Oh Roy, what are you playing at?
Some managerial spells are judged harshly at the time, before – with the perspective of hindsight – we realise that the job carried out was under difficult circumstances or, perhaps, better when judged against contemporary records.
Unfortunately, Roy Hodgson’s spell as Liverpool manager does not fall into this category in any way whatsoever. The now Crystal Palace manager’s time at Anfield seemed bad at the time and seems just as bad now.
A recent revelation from a former Liverpool footballer, who played under Hodgson, doesn’t improve the perception of that spell either.
That revelation came from Alex Kacaniklic, who was sold – alongside Lauri Dalla Valle – to Fulham in the deal that brought legendary Liverpool left-back Paul Konchesky to the club.
Speaking to the podcast Lundh, hosted by Swedish sports journalist Olof Lundh, Kacaniklic – who now plays for Swedish side Hammarby IF – stated that Hodgson accidentally sold him when he meant to sell another player called Alex.
“It was a bit difficult for Liverpool to replace me,” Kacaniklic told Lundh. “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.
“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.”
It’s not yet known which player Hodgson meant to sign when he accidentally bought Christian Poulsen, or if he actually just went out to buy a dozen eggs.
