UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE: Liverpool V Napoli:ROY HODGSON has insisted he still has the final say on Liverpool's transfer policy after John W Henry installed Damien Comolli as the director of football strategy.

Comolli, who resigned as sporting director at St Etienne ahead of yesterday’s announcement, is Henry’s first major appointment since last month’s €345 million takeover by New England Sports Ventures and represents a break from the traditional managerial system at Liverpool.

The Frenchman spent seven years as a European scout for Arsene Wenger at Arsenal but the 38-year-old is best remembered in English football for three years as director of football at Tottenham Hotspur. Though he has taken credit for the signing of Gareth Bale, Comolli was accused of imposing poor players on the managers Martin Jol and Juande Ramos before being dismissed with Ramos in October 2008.

Henry described Comolli’s arrival at Anfield as “just the first step in creating a leadership group and structure designed to develop, enhance and implement our long-term philosophy of scouting, recruitment (and) player development”.

Hodgson was not involved in Comolli’s recruitment, but said he has no issue with Henry’s decision. “The owners made it clear to me when they came to the club that this was a structure they wanted to operate under and to me it makes perfect sense. All managers have someone they lean on and take advice from. The days of the dictatorial type of English manager have long since passed anyway.”

The Liverpool manager admitted transfer policy can be a source of conflict at clubs who employ a director of football. “That is on recruitment, always,” he said ahead of tonight’s game at home to Napoli. “As far as I know there has never been a sporting director who had a large input on team selection. It is on transfers, recruitment, where that (conflict) can come about.”

Hodgson is adamant his authority has not been undermined and dismissed concerns that Tottenham’s former troubles could be replicated at Anfield. Asked whether he retained the final say on signings, the manager replied: “I do, yes. We will have to wait and see, I suppose, but there is no reason for me not to believe that.”

Defender Glen Johnson is set to make his return tonight at Anfield after missing the last four matches with a thigh problem. Hodgson has promised to field a strong side – although he refused to say whether Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres would play.

• Guardian Service