Hodgson plays it cool

Photo: Getty

Roy Hodgson has played down expectations ahead of his first match in charge of Liverpool, admitting he is 'far from confident' the Reds will come away with a win.

Liverpool opens its Euro campaign on Thursday night by taking on Macedonian minnow FK Rabotnicki in Skopje as the third qualifying round of the Europa League gets underway.

Rabotnicki beat Mika 1-0 on aggregate in the second qualifying round to set up the clash with the Reds, who are fielding a vastly inexperienced team to take on the 2008-09 Macedonian Cup champion.

England international quartet Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson are resting after the World Cup, Javier Mascherano and Maxi Rodriguez won't be risked and Fernando Torres, Jose Reina, Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt are yet to return to training.

Hodgson took Fulham to the Europa League final from the third qualifying round last season but says he is not confident of repeating the feat in 2010.

"I couldn't have envisaged at the start of my time with Liverpool a more difficult situation than the one I find myself in," Hodgson said.

"Coming to Skopje to play a third qualifying round game against a good opponent having really had very little time to work with the Liverpool first team, and not having as many as 10 senior first-team players ... it couldn't be more difficult."

"I am hoping it will be a good game from us and we will be able to win it, but I am far from confident that is going to be the case because we know the value of the opposition and we know that with 13 players returning from the World Cup and most of them not here, this is not the Liverpool team that people will be watching throughout the season."

"But I am still very optimistic the team we put out tomorrow will be very competitive and will not let the club down.''

New signing Milan Jovanovic will be one of the few senior players to take the field at the Philip II Arena, but Hodgson says his young charges will not be overawed by the daunting task ahead of them.

"It is not sink or swim - it would be very harsh to write off a player's chances of becoming a good player on the evidence of a game," he said.

"I think it is more an opportunity to swim than to fear for them sinking. But we are obliged to put our European fate into the hands of many inexperienced players."

"We can only hope that, because they have got talent, they will come through these ties against an experienced and well-versed team in European football like Rabotnicki. It is a massive step for them but it is a step-up you have to experience. You can't talk people through it."

Rabotnicki coach Zoran Stratev has told his players they have nothing to fear ahead of the clash with Liverpool. Stratev, who took his side to the Macedonian Cup two years ago, says the club is 'ready to give it their best'.

"We know Liverpool are a better team than us but we are ready to play for our country and for ourselves and to show the world we know how to play football," he said.

"There is no reason for us to be afraid, we do not have anything to lose. I am expecting a wonderful match and I believe the players are ready to give it their best. After the match we will see if we have done enough to get a result. We expect a wonderful atmosphere at the stadium.''

Liverpool hosts Robotnicki at Anfield in the second leg of the third qualifying round on August 5.