Ex-Liverpool academy player: Roy Hodgson accidentally sold me to Fulham
Roy Hodgson accidentally sold former academy player Alexander Kacaniklic to Fulham during his brief stint in charge of Liverpool according to the Swede.
The 27-year-old winger was involved in a part-exchange deal, alongside Lauri Dalla Valle, for then-Fulham left-back Paul Konchesky.
Hodgson’s transfer blunder, what happened? Five key things to know…
- Hodgson was appointed Liverpool manager in 2010 following a successful spell in charge of Fulham.
- He returned to his old stomping ground to secure the signing of defender Paul Konchesky that summer.
- The left-back joined Liverpool for £3.5m with academy players Kacaniklic and Dalla Valle heading the other way.
- However, Hodgson was sacked in January 2011 and Konchesky lasted just one season at Anfield.
- Alexander Kacaniklic has now revealed Hodgson thought a “different Alex” was being sold to Fulham.
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The two academy players made their way to west London while Konchesky went on to endure a very forgetful season on Merseyside, playing just 18 times before signing for Leicester the following campaign.
And Hodgson didn’t fare much better, lasting just six months at the helm before the powers that be at Anfield wielded the axe and relieved the veteran coach of his managerial duties.
His short tenure at Anfield was largely tarnished by a string of poor results and inadequate recruitment policy, but now Kacaniklic has compounded further misery on his tattered Liverpool reputation by suggesting he was involved in an incredible transfer blunder.
“It was a bit difficult for Liverpool to replace me, but when I was in Fulham and before I signed up, I had a conversation with Roy Hodgson on the phone, where we found out that he had changed the wrong Alex,” he told fotbolskananelen.
“In his head, he thought he exchanged another Alex for Konchesky. But then it was too late. It’s a little funny…
“When he realised he just told me I was welcome back in Liverpool with open arms, but I had to do what I felt. I had already changed my mind and was very excited about coming to Fulham.”
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Hodgson’s turbulent tenure
Following the departure of Rafa Benitez, Hodgson was appointed with the expectation of taking the club back into the Champions League following a seventh-place finish the season prior.
The former England manager signed a number of experienced players with Konchesky, Milan Jovanovic, Joe Cole, Christian Poulsen and Raul Meireles all heading to the North West.
And, according to Kacaniklic, that is where Hodgson ultimately failed as he was more concerned with “quick results” rather than nurturing and developing young talent.
He added: “When Roy Hodgson came to the club, it was a little different, a big change. Benitez had been there before and made the club his own with everyone who worked there.
“When he left and took all his people with him, it became a bit turbulent. Hodgson didn’t look so much at us younger players; he wanted quick results. He wanted Paul from Fulham.”
