I've sent the following to FSG with a request that it be forwarded to John Henry. It may never get anywhere near him but I thought I had to try. No apology for the occasional Americanisms, quite deliberately included to help get the message across.
Dear Mr.Henry,
I am a Liverpool fan of nearly half a century's standing, and one of the millions who have welcomed your takeover from the previous regime. My club is a sleeping giant, still the most successful in English soccer history - and one of the most successful anywhere - after numerous relatively barren years, and it's my view and that of many other LFC fans I know that you and your organisation have the right approach to taking the club forward to greatness again.
With that in mind, I appeal to you to relieve the current manager, Mr.Roy Hodgson, of his duties with immediate effect. Martin Broughton and Christian Purslow have the admiration and respect of Liverpool fans but they took a serious misstep when they gave the manager's job to Mr.Hodgson, who is clearly and painfully in over his head.
We hear that your organisation does not wish to appoint an interim manager. If this is true, may I respectfully ask why not? If you were appointing someone to a pivotal post in the management structure of your organisation you'd have a proper executive search done to seek out the best candidate. My suggestion to you is that this is what the Liverpool job requires, and that the appointment of an interim manager would give you the breathing-space you need to get the job done. Appointing the standout candidate, club legend Kenny Dalglish, would give the club and the fans the most enormous and immediate buzz too. A permanent appointment next summer would then build seamlessly on Mr.Dalglish's tenure and be an ideal springboard for the future.
By way of brief background, I am a Cambridge graduate and a qualified company secretary, not given to communications such as this, which I would not have sent if I didn't genuinely feel the club's back is against the wall and will remain there as long as Mr.Hodgson remains in his current job and risks taking us down to the second tier of English soccer. Please do not hesitate to let me know if there is anything in the above of which you require clarification.
With every best wish for the future whatever your decision, I remain
Yours sincerely
Dear Mr.Henry,
I am a Liverpool fan of nearly half a century's standing, and one of the millions who have welcomed your takeover from the previous regime. My club is a sleeping giant, still the most successful in English soccer history - and one of the most successful anywhere - after numerous relatively barren years, and it's my view and that of many other LFC fans I know that you and your organisation have the right approach to taking the club forward to greatness again.
With that in mind, I appeal to you to relieve the current manager, Mr.Roy Hodgson, of his duties with immediate effect. Martin Broughton and Christian Purslow have the admiration and respect of Liverpool fans but they took a serious misstep when they gave the manager's job to Mr.Hodgson, who is clearly and painfully in over his head.
We hear that your organisation does not wish to appoint an interim manager. If this is true, may I respectfully ask why not? If you were appointing someone to a pivotal post in the management structure of your organisation you'd have a proper executive search done to seek out the best candidate. My suggestion to you is that this is what the Liverpool job requires, and that the appointment of an interim manager would give you the breathing-space you need to get the job done. Appointing the standout candidate, club legend Kenny Dalglish, would give the club and the fans the most enormous and immediate buzz too. A permanent appointment next summer would then build seamlessly on Mr.Dalglish's tenure and be an ideal springboard for the future.
By way of brief background, I am a Cambridge graduate and a qualified company secretary, not given to communications such as this, which I would not have sent if I didn't genuinely feel the club's back is against the wall and will remain there as long as Mr.Hodgson remains in his current job and risks taking us down to the second tier of English soccer. Please do not hesitate to let me know if there is anything in the above of which you require clarification.
With every best wish for the future whatever your decision, I remain
Yours sincerely
