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Roy Hodgson: Liverpool Football Club's Sacrificial Lamb

Josh Kraus@joshdtsX.com LogoContributor IJanuary 8, 2011

BLACKBURN, ENGLAND - JANUARY 05:  Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson shows his dejection during the Barclays Premier League match between Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool at Ewood park on January 5, 2011 in Blackburn, England.  (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

I've been very short of words lately.

When it comes to Roy Hodgson and Liverpool Football Club, it seems it all has already been said a million times in a million different ways the last few weeks. It seems every pundit has set aside a little time to take a jab at him, or half-heatedly back him.

One thing, however, that seems to be missing in all of this noise.

A simple “thank you, Roy.”

Taking the hot seat at LFC this summer, during the most chaotic period in the club's illustrious history, was a poisoned chalice from the start. With the utter chaos of the board room, stars on the way out and constant rumors of a mass exodus of all of the most important senior players, it was painfully obvious that whoever took the reins would have to be other worldly to turn the ship around immediately.

Roy Hodgson had to know what he was getting himself into. Say what you will about the man, but he's been around football long enough to know better. But still, when Liverpool called, he stepped up.

A part of me feels even if he could have seen the future, he still would have taken the chance to manage on of the biggest clubs in the world (yes, despite the last few years, Liverpool Football Club are still massive).

Liverpool needed a man to guide them through the end of the Hicks and Gillette era and into the beginning of FSG's ownership. Someone it seems, no matter who it was, had to end up the villain. A last symbol of the previous ownership.

To now move forward Liverpool demanded a sacrifice, and Roy Hodgson was that sacrifice.

His parting words went even further to prove that he is nothing short of pure class.

So please, let's look through all the turmoil and poor results and take a second before looking to the future. A second to say thank you, thank you for trying your best, thank you for Raul Meireles, thank you for guiding Liverpool through a very, very tough period for the club. It honestly could have been worse.

Thank you, Roy Hodgson, and may you find success wherever you end up after this.

Wrong man, wrong time, yet still...

You'll Never Walk Alone.

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