Should Kenny become Liverpool’s Philosopher-King?

Roy Hodgson was quoted in the Daily Mirror yesterday stating he is not “personally frightened” by the presence of Reds legend Kenny Dalglish at the club. The Liverpool manager believes the Scot can give him invaluable insight to help him in his role. Although he was disappointed that Dalglish applied for the job in the summer, he says he is confident enough in his own abilities to not let the presence of the legend affect him:

“If Kenny’s presence is a threat it is, but the fact is I’m not prepared to pass up on quality people who can help us move forward because I’m personally frightened. If the day comes that they decide they want Kenny Dalglish and not me then so be it. That wasn’t the case in the summer, but that’s not to say it won’t be forever more. But I have no fears in that respect. I know what I can bring to the job and what qualities I have. I’m not a political person, I’m not frightened of these things. I don’t know about his ambition, but you can understand that I can’t ask him, ‘do you want my job?’ I was disappointed – and I’ve told him this – that he applied for the job in the summer because I don’t think that was ever really going to happen for him.”

Hodgson did however go on to say that he believe Kenny should stay in his current role at Liverpool:

“You could not find a better person in the world to do that job for Liverpool Football Club and he should be doing it for other managers when I leave. His job should be a permanent one.”

The relationship between Kenny Dalglish and Roy Hodgson is an interesting one. They have been friends for the best part of 25 years back to when Kenny’s Liverpool and Roy’s Malmo would play pre-season friendlies against each other. Certainly, as I have said in previous articles, I felt that relations between the pair would become strained and awkward at best but Roy has stated how Kenny has been heavily involved with first team affairs. He has taken part in scouting players alongside Sammy Lee and Mike Kelly, and on one occasion last week he and Roy drove up together to watch Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers.

It seems as if the relationship is still in tact, and that Kenny is more heavily involved than he was under Rafa Benitez when he was just a figurehead. Of course, the fact that Kenny applied for the job in the summer has made things slightly awkward, with Roy stating above that he will never ask him “do you want my job?” But Roy seemingly feels relaxed about the whole thing, and is not concerned that many fans would prefer Dalglish in the hot seat rather than him.

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