In a stunning revelation that will send shockwaves through the football world, former England manager Roy Hodgson has disclosed he actively prevented Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard from taking the Anfield hotseat back in 2011.
The now Crystal Palace boss, who was at the Liverpool helm from July 2010 to January 2011, made the bombshell admission that he advocated for club legend Kenny Dalglish instead of the then-rising star Gerrard, believing the younger man wasn't yet ready for the immense pressure.
The Anfield Power Struggle
Hodgson's tenure at Liverpool was notoriously turbulent, coinciding with the deeply unpopular reign of former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. The club was in a state of crisis, both on and off the pitch, when Hodgson was dismissed and replaced by 'King Kenny' Dalglish.
"The obvious choice was Kenny Dalglish," Hodgson stated unequivocally. "He's a Liverpool legend, and he was the right man at that time to take the club forward. The fans adored him."
Why Gerrard Was Deemed Not Ready
Hodgson's reasoning provides a fascinating insight into the high-stakes world of football management. He believed that appointing a fledgling Gerrard, who had no prior senior management experience, would have been a catastrophic gamble for a club of Liverpool's stature during such a fragile period.
"It would have been a massive, massive job for Steven Gerrard," Hodgson explained. "To put that pressure on him at that stage of his career... it could have been a very difficult thing for him."
This protective stance highlights the immense weight Hodgson placed on safeguarding the career of his former captain, prioritising his long-term development over a potentially premature and damaging appointment.
Dalglish's Reign and Gerrard's Path
Dalglish's appointment proved initially successful, culminating in a League Cup victory in 2012. However, a subsequent eighth-place league finish led to his departure, opening a different path for the club's future.
Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard embarked on his own managerial journey, cutting his teeth with Rangers in Scotland before taking the helm at Aston Villa. His name remains perpetually linked with a future emotional return to Anfield, a narrative that Hodgson's revelation makes all the more compelling.
Hodgson's candid confession adds a new layer of intrigue to one of modern football's great 'what if' scenarios, forever framing his own legacy and the what-might-have-been for a Liverpool legend.
