Lamenting the fickleness of football is probably one of the most futile things you can do.

Fans will always be frustrated by poor performances, players will always be persuaded by larger pay cheques and pastures new and sometimes form is just against you. Better to go with the flow and enjoy it.

But sometimes you see things that make you sad. Things that make sense, but that on some other level you can't really understand.

Saturday was one of those days.

Liverpool were playing QPR in Steven Gerrard's penultimate home game, where he scored a late penalty to give Liverpool the win. Some things never change.

But still there was an air of discontent around Anfield. QPR fans were surely not best pleased that their team were all but relegated by that late Gerrard goal, but Liverpool fans are disaffected too. Sterling wasn’t at his best and there’s plenty of fan animosity against England’s young star in the wake of his interview with the BBC.

But most obvious was the plane that some fans had paid good money to fly over Stanley Park on Sunday with the message ‘Rodgers out Rafa in’. We’re not really sure who paid for it, or why they felt the need to do it, but one thing’s for sure, it’s ill-advised.

Do Liverpool fans really want Rodgers out?

As the Northern Irishman himself said ‘modern football is... very much short-termism’. And it’s hard to agree with him on that score.

This time last year, Liverpool were challenging for the title. And although Luis Suarez was key to that tilt, he wasn’t the only good player in the team. Liverpool were there on merit, and perhaps Suarez was vital but he was still part of the squad.

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This time around they’ve obviously had to adjust and rethink their approach. And from Manchester United away in December, to Manchester United at home in March, Liverpool were unbeaten in the league. So it’s not like they haven’t been better. They’re a work in progress, but at least it’s in progress.

So here we are back to an age-old problem - fans want results now.

Jeering Sterling I can, to some extent, understand. He’s not covered himself in too much glory with his interviews and his insistence that his refusal to sign a contract isn’t about money. Or his claim that it’s about the fact he wants to win trophies. Surely he’d be better putting his head down and helping Liverpool to trophies. So fair enough, Liverpool fans can have a go at him - but just remember that he’s only 20 and mistakes are forgivable.

But criticism of Rodgers is another kettle of fish. Criticism is fine. You can say that you didn’t think his tactics were right, his squad selection was poor or even that his entire philosophy is wrong. Such things are welcome, probably even encouraged. If you think he’s wrong, say it.

But do it within the best interests of the club. Don’t hire a plane to get your message across.

It raises a bigger question, though: should fans be able to have their voices heard by clubs? If Liverpool fans who felt this way were able to have their say to the club, they wouldn’t have resorted to hiring a plane to show the world their message.

That being said, the content of the banner even seemed so out of kilter with the job that Brendan Rodgers has done this season. He’s had to put up with a lot and still managed to be fairly close to the Champions League spots. He’s brought his team along and gelled them together. And even if they’ve been in a little bit of a slump over the last few weeks, who’s to say that they won’t start next season well and challenge then?

It was so out of place that there was even speculation that the plane had been hired by Paddy Power or even Manchester United fans. Rodgers himself joked it was hired by Rafael Benitez’s agent.

So I’m sure most Liverpool fans will stand behind their man for at least one more season. He brought in some poor signings last summer, but he has a bigger squad now. He doesn’t have to gamble, he just needs to add a little more quality.

The problem is that Jurgen Klopp is available and Rafael Benitez might be free himself to lead Liverpool next season. But Rodgers deserves one more chance. After all, last season he did bring an unfancied side to the brink of a league title. Who knows what he’s capable of next year.

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