IN the world of modern football, where heroes can turn to zeroes inside 90 minutes, there is no room for pragmatism or realism.

Success must achieved in the blink of an eye and those who once embodied the virtues of patience suddenly find themselves throwing reason out of the window the moment it looks as if a team is running into a period of turbulence. That, sadly, is the way.

Which brings us to Liverpool. The clocks have not gone back yet but already there is a restlessness amongst the masses and frustration is mounting in certain quarters that the Roy Hodgson era has started, to put it mildly, in underwhelming fashion.

The past two weeks have not, been what you could remotely describe as enjoyable; losing at Old Trafford was bad enough but to throw in draws with Sunderland and FC Utrecht alongside a catastrophic Carling Cup exit against Northampton and you see why so many are vexed.

When you then mix in some of the curious statements he has made after games – such as not having too many expectations at Birmingham and failing to take Alex Ferguson immediately to task – and the picture becomes clearer still.

One of the most significant soundbites he has offered, though, came after last Saturday's 2-2 stalemate with Sunderland, when Hodgson was asked whether he appreciated what might lie in store for the months ahead.