Where did it all go wrong for Roy Hodgson?

Manager Roy Hodgson's reign at Anfield would appear to be coming to an end after yet another humiliating defeat for his Liverpool side, this time at the hands of Blackburn Rovers. But while the Kop has never taken to the south Londoner - they always wanted Kenny Dalglish - Hodgson's fall from grace is something of a surprise in the eyes of many football observers.

It is worth remembering that only last summer it was widely reported that had Hodgson not taken the job at Liverpool the FA would have dispensed with the services of Fabio Capello and installed him as manager of the England team. This would have been a popular move: at the end of last season, Hodgson’s stock, at least in this country, had never been higher. 

In 2009/10 Hodgson led unfashionable Fulham on an extraordinary adventure that took them to the final of the Uefa Cup. It was a remarkable turnaround for a club which three seasons earlier, when Hodgson took over, seemed doomed to relegation.

But while Hodgson worked miracles at Fulham, his attempts to step up a level with Liverpool have fallen flat - not for the first time in his career.

Though he is seen as a man of honour and a hugely respected coach on the continent, he has repeatedly failed in his efforts to translate the success he has achieved with smaller clubs to the larger stage.

He has seven Swedish league titles and one in Denmark, but has never won a trophy outside Scandinavia. He has had managerial success at international level – but that, too, was with small nations like Switzerland. 

With big clubs, Hodgson’s record is mediocre. He took Inter Milan to the Uefa Cup final in 1997, but was pelted with coins and lighters when they lost to the unfancied Schalke 04. And his first stint at the San Siro ended with the sack soon afterwards - following a season of continuous speculation over his future.

Hodgson then moved to Blackburn, who were still seen as title contenders in those days. His reign ended in December 1998 with the Premier League champions of 1995 rock bottom of the table.

New England Sports Ventures, who took over Liverpool FC late last year, initially backed Hodgson, and agreed with him that much of the blame for the club's poor performances this season could be put down to the mismanagement of the previous regime.

However, with the Reds just four points above the relegation zone and having lost nine of their 20 league games this season, their patience is wearing thin. 

Coming up are a league game against plucky minnows Blackpool, an FA Cup clash with Manchester United and then a local derby against Everton. Hodgson will be lucky to emerge unbeaten from that run of games. But little else will save him. 

Will he choose to fall on his sword? Probably not, no matter how hated he becomes among Liverpool fans. 

In 2009, recalling his experience with Blackburn, he told the Guardian how he had refused to quit. "[Jack Walker] said, 'Why don't you resign? You've had enough, it's not working out'," Hodgson revealed. "I refused to do that, arrogant of course as I was in those days.

"I thought if they stuck with me I'd save them from relegation. I do think that the players were very much still with me, so I couldn't resign because that would be a suggestion that in some way I was doing something or something was happening which I didn't see to be the case or the truth. 

"I gave him no choice but to sack me, so they behaved very honourably in that way. I did take it very hard, but that's a personal thing."

It seems inevitable something similar will soon unfold at Anfield.

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