Even with Roy Hodgson being unveiled as the new Liverpool and Martin Broughton revealing details of the club sale process, one of the most interesting things to come out of the press conference on Thursday afternoon was the admission from Broughton that Kenny Dalglish wanted the Reds job but is now prepared to work along side Hodgson at the club.
Not to dwell on matters such as this for too long considering we now have to look towards the future with a new manager in place, but it does beg the question as to what has actually gone on behind the scenes during the recruitment process for a new manager. It was initially announced after Rafa Benitez’s sacking by Martin Broughton that both Christian Purslow and Kenny Dalglish would draw up a shortlist of candidates that were suitable for Liverpool football club.
It was then revealed by Kenny’s son Paul that his father was interested in becoming the permanent manager of the club, with many believing that Kenny thought he could do a better job than the manager’s on the shortlist, which included Hodgson. It became quickly apparent though that Purslow and the board had no interest in giving the job to Dalglish, mainly due to his rapport with the fans and the fact he would want to do the job his own way, without interference from boardroom level.
Hodgson became firm favourite despite the clamour for King Kenny to take the role, although it must be said that Kenny had recommended Roy as one of the contenders for the role. Dalglish and Hodgson have known each other for over 25 years, back to when Kenny’s Liverpool and Roy’s Malmo would play pre-season friendlies against each other. It doesn’t take much to assume then that the current situation at the club may become awkward.
While Kenny wanted the job, Roy is the man in the hot seat but Kenny can’t really step down from his ambassadorial duties at the club. If he leaves the club because of his apparent snub, which I don’t think he would ever do, he would have caused increasing turmoil to a club he loved but not only causing more controversy, but also undermining his old friend Roy Hodgson. If he stays, like he will do, he has to work alongside a board who snubbed him for the role, and alongside a manager who is a lifelong friend but somebody he feels who could do just as good a job as. Basically, he is damned if he does go and damned if he doesn’t.
In the end though, after all is said and done, we now have a new manager in Roy Hodgson and let’s hope he succeeds, and with Kenny Dalglish alongside him for advice, we will have over half a century of footballing knowledge and experience at the helm of the club; it should hold us in good stead for the future.
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I don’t think there will be a problem at all. These are grown men and professionals. They will treat the situation in a professional manner.
Actually, I don’t think it is so clear as you put it concerning why Kenny wasn’t considered. While King Kenny was my boyhood idol and there is a picture of him right next to me, I thought he was out of the job far too long and is actually a lot less experienced than Roy. Anyway, since when do we supporters choose the managers at this club. I can’t recall one instance.
let’s stick to the facts eh? Paul said his dad would like the job, no-one has ever said that Kenny thought he was better than any of the other names, that is just stuff that has been made up, you can not provide a quote of anyone saying that.
So apart from the fact that Paul says Kenny wanted it, everything else is possible rubbish, we don’t even know if Kenny did suggest Woy for the roll, we just don’t know. So in the absence of any facts, things can carry on as normal.
Whatever else was involved for Kenny in the process of choosing a manager, he has the best interests of the club at heart. This, I believe, involves having as little instability as possible – so everyone now giving full backing to Hodgson, and also having someone like Kenny still at the club – hopefully in a position of influence – when the new owners arrive. The announcement that we may have new owners in only a month or two was the best bit of news as far as I’m concerned.
I was initially hoping for Dalglish to make a return as manager but quickly changed my mind.
Kenny’s relationship with the fans and the high esteem with which he is held by the people of Liverpool is one of the few priceless things the club still has.
It would have been a very sad day had that been tarnished. Roy Hodgson looks every inch like a Liverpool manager. I wish him well.