The Roughness Number - A thesis on Brendan Rodgers

Hey there,

I am a contributor to this blog, and finally, as I listen to "All Along The Watchtower" from BSG, I'm finally contributing an article to this blog.

You might have noticed an occasional bias of this blog toward writing articles about Liverpool Football Club, well, this is no different.

A note on the last article:

The last article, written in July 2012, spoke of a new Brendan Rodgers, personally I thought it was splendid what Atu did and god knows us Liverpool fans needed it. We had been through some hellish times the past few years. I was just reading an article on the Bleacher Report talking about how Liverpool can contain Gareth Bale this coming weekend. The article spoke of how Benitez deployed his tactics to contain Ronaldinho in a semi-final against Barcelona. Stunning. The article also said this immediately following the above statement:

 .......and although the tournaments, names and places mentioned here indicate just how different the modern Reds side is......

True. Very true.

In addition, Atu's article also reflected the Liverpool fan. Realistic. Dreamy. Faithful. Loyal. Humble. and above all Proud. Yes I know I'm Indian, so what, I respect heroism. That's right, it took a bunch of heroes to overcome a 3-0 deficit and win on penalties against a world-beating team. The deficit was erased in a span of 10 unworldly minutes. But I digress, like the BR writer, I agree today's side is currently in no position to achieve the levels of greatness this season. But the side that won in Istanbul were underdogs as well, and - I digress again. Moving on.

So, Fractals. What do Fractals and dear Brendan's philosophy have in common?

Anybody who is familiar with fractals, clearly knows more than me about fractals. But I do know this about fractals - They are self-similar patterns, simple patterns that replicate to give bigger patterns that look similar to the first tiny one. A key factor in the beauty of fractals is that they grow exponentially until they become something so complex and marvelous that you cannot believe it started with something so simple.  It is a form of complexity. By the way, I completely out of my depth here, but do read on!

For more on fractals watch: 

http://www.ted.com/talks/benoit_mandelbrot_fractals_the_art_of_roughness.html

My point is that football is complex. That's what makes it beautiful. No can deny that. Why do you think the 2010 world cup was broadcast in every single country on Earth, including Antartica and the Arctic Circle, a total viewership of 3.2 billion?. Half the world at that time. It's because it is a beautiful (at times violent, circa Battle of Nurnberg) display. It is complex, intricate, direct, etc, etc. My point is that is built on a very simple rule - kick the ball. And in the sphere of humans it grows with 22 players, trophies, legacies, rivalries and ecstacies (occasionally match-fixing, but that is what humans always end up doing isn't it?). All stems from one single rule - kick the ball.

So, I guess my point is that Brendan understands that. He understands that kicking the ball is the only rule. And he understands the human element and there's proof of that. Proof that he understands the importance of kicking the ball, he just says kick it to your team-mate (what people have been referring to as tiki-taka, which I never understood and here's a video of it apparently - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uYUMjy-moY ). Admittedly, it took him a while to tell his players to also kick it into the goal, but he eventually got there. Proof that he understands the players who would respond to such ideas:

 - Suarez (bought the best out of him like here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4TJQG-zT3o ), 

 - Gerrard (I'll shut up while you watch this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XDXNiBZX00 ), 

 - Sturridge and Coutinho (well, maybe too soon for them to appear here, but here they are anyway). 

But perhaps the most amazing of Brendan's proof as understanding the importance of having the right players is his turnaround of Hendo and Downing. And also Enrique. Absolutely magnificent, except slip Downing a word about kicking with his right, Brendan. 

To be honest, I don't know yet if Brendan understands trophies. He hasn't got a record to prove that he's won anything of the magnitude that Liverpool FC is used to. No chance of any silverware this season or this year. The defeat to Oldham in the FA cup was really really really disappointing and that is an understatement. But I won't dwell on it. I dwelt on it for a whole week when it happened, so enough of that.

Brendan understands legacies. Oh yes. Just look at Being: Liverpool, that his legacy. Just kidding, that may end up Being: Legacy for him, but he understands the legacy of this football club. Shankley, Paisley on the fields of Anfield Road. He's got that bit of old-school chivalry about him, about doing the right thing and winning the right way. BUT, he got his big night. 2 weeks ago vs Zenit at Anfield. What a match and what amazing fans.

Brendan understands rivalries. Only he hasn't come off very well in recent showdowns with our rivals. Two losses to Man Utd, a measly draw against the blue shite (Everton). Though now I'm looking at Swansea as rivals as well. I don't like Swansea, they come to Anfield and kick us out of the League Cup (which we won last year)! And humiliating so, against their old manager who left them to join a "bigger", "giant" of english football. Hurt my ego that one. So guess how much I enjoyed the 5-0 drubbing they received a week and a half ago (i'll leave out the part that Swansea was resting key players)

Ecstacy - This stems from a love of the club. It's only when you love something that you can actually take leave of your senses and scream, pump fists and cause an absolute ruckus when things go very well. Nothing showcased this better than when Suarez curled in what Malafeev described as an impossible free kick on Euro Night at Anfield. It was just awesome. The reactions said a lot. Suarez curled up and erupted like a compressed spring and in such a gesture echoed his love for Liverpool FC and the fans and all their opinions. Brendan let lose his vocal chords and pumped his fists as though he was holding two berretas and gunning down Hulk. So yeah, Brendan understands ecstacy and we all know he wants more of it.

Coming back to my point , do you understand now? Brendan knows what it takes to showcase football at it's best. And I for one am glad that we've got him on our side (note how I've switched to "we" and "our", I love this club and hence bought a body flag and also a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle of Anfield to complete when a storm takes out all the poer in New York again).

I know and believe that like all fractals (and also wine when you think about it), it get's better with time. 

As a treat, here's yet another youtube video that I promise every Liverpool fan will enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q3Fb1n9hHw

Enjoy and know that You'll Never Walk Alone.

Bests,

Pushkar. 

@pcv64

P.S. My next article will not be about Liverpool FC.

A New Direction

Another season has come and gone. Another poor performance in the Premier League. Another Manager has been let go. A return to Wembley. A trophy after 6 years of competing. New players that haven't performed as expected. A change from the old defence. It has indeed been an eventful year for Liverpool FC.

The past few weeks has seen a change. A new manager had to be signed after Kenny "The King" Daglish was let go. He took over in a period of transition. The current England Manager, Roy Hodgson, did not bring what some expected of him. The King took the team from near relegation to a respectable finish. The King brought in two players, whom much was expected of. One has proven himself. The other has shown glimpses of the reason we paid a lot for him. The King was expected to deliver the past season. I believe he did.

Getting us out of a trophy less six years. Irrespective of the downright awful league finish, Daglish did what hadn't been done in a long time. A trophy brings smiles and hope back to the players and the fans. How much ever people say that the Carling Cup is the "Mickey mouse Cup" doesn't matter to me. We won a trophy. We achieved something of significance in a truly insignificant season. After the last whistle of the 2011-12 season was blown, no one expected Daglish to be let go. But, he was. And the search for a new manager began.

Names aplenty were thrown into the air. Pep, Andre, Louis. The big names. Expected to win trophies and bring LFC back to the top. Out of nowhere, Roberto Martínez became a favorite. I, personally, took this as an insult. No disrespect to Martinez, but he was a manager who was able to steer a club away from relegation towards the end of the season. A manager whose club was in a relegation dogfight throughout the season. Sports websites said he was a favorite. Martinez to be Liverpool's next Manager, they said. And again, there was something else brewing. Brendan Rodgers, who had impressed (surprised) everyone with Swansea's performance in his first season in the Premier League, was said to have pushed ahead of Martinez. Rodgers, who had previously said he did not want to be a name in the consideration, had interviewed and as of today, the First of June, 2012, was announced as the new manager of Liverpool Football Club.

Initially, I was aghast. Another new manager who had just barely begun to prove himself. Another manager not experienced enough to take the pressure that comes when managing a club like LFC. Another season in the doldrums. What was going through the heads of the owners, Fenway Sports Group.

Then it dawned upon me. After the past few seasons, one under Benitez, a half under Hodgson and one & a half under Daglish, Liverpool had lost its claim as one of the top four. There is no doubt that Liverpool FC is still a huge club. However, when it came to performances and league positions, other clubs have overtaken us. From what I have read, I believe that Tom Werner and John Henry know what they are doing. Rebuilding.

They bought the club when it was going through a tough change. Daglish was brought in to please the fans after Hodgson's debacle. They splashed the cash for Daglish. Now, after close to two and a half years in charge, they are taking things into their hands. They are making the decisions. I believe their decision to hire Rodgers could be similar to their decision to hire Theo Epstein for the Boston Red Sox. I believe they hired Rodgers to signal a change.

Now, I am totally behind the hiring of Rodgers as the manager of Liverpool Football Club. He might be young, but he has trained and impressed one of the best ever, Mourinho. He has been signed not to deliver immediate results. He has been signed to re-build. Right now, Liverpool is, at best, a top 10 club. I believe that he can deliver silverware and a push to the pinnacle of English Football again. A change on the pitch and in the mentality that can deliver results.

With the backing of owners who know sport, who are ready to build to win, I truly believe that he can be a success. He will be bringing something different to the club. New ideas, a new system. And in time, I believe that he will deliver. He can bring Liverpool FC back to the pinnacle and our rightful place in English Football.

I believe in Rodgers.

I believe in Liverpool FC.

You'll Never Walk Alone.

Atu

Liverpool fan for life.

Thou Puny Clay-Brained Maggot-Pie !

British insults are the best. Shows like Blackadder and Monty Python's Flying Circus brought it out the best. One of my favorites is "I bump into cleverer people at a lodge meeting of village idiots." Also, you need the context for this, but it kills - "Which Pitt is it ? Pitt the toddler ? Pitt the embryo ? Pitt, the glint in the milkman's eye ?"

I recently came across this picture on the internet and it had me falling off my chair in laughter.

Insults have always been a huge part of these shows. Think Blackadder and Baldrick. If you've watched the show, you will definitely be able to picture Edmund calling Baldrick "An artless ill-breeding wagtail."

So go ahead and have fun with this, Thou logger-headed dizzy-eyed foot-licker. I definitely did.

Atu :D