<\/p>\n
Jamie Carragher has denied that his former team-mate Steven Gerrard intentionally missed a penalty in order to get Roy Hodgson sacked as Liverpool boss in 2011.<\/p>\n
Hodgson was in charge of the Reds between July 2010 and January 2011, enduring a woeful spell in charge.<\/p>\n
There was a period of the 2010-11 season when Liverpool were being realistically considered as relegation candidates.<\/p>\n
The 75-year-old only won one of his first eight Premier League games in charge, with a 2-0 defeat against city rivals Everton adding to the pressure.<\/p>\n
It was a woeful spell, to say the least. The Reds failed to beat Sunderland, Blackpool and Wolves at Anfield and were sat 12th in the league at the time of Hodgson\u2019s dismissal.<\/p>\n
Hodgson\u2019s final game in charge was a 3-1 defeat away to Blackburn Rovers \u2013 who Liverpool actually managed to beat earlier that season.<\/p>\n
The former Fulham manager\u2019s captain, Gerrard, had a chance to score from the penalty spot, but, his miss ended up looking like the final nail in the coffin of Hodgson\u2019s Liverpool career.<\/p>\n
In an uncharacteristic shot by the club legend, he blazed it over the bar when he could have halved the deficit at Ewood Park.<\/p>\n
There have been theories that Gerrard missed the target on purpose in order to get Hodgson dismissed from his nightmare spell.<\/p>\n
Gerrard\u2019s vice-captain at the time, Carragher, has said this was not the case, profusely denying those rumours.<\/p>\n
The former defender also said he \u201cfelt sorry\u201d for Hodgson, who was the \u201cwrong appointment\u201d for the Reds.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, that is not true,\u201d Carragher said on The Diary of a CEO podcast. \u201cNothing like that. I felt sorry for him [Hodgson].<\/p>\n
\u201cRoy had a tough time at the club. He just wasn\u2019t the right manager for the club and they moved him on after about six months.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just didn\u2019t get the club, he didn\u2019t say the right things in the press. He was too defensive for Liverpool. Not just for Liverpool but any top club.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carragher added: \u201cHe had success in his career playing that way and he wasn\u2019t going to change that when he was in his sixties \u2013 it was just the wrong appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hodgson was replaced by Kenny Dalglish, who took charge of the Anfield club for the second time.<\/p>\n
Dalglish impressed in steadying the ship after a turbulent first half to the season, guiding the Reds to League Cup success in February 2012 after being appointed as permanent boss in the summer prior.<\/p>\n
Hodgson retired (we think, anyway) from management in May after a stint in charge of Watford, who were relegated last term.<\/p>\n
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