholehearted trust in them. Flanagan was discarded even by most Liverpool fans but he has now become a mainstay to such an extent that the very same Liverpool fans have gone to the limits of calling him “The Scouse Cafu”.

In the transfer market, Rodgers has not always had his way. With deals for Yevhen Konoplyanka, Clint Dempsey, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, etc falling through at the last minute, Rodgers has had to deal with various setbacks. Add to that, having one of the thinnest squads among the big clubs, has only added to Rodgers’s challenge.

But he has stood up to it admirably so far. And unless Liverpool suffer a spectacular meltdown from now till the end of the season, it looks like Champions League football is returning to Anfield, and Liverpool fans can keep asking Rodgers if he is Shankly in disguise.