Hodgson pleased with Comolli’s arrival
LIVERPOOL manager Roy Hodgson has welcomed the appointment of Damien Comolli as the club’s new director of football strategy.
The former Tottenham sporting director, who sanctioned the signing of Gareth Bale during his time at White Hart Lane, arrives from St Etienne and has been given the remit of changing the Reds’ transfer policy.
Comolli, who also alerted Arsene Wenger to the talents of Kolo Toure and Gael Clichy during his time as a scout with Arsenal, becomes the first significant appointment of New England Sports Ventures who, led by John Henry, took control of the club last month.
Having worked abroad, Hodgson is well used to liaising with a sporting director and feels far from threatened by the Frenchman’s arrival.
He said: “I feel very good about it. It is a strategy which I think makes sense as we are in a period of transition with new owners.
“The days of the dictator-type English manager have long since passed and it does not have any effect on my role as manager. I will still be picking and working with the team.”
COMOLLI | HITS AND MISSES
Dimitar Berbatov (above) earned a huge £20m profit
Younes Kaboul so good they bought him twice
Gareth Bale man of the moment
Ricardo Rocha (above) a defensive liability
Hossam Ghaly booed by own fans
Adel Taarabt
certainly not the ‘new Zidane’