Paul Konchesky: Roy Hodgson Is The Man To Take Liverpool Forward

Posted Saturday, October 30, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

Liverpool full-back Paul Konchesky believes that under-fire manager Roy Hodgson is the man with the plan to turn the club's fortunes around.

The Reds have had a miserable start to the season, winning only two of their nine games to date. As a result, the Merseyside outfit are currently languishing in the relegation zone in the Premier League.

The former Inter manager's ability has been brought into question on more than one occasion already this season, but the 29-year-old is still backing the gaffer to guide his charges back up in the league standings.

"He has probably been through one of the lowest points of his career," Konchesky told the Liverpool Echo.

"He wanted to come to Liverpool and do really well. It has been tough for him, just as it has been tough for us, but he is the one who gets the brunt of it.

"But I think he is the man who can take Liverpool forward. He is finding his feet with the players now and the players are getting to know what he is about. He works hard on the training ground, he wants to help you improve from day-to-day.

"He is not ashamed to tell you things that he thinks should be happening but if the players think something can be done another way, he will listen and take it on board. He is now starting to get his points of view across and I'm sure he can take us a long way.

"We have had a bad time and we have had to stick together. The manager has taken the brunt of the criticism but he has stayed in good spirits to try and lift the players. Hopefully we can now go from strength to strength."

The former Fulham defender had to deal with injury problems after making a summer move from Craven Cottage to Anfield, but recently returned to fitness to contribute to the club's cause.

And now he hopes to remain fit and have a positive first season on Merseyside.

"It was hard at first to try and settle in," Konchesky added.

"But I've got my head down and the lads have made me feel really welcome. In general, I've had a great two months here and I'm looking forward to the future. Touch wood, I feel fit now and hopefully I've had my share of injuries. I just want to have a good season now.

"There's a chance to get some momentum going now. It would have been tough if we had not got a result last weekend but things feel much better and the only way everyone is looking now is up. The aim now is to get back-to-back wins and push forward.

"We have had chances in the games we have lost and drawn but when the luck isn't going for you, there is not a lot you can do. But we set a tone last Sunday [in the victory over Blackburn Rovers] and kept going. It was one-way traffic and we just had to be patient."