27 Oct 2014

Conflict of Interest: Is this strange situation the reason BR refuses to drop Gerrard...?

Steven Gerrard is undroppable. Based on his appearance record under Brendan Rodgers, there's no other conclusion to be drawn. It doesn't matter what the circumstance, 34 years old or not, the captain is guaranteed to start every game. This season, Gerrard has played every minute of every game, including a recent stint of three games in SIX days. Conversely, much young players like Sterling, Coutinho, and Lallana are regularly left on the sidelines, irrespective of performance. Is Rodgers just reckless with the management of Gerrard's fitness, or is there something else at play here.

Well, consider the following: according to reports today:

* Rodgers is currently renting Gerrard's £3m marital home.
* This means that Gerrard is basically Rodgers' landlord (!)

Maybe it's me, but this just doesn't sit well. Rodgers is supposed to be an authority figure over Gerrard, yet he's in a quasi-subordinate business relationship with him off the field. Is this not a conflict of interest?

I'm not for one minute suggesting that this is the case, but if Gerrard is Rodgers' landlord, then it's possible that this may have a subconscious impact on their relationship. It's also slightly worrying (to me) that they have the kind of 'matey' relationship whereby Rodgers feels comfortable renting a property from Gerrard.

What happened to maintaining professional distance? Can you imagine Alex Ferguson renting a house from Wayne Rooney?! No, neither can I.

Just turn it around for a second: imagine renting your house to your boss - I'm sure that would be weird for a lot of people. It would be for me, too. If I had a boss, that is, which I don't. But I digress...

As noted above, Gerrard just completed three games in six days, and when it comes to effective fitness management, that is (arguably) suspect management. What makes it even harder to understand is that Rodgers dropped/rested Jordan Henderson against QPR. Surely, it should been Gerrard on the bench, and Hendo starting?

If the aim is to prolong Gerrard's career, how does it make any sense to play a 34 year old 3 times in 6 days? Rodgers goes on and on about the importance of the squad, but it doesn't seem to matter where the captain is concerned. I'm not suggesting Gerrard needs to be dropped right now, but he should be rested occasionally like everyone else.

The crux of the issue is this: how can Rodgers be objective about Gerrard's role in the team when he is a tenant in one of the captain's houses? How can the manager retain the requisite managerial authority when one of the players is his landlord (!)

Yes, they're both professionals, but in my view, these are legitimate questions.

Author:


32 comments:

  1. You cant drop your landlord
    he is renting shag pad from stevie G

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  2. I doubt that the supposed conflict of issue flagged here has any impact on team selection. I can understand the line of reasoning, but it is very speculative and it's only really worth taking that kind of conjecture seriously if it is just a part of a more robust argument (which it isn't in this case).

    That said, I think JK is right to question this arrangement. I don't think a manager should ever find himself in a state of reliance (fiduciarily) on a player, off the pitch. It's poor practice and creates an unnecessary potential for acrimony, even if it is minor.

    if I rented my boss' house, the scenario JK poses in the article, I'd be sure to have sex in every room I could. More realistically I'd just have a room-to-room wank to establish my dominance.

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  3. The Echo's going to report that the pair of them have been having Bunga Bunga parties. Trust me. Check the paper tomorrow.

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  4. So to sum it up- wank is more realistic than sex..

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  5. While I agree that the situation is...odd, its certainly not as weird as you make it out to be. This might just be a case of Gerrard being a nice guy when BR first moved to Liverpool and was looking for a house, and BR just not getting around to buying his own. I mean, they are relatively close in age, so while I'm not all that fond of a manager-player friendship (in terms of being "buddy-buddy"), its not really as weird as it would be if Fergie rented from Rooney (I mean, Fergie's like a million years older). It would be more like if, say, Vidic came back to coach and he rented from Rooney.

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  6. Yes, this is the unfortunate conclusion I've came to.

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  7. All good as long as you come..

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  8. I'm sure there's nothing more to this than convenience for all parties. Anyway is it not fairly common for footballers to move into each other's old houses and previous players old houses?

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  9. Given Liverpools early season form and the injuries to players in the midfield it would of been strange to drop him but Rodgers must know at some point that the time to put Gerard on the fringes of the team is approaching very soon.

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  10. The inscription on my tombstone.

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  11. I agree with this. I too find it really weird that Gerrard is Rodgers' f***ing landlord. Rodgers makes a lot of money, surely there are plenty of other mansions around in Merseyside that he can rent or buy instead? I seriously could not imagine John Terry renting to Mourinho, or Ramsey renting to Wenger, or Kompany renting to Pellegrini.

    Surely there's a big risk of some kind of subconscious bias? "Hmm, maybe I shouldn't drop Gerrard, don't wanna upset my landlord"...

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  12. Very curious situation, but- don't wanna upset my landlord"?!? Silly..

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  13. You have a boss JK you just dont know it.

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  14. Maybe he's overplaying so he gets injured and it softens the blow among die hard Gerrard fans

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  15. I've been saying for weeks Gerrard is our weak link trust me drop him and others will shine just like Henderson last season where he played much better with Gerrard out the team

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  16. Agree Hendo will not have to worry abt Gerrad

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  17. thexcuriousxwanderer2:49 am, October 28, 2014

    I see the conflict but I don't think it is a problem. Both should be professional enough. Plus even personally, I think Gerrard is getting too much schtick. His range of passing and more importantly the timing of the pass is very valuable to a team who is still discovering its identity after the arrival of Mario. And the timing of his runs are still great (check out the burst he almost scored from against Hull) I think we have more than enough legs to make up for it, for now.

    I think what comforts me is that Henderson also seems to have developed a similar range of passing, though timing wise not as great as Gerrard. But that lad is really flourishing.

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  18. This is the Liverpool way :)

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  19. Well that's where the whole possibility of conflict of interest arises from. If they can still go about their football business normally, then I'm fine with it.

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  20. Maybe, but it's quite speculative. The reality is that any manager at Liverpool would have a special relationship with Gerrard. He is the embodiment of the club for the past 15 years. He greets new players, controls the dressing room, relays the manager's tactics, drives the team on and off the pitch, is the leader in terms of what is expected of a player ... I could go on. Gerrard is a big big part of Liverpool football club and any manager would have a close relationship with him. Is it a "matey" relationship? Not sure. Could it impact selection? Absolutely. Rodgers could well be swayed by the allure of Gerrard, the fact that he's been such a huge player for the club for so long. It could well be effecting his objectivity. I think beyond the landlord thing, it's just the nature of Stevie G and who he is at the club that puts the manager in an odd position.

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  21. You'll never wank alone ......

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  22. Speaking of Bunga Bunga parties, this forum is close to turning into one itself.

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  23. Maybe Rodgers doesn't feel he had the clout to drop Gerrard. Perhaps if we were doing well but not in the current environment. Maybe he us playing him to injury. Nah I don't believe that either.
    The landlord thing is weird though. I wouldn't feel right.

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  24. Just wrote that. Should have read the posts first.

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  25. Seriously If Rodgers doesn't feel that he has the clout then he shouldn't be managing.

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  26. Nevergonnacrackthecode8:47 am, October 28, 2014

    Okay today's swansea game


    this is my team:
    ...................................................sterling
    markovic......................................coutinho.................lallana
    ........................................henderson..........allen
    moreno..............................lovren...............skrtel..........manquillo
    .......................................................mignolet


    perfect game to experiment a bit

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  27. Nevergonnacrackthecode8:50 am, October 28, 2014

    i wanna see this team as well:
    ....................................................balotelli
    markovic..........................lallana...............coutinho.....................sterling
    ........................................................can
    moreno..............................lovren..................skrtel......................johnson
    .......................................................mignolet


    i think this will get balotelli in the game more having markovic next to him

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  28. Nevergonnacrackthecode8:51 am, October 28, 2014

    we clearly have enough midfielders
    i will give balotelli his chance till he plays with a worthy second striker


    wheaten that sturridge or saido berahino

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  29. Nevergonnacrackthecode8:52 am, October 28, 2014

    berahino makes sense
    ideally martinez or higuain with ffp we might not be able to find 40m

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  30. Like I say if we were doing well it might be a different story. A couple of bad results and many have turned on him and those who have disliked him from the beginning have crawled back out. Drop living legend one club man, heartbeat of the team and whatever else has been said not to mention captain. That doesn't work and more pressure hits. Even Fergie came under pressure from bust up with Keane and dropping Beckham.
    Like I say just a theory.

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  31. Does the home offers a sea view? :)

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