Let us for a moment assume that football is a game of coincidences. Sigh.

Now that we have all entered that happy place it’s important to make you aware of the fact that in Liverpool FC’s 122 year history, only three managers have had a first name starting with the letter B.

There was Bill (Shankly), Bob (Paisley) and now Brendan (Rodgers).

Before comparison can dare be made between our two greats and the relatively unproven Brendan, let us turn to a place of percentages.

When Bill Shankly started out at Liverpool he was working with players whose first work commitment was to the coal ports of Liverpool. His top players were alcoholics, family men and tradies, first and foremost. When Bill Shankly handed the club over to able hands of Bob Paisley, he inherited a team of footballers. Bill Shankly made the cloth, but it was Bob Paisley who turned the cloth into clothing.

31 years after Bob Paisley left the club, Brendan is now trying to wear that very same clothing.

You said something about percentages, Andy?

There is no denying that a manager is assessed on his ability to win football games. There has long been a magic number that managers try to hit and that number is arguably around 60%. Opinions do differ on this. Bill Shankly was closer to 50%, but as he inherited a poor squad, we can turn a blind eye to his low percentage. In any case during his final 5 or 6 seasons at the club when the team began playing proper football, his win percentage was hitting closer to 60%. Bob Paisley was able to hit the magic number of 60+% during his 581 game haul. No surprises that during this time we were the team most feared team in all of continental Europe.

Rafa Benitez pushed close to that 60% mark, with a win percentage of 56%. Problem for Rafa though was that his first name didn’t start with the letter B! You follow me now?

You see, it is my theory that Liverpool is a B Club. Not B grade. A Grade rather. But a B club in that all the good things that come out of Liverpool begin with B. The Beatles, Bill Fury and Brian Rush (okay I lie, it’s Ian Rush).

Brendan in the 2013-2014 Premier League season is 64%. The percentage backs up the fact that he has adopted to the Liverpool style effortlessly. Liverpool are currently playing a brand of football that hasn’t been seen since Roy Evans, and if we continue to be ruthless in the final third maybe we can recapture the success of our previous B Managers Bob and Bill.

If not, then my theory is disqualified. What I will say is Brendan has endeared himself to the Liverpool faithful. He has taken an under-performing side and begun to shine them up with a Paisley polish.

Brendan has 10 games remaining in this season. If he wins them all he will shear himself into the Liverpool elite. If he can win 60% of them, we are certainly going back into the Champions League. Either way this season will be one that will be remembered for a long time to come.

In Brendan we Trust

You’ll Never Walk Alone