The philosophy installed at Liverpool by Brendan Rodgers has been the foundation of the team’s prosperous performances on the pitch throughout this season, Ian Ayre says.
With 10 games remaining on the schedule for 2013-14, the Reds are in second place in the Barclays Premier League and trail the leader, Chelsea, by just four points.
Rodgers’ brand of attacking, dynamic soccer has thrilled the club’s supporters and, with 73 strikes in 28 games, made the Northern Irishman’s team the highest-scoring in the division.
Managing director Ayre hailed the results produced by the manager in less than two years at the helm after taking on the “huge challenge” of restoring success to Liverpool.
“We all had great faith in Brendan when he was appointed, and I think he had a huge challenge in front of him,” he told the Liverpool Echo. “We all did, but no one more than Brendan, because he comes to one of the biggest football clubs in the world, where expectation is high and there was a lot of work to do.
“In his first season he would admit that there was a lot of finding his feet and starting to impart his philosophy and his style into the team.
“I think what we have seen this year is that starting to grow and prosper. And we’ll continue to add to the team and support him in putting additional players into the group.
“Both the efforts of Brendan and the players have been astounding. One of the things I really like is that Brendan works with the team and sets the season out into little chunks so they have four- or five-game runs.
“So they focus on a short number of games — they don’t focus on the entire season. And it’s worked well for them. They work as a group. They are focused as a group. The results are being delivered as a group, and the performances of the players have blown everyone away.”
The positive feeling around the club has been reflected in the spirits of the supporters this season, and Ayre stressed the significant role the fans play in the fortunes of the club.
“The Liverpool fans who have been through these last few years with us are not just part of it — they are a big part of it and the reason to do it, to be honest,” he added.
“Our fans are a huge, huge part of our achievements, and if you ask any player or any manager at any club, they’ll tell you the reason they do it is for the fans.
“I really believe that. We are blessed in that we have the best fans — and so many of them. Their support, as always, has been unquestionable.”
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Photo via LiverpoolFC.com
