Brendan Rodgers says Liverpool's owners better than Roman Abramovich

BRENDAN RODGERS is thankful that Liverpool’s owners do not have the same trigger-happy finger as Roman Abramovich.

Rodgers was dismayed to learn that his former club Chelsea had sacked manager Roberto Di Matteo on Wednesday, less than six months after he led them to the Champions League title.

Having replaced Kenny Dalglish at Anfield in June, Liverpool boss Rodgers had a testing start, picking up just two points from his first five Premier League matches as the club slipped to 18th place.

A run of seven league matches unbeaten since then has given cause for optimism, although only three of those have been won.

Liverpool have climbed to 11th place, and even though they are eight points adrift of a Champions League spot, Rodgers is hopeful of challenging for a top-four finish.

Rodgers admitted: “Everyone knows that to turn around Liverpool and get to where we want to be, there is not going to be a quick fix — unless you are going to throw an absolute fortune at it.

“It was something we spoke about at length before I came here and they have been true to their word.”

Rodgers added: “They have been remarkable with the support I have been given, especially early on when we lost some games.

“I had messages of support, some apologetic, that I had been given the group I have been.

“As a manager, that bodes well going forward.”

Rodgers was once a foot soldier in the Roman empire, spending four years on Jose Mourinho’s backroom team during Abramovich’s early days.

He is simply grateful the Kop hierarchy have a more realistic approach. And he insisted: “There comes a point when reality has to set in. Whether it is me in my life here — I have got three years and an option for another — it is going to take longer than that.

“If the owners sees me as the right man to continue the vision we have tried to put in place, remains to be seen.

“But if we can grow this way of working, it can save a lot of time, money and effort and bring us success. These are the early stages of that.”