There can be little doubt that Brendan Rodgers improved Liverpool deal is deserved.
His two years in charge of the club have involved a backdrop of significant restructuring off the field that has seen the wage bill reduced and the squad trimmed heavily.
Despite seeing his troop numbers diminished and being forced to gloss over notable failures in the transfer market he has transformed his youthful side into a potent attacking force.
He has honed the development of youngsters such as Sterling and Sturridge into key Premier League, and as the World Cup may witness, key international footballers.
Jordan Henderson have benefitted greatly from Brendan's midfield structure and club maestro Steven Gerrard may well see the benefit of his transition through an extended playing career.
Although Liverpool are far from the complete article (a thin squad with a reluctance to keep clean sheets being two of the more significant problems) success should rightly be rewarded, and the young manager from Northern Ireland has not only improved the results but also created an aura of calm professionalism off the field.
Liverpool had got themselves into a bit of a mess off the field due to (mostly) ownership and senior management failures.
The end days of a (rightly) disgruntled Benitez, the tedium of the Roy Hodgson spell and Dalglish being forced to 'walk alone' by his employers as he tried to fend the media away from a self-imploding Suarez are all behind us.
Brendan Rodgers new deal runs till 2018 and his 50% pay increase (to an estimated 65k a week) puts him well into the pay bracket of his new peers in the Champions League.
He deserves it - he will certainly need more extravagant holidays to cater for the incoming pressure increase.
Expectations will now be heavier on the manager. Liverpool's 11 match winning run for instance will give supporters faith of the return of regular silverware to the club.
Three Wembley trips in the space of as many months back in 2012 whetted the appetite of fans, who are rightly disappointed with five miserable cup runs in the two years of Rodgers' tenure.
Liverpool fans were thrilled with last season League campaign but there is a reason that our club has enjoyed over 50 years of regular trophy hunts - it's because the urge to move forward and progress is embedded in the supporters DNA and the club's ethos.
Second place without a trophy is the new baseline.
Progress, and pay promotion, expects that this is improved upon next season.
I am still concerned over the players he signs wasting money on complete duds. As for tactics his Liverpool is definitely very good to watch. Some good defenders will only add to our overall quality. All in all he deserves another contract.
I’m not sure I agree with the sentiment of this piece. Dalglish destroyed the club with his money spending and inept capacity to build a modern team. Rodgers continues to weed out the dross that Liverpool were only 18 months ago. Reflecting on the fact that Liverpool football club havnt won the premiership in 2 decades it seems slightly ridiculous to suggest that because Brendan got a pay rise he now needs to win the league in his 3rd season. Bearing in mind that Fenway and Ian Ayres inability to support Rodgers and secure the purchases that he believed would improve the team, we find ourselves heading into a third transfer window that has the potential to continue the farce of the previous 2. One must wonder might Brendan and Liverpool have won the league this year as opposed to finishing second if the financial management team supported him better. It appears the only man putting his money where his mouth is, is Brendan. I actually believe Liverpool over achieved this year, one would have to question whether Mignolet, Skyrtel, Agger, Johnson, Toure, Cissoko, Sakho, Allen or Leiva would make it into any starting 11 of our nearest rivals. There is much more work to be done and an expectation for a first league title or silverware is over ambitious and not down simply to Brendan Rodgers.
I wasn’t suggesting he had to ‘win the league’ in his 3rd season. Whilst the owners may be more than satiated by finishing 2nd every year the fans demand the club win silverware. This doesn’t have to be the title.
As for ‘Dalglish destroyed the club’ – I think that may be somewhat over the top. Certainly the tens of thousands of fans I saw on numerous trips to Wembley or enjoying a return to European football may look at things slightly differently.
I agree the Dalglish comment was over the top. :-), however Downing, Carroll, Cole, Shelvey, Spearing…the crazy money Kenny spent and he left us with a dessimated first 11 and an even worse squad. I agree I wouldn’t like to go on a 9 year run like Arsenal without a trophy, however I think in the short to medium term I would like to see some sustainability.
Securing Champions league football next season would be my priority and hopefully a bit of a decent run in the forthcoming Champions league campaign. Strengthening the first 11 and squad further, sending a message that Liverpool are again at the top tier of European football and if you are a world class footballer you have no fear that our Champions league football is a one season wonder, you can join us. I believe the knock on effect from those ambitions would be a stronger team and a greater ability to compete in the cup competitions at home.
I agree that the expectation of winning the league next season would be foolish. Rodgers needs help securing the 3-4 top quality signings to improve the first 11. Another year developing the younger players. We desperately need a long term replacement for gerrard. From the academy would be preferred, if anyone’s going to do it it’s going to be BR. If be happy with top 4 a decent cup run and semis of champs league..