Former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson allegedly sold the wrong player by mistake during his time at Anfield, according to ex-Reds youngster Alex Kacaniklic. The Swedish winger claims Hodgson accidentally sent him to Fulham instead of another player as part of the deal to sign left-back Paul Konchesky in 2010.
Kacaniklic, who was highly rated at Liverpool, was included in the transfer along with Lauri Dalla Valle to sweeten the deal for Konchesky. However, in a recent interview with the Lundh podcast, Kacaniklic revealed that Hodgson had confused him with another 'Alex' at the club.
“It was a bit difficult for Liverpool to replace me,” Kacaniklic said. “When I was in Fulham and before I signed up, I had a conversation with Roy Hodgson on the phone, where we found out that he had changed the wrong Alex. In his head, he thought he changed another Alex for Konchesky. But then it was too late. It's a little funny.”
Kacaniklic added that Hodgson told him he was welcome back at Liverpool with open arms, but the winger had already made up his mind to join Fulham. “Then he just told me I was welcome back in Liverpool with open arms, but that I should do what I felt. I did not [go back]. Then I had already changed my mind and was very excited about coming to Fulham,” he said.
Kacaniklic spent four years at Fulham but never fulfilled his early potential, making 84 appearances and scoring seven goals before moving on. Hodgson, meanwhile, left Liverpool in January 2011 after just six months in charge.
