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Rodgers hails Hillsborough families

Brendan Rodgers focused on the families affected by the Hillsborough disaster © Getty Images

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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has described his shock at the details of the Hillsborough Independent Panel released yesterday.

Rodgers, who took over from Kenny Dalglish at Anfield in the summer, also criticised the "propaganda" produced by the press in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans died.

"I was obviously shocked about the findings," admitted Rodgers on Sky Sports News, before turning his thoughts to those closest affected by those events 23 years ago.

"The most important people in all of this are the families that have suffered for this period of time. It's been incredible what they've had to go through.

"I remember I was a 16-year-old boy in Northern Ireland [when it happened] and a couple of months later I've left to come to England. I now sit here as a 39-year-old, and the families have just had justice - it's taken all that time, which is absolutely incredible, really."

Rodgers also had strong words for the way the story was reported in the press, describing the coverage that portrayed the fans as the culprits of the disaster as "propaganda".

"If you were outside of Liverpool as a city, and as a people, there certainly were seeds that were planted throughout the country and the world," said Rodgers.

"It's the people who've suffered over all the years who've had to contend with that and to fight against that sort of relentlessness of that campaign at the time."

The portrayal is in stark contrast to Rodgers' start to life with Liverpool, which he has realised is intrinsically linked with events 23 years ago.

"This is a city you take to your heart straight away because of the people and their honesty and their love of life and the support that they give you.

"I've met with Margaret and with Jenny since I've been here, and had this shortened version of what they've been through, and it's been remarkable, really - all the families."

Rodgers also expressed his hope that the report would put an end to crass chants taunting Liverpool fans about the disaster.

"I speak as a human being and I don't ever like to hear anything like that, whatever club it is, that associates with other people's tragedies and death," said Rodgers.

"Unfortunately you have a very small percentage of idiots at any club who will always try to smear another club's reputation. Of course, it is obvious these are chants that no-one wants to hear about any club.

"Unfortunately there are that minority of supporters who will maybe disappoint but let's hope we can all move on and we can all learn from this whole process."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.