Two promising managers, two ailing clubs.

Yesterday it was Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool, today it’s Paul Lambert at Aston Villa and both men will be charged a big task. It has been said that Liverpool have taken a huge gamble with Rodgers, on the flip side Villa may just feel lucky about getting Lambert.

Obviously both jobs carry varying objectives for the new managers but there is an added pressure for both men. The questions are how long will they be given and how much backing will they each receive?

Villa aren’t exactly a top four club these days (though Martin O’Neill managed three consecutive 6th place finishes), but they of have of course won the European Cup, European Super Cup and (dare I say it) Intertoto Cup. The latter knows where it belongs but the other achievements for the club mark a moment in their history.

Whilst Lambert won’t be looking that far ahead, he will be looking up above and trying to avoid down below. He may have moved to early, he may have moved to the wrong club but he is testing himself at a new club in just his second season.

Brendan Rodgers finds himself with a slightly bigger task. Liverpool have had success in Europe in recent years and in their history they have been a European and domestic force.

That will be a requirement of Rodgers role; to ensure that he is always taking the club back there. Unfortunately the job has become something of poisoned chalice so he will need to be given time as he, like Lambert, is just entering his second season in the Premier League.

The expectations for Rodgers will dwarf of Lambert’s but there is no doubt that these are two managers showing positive signs in football management. For the sake of their respective careers, I hope they are never thrown to the dogs.

The press and the supporters are merciless and the pressure that managers and players are under to achieve whilst under the spotlight can be damaging. For me the responsibility lies with the men upstairs, the men behind the money.

But I wish the best of luck to Lambo and Rodgers. They have their work cut out for them.

Hail! Hail!


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