Rodgers to recruit 'winners'

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists attitude will be as important as aptitude as he looks to strengthen the Reds' squad this summer.



Jamie Carragher has already left the club while Manchester City's Kolo Toure has been linked with a switch to Anfield.



Rodgers is adamant that unless any potential target can show themselves to be a winner he will look elsewhere.

"A lot of great learning has taken place throughout the year both on and off the field," he told the club website. "Now we want to build on the positive impact of the second half of the season.



"It's our job as a club to look to bring in the types of players who will allow us to kick on again.



"There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes in order to reinforce the group.



"In order to breed the consistency needed to give us success, we need to bring in winners - those with the winning mentality.



"Everyone has to play a part in leadership.



"You get different types of leadership - some are purely by action and inspiration, others by organisation and more verbal.



"Taking on that responsibility is something that has to come from within the group here, but we're also looking to bring in that type of player."

Rodgers ready to do business

Brendan Rodgers expects to make early additions to the Liverpool squad this summer with depth the key to his transfer plans.

Rodgers admits his options during the 2012-13 season were too limited, and that is something needing to be solved if the club wants to make a return to the Champions League in the near future.



The Reds go into the final weekend of the season seventh in the Premier League, and Rodgers knows he is going to have to invest wisely with his budget unlikely to match teams that finished above them.



Rodgers has been linked with a number of players, including Wigan's James McCarthy and Swansea keeper Michel Vorm, and although he didn't comment on any specific players, he expects to be active in the next few weeks.



"I think there will be a natural transition in the summer because we need to improve our depth because the squad was very shallow," he said.



"You want to do your business as early as you can and we will look to reinforce but come the beginning of the season we would hope to have a squad ready to challenge.



"That process started just after the window - once we got the staff in we needed, they got to work straight away and we saw the benefits of that over the course of January. Hopefully we can have a similar window, a real positive one, in the summer.



"There was a lot going on - lots of players going out, some coming in. The word stability is key for us now - it really sets us up for the summer to hopefully have a good window."


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Rodgers: Rafa welcomed back

Brendan Rodgers says there is no doubt Rafa Benitez will receive an excellent reception on his return to Liverpool this weekend.



The Spaniard heads back to his former club on Sunday, for the first since leaving in 2010 after a six-year stint at Anfield in which he led them to UEFA Champions League victory.

And current Reds boss Rodgers believes Benitez will receive a rapturous welcome when he returns for Liverpool's Chelsea showdown.

The Northern Irishman said: "It won't be strange in any way at all.

"It is a club with supporters who are very respectful. They still sing Kenny's (Dalglish) name and rightly so, a legend at the club as a player and a manager.

"There is absolutely no question Rafael Benitez will get an excellent reception because of the great work he did here.

"The football club as a whole always respect former players and managers.

"He obviously had a real good time here, won the Champions League and FA Cup in his six years here, so I am sure he will get a fantastic reception."

Rodgers is yet to feel the pressure of not achieving success at a club with Liverpool's glorious past.

"It is interesting," he said. "The season they actually won the Champions League (under Benitez) they finished on 58 points and outside of the top four," added the Northern Irishman.

"The season before Gerard Houllier had 60 points and finished in fourth place.

"But everyone knows the history of that season (2004-05) in terms of the Champions League and by winning that it buys you another season in there which you can build and move forward.

"The history is history, and it is an incredible history, and it is easy for me to appreciate the history because that was one of the key reasons for me coming here.

"But you can't be held hostage to it. You have to chip away at being the best you can be.

"The focus is purely on the job and improving the team.

"If you put too much pressure on then it becomes even more difficult."

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Rodgers Hoping To Convince Carragher To Play On

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed that he is hoping to convince defender Jamie Carragher not to retire at the end of the season.



Carragher announced in February that he would bring the curtain down on his playing career at the end of the season after making over 700 appearances for the club.



Brendan Rodgers, who appeared on Sky Sport's football show Goals on Sunday, said he intends to holds talks with the player in the summer.



He said, ""He's been fantastic and I do [believe he could play next season]. Him and I communicate a lot and he's obviously got something in his mind.



"Him and I will sit down between now and the end of the season anyway and we'll see where it goes.



"If he does go, I will certainly miss him because he's been brilliant for me in my time there, going in as a manager of a club of that size.



"He's shown great respect and really helped me and the other guys.



"The thing for now is to keep performing the way he is until the end of the season and between then and now him and I will chat and we'll take it from there."

Rodgers plans Carragher talks

Brendan Rodgers told Goals on Sunday that he plans to hold talks with Jamie Carragher over his future before the end of the season.

The Liverpool defender has announced plans to retire from football this summer and has been linked with a job in the media, but his manager believes he could continue playing for the club next year.

Carragher has made 33 appearances for Liverpool this season and has played the full 90 minutes in all but one of their last 11 Premier League fixtures.

Rodgers plans to use him in the first team for the rest of the season and says he will discuss the possibility of retaining his services at Anfield before his contract expires.

He told Goals on Sunday: "He's been fantastic and I do [believe he could play next season]. Him and I communicate a lot and he's obviously got something in his mind.

"Him and I will sit down between now and the end of the season anyway and we'll see where it goes.

"If he does go, I will certainly miss him because he's been brilliant for me in my time there, going in as a manager of a club of that size.

"He's shown great respect and really helped me and the other guys. The thing for now is to keep performing the way he is until the end of the season and between then and now him and I will chat and we'll take it from there."

Carragher considered quitting Anfield last summer and Rodgers said one of his first tasks after taking the Liverpool job was to convince him to stay.

And while he wasn't initially planning to use him as a regular starter, he says the 35-year-old consistently impressed in training and soon forced his way into the team.

Rodgers added: "It's an interesting one with Carra because this guy's incredible. I want to put that on record.

"I saw him from the outside when I was at Chelsea and the games he was playing in the Champions League. I always thought he was one of the best defenders in European football at that stage.

"To come in and work with him at close hand and see his will and determination. His play speaks for itself, but the fight and spirit and quality that he shows every single day in training is amazing.

"I had a good conversation with Carra last summer because he was maybe thinking about moving on to pastures new last year, but we talked and decided that he would stay.

"For me, he's hardly put a foot wrong. I obviously wanted to go with a pairing of Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger as maybe the future at the beginning of the season and those guys have done really well.



"But I felt that with Carra and all the games he's played - the cup games and any time he's come in in the league - he's been remarkable and I felt I wanted to put him in the team."

Rodgers eyes Dortmund model

Brendan Rodgers believes Borussia Dortmund are the blueprint to follow if Liverpool want to get back among Europe's elite.



The Germans reached the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday with a sensational injury-time comeback to see off Malaga.



And they did so with a line-up containing two players from the youth academy and three free transfers, while the rest of the squad were bought for around £30million.



Now Rodgers is keen for the Anfield giants to follow the Bundesliga side's example so they can re-establish themselves as a major force.



He said: "Just look at Borussia Dortmund, a team that won the Champions League and then struggled financially.



"They went out and rebuilt and it took them four to five years to push on. Then they won the league and their European work suffered.



"This year you can see they have put their focus on Europe and they have lost their title. That's a team that has been growing over five years.



"So there is no doubt you need investment to raise the bar and the quality. But there are other ways to try and get an advantage and we can really push on next year.



"Unless you have the City or Chelsea money you need a different way and I think this is the best way because you are not just looking after the team but also the club."

Rodgers: I trust Henderson

Brendan Rodgers has paid tribute to the attitude and form of Jordan Henderson, admitting: 'I know I can always call on him.'

The midfielder has produced some of his best performances for the club under the stewardship of the boss, making 36 appearances and scoring three goals so far this term.



Though Henderson hasn't began a game since the Europa League clash with Zenit St Petersburg at Anfield in February, Rodgers has been delighted with his contribution and insists he'll have no qualms about recalling him to the starting XI when the time is right.



"It's just the balance and it depends on the opponent," Rodgers said. "Jordan has been excellent and his attitude has been great. The team has been winning as well.



"But Jordan has been excellent, he's a good player, he's improving tactically all the time and I know if I need to call on him he will be ready."

Reina: 'I'm very happy with Rodgers'

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has revealed that he has been impressed with the start of Brendan Rodgers as manager at Anfield.

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Reina has found himself in and out of the side this season due to injury, while also finding himself linked with a move away from the club.



However, the Spanish stopper has insisted that he has a good relationship with his boss, and that they share many similar ideas about football.



The 30-year-old told The Mirror: "My relationship with the manager is very good, I think we have got a lot of ideas in common. There is understanding about tactics, and the way we see football is quite similar.



"I'm very happy with our manager. He's making sure we are learning, every day, the way to win, and that's important.



"If we play good football, then we will be closer to winning games."



The former Villarreal goalkeeper has made 32 appearances for Liverpool this season

Rodgers has warned Liverpool's rivals

Brendan Rodgers has warned Liverpool's rivals for a top-four finish that his side are improving all the time.

The 2012/13 campaign has been a slow-burner for the Anfield outfit, but they appear to have hit their stride at just the right time.



Three straight wins, including an impressive 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last time out, have fired Liverpool into the race for UEFA Champions League qualification - or a Europa League place at worst.



The Reds are still seven points off the pace at present, but Rodgers says they will be ready to pounce if those above them start to wobble heading down the final straight.



He said: "The teams above will know they can't be making any slip-ups - not only because of us, but for themselves.



"This is the stage of the season when you want to win games, and you have to win them.



"Our recent run of form shows without doubt we're a team which is improving and developing.



"The result against Tottenham showed the further enhancement of that, and we have to maintain that form to keep moving forward."



Rodgers added: "People know now we're a different team compared to the start of the season, for sure.



"There is a different mentality now, but there is no point in us getting carried away and looking too far ahead.



"We can only concentrate on ourselves and get as many victories as we can."