Long Live the King

As bookies stopped taking bets on Tuesday night about the future of Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool manager, he may as well have been clearing his desk at Melwood and Anfield. The bookmakers are seldom wrong about these things and everyone could see Dalglish wouldn't be the Liverpool manager much longer. On Wednesday the news finally came through that the club and Dalglish had 'parted company'. 

While Sky Sports reported he had been sacked, others claimed it was a mutual split. The most likely scenario is that Fenway Sports Group (FSG) asked Dalglish to step down as they wanted someone else in charge. Key to their success with the Boston Red Sox, they know how to work their PR department. They have garnered the support of the Anfield faithful and have been very keen not to damage that bond. They did the same with the Red Sox, rebuilding their current stadium at Fenway Park as the fans wanted, rather than moving to a new site. If they'd have 'sacked' Dalglish and headlines were 'Dalglish Sacked' or 'Dalglish Kops It' it would have riled a lot of Liverpool fans up the wrong way, unable to see why they have treated a club legend so badly. The mutual split means Dalglish and FSG walk away with their reputations in tact, and the educated Liverpool fan probably realises it could be for the best.


Dalglish has been a stop gap, and while there is a good argument for giving Dalglish another season, to gel the group of players that he has bought together and see another season of progress from them players, is a very valid point. We all know Fergie was one game away from supposedly getting the boot and look what has happened there. 

Dalglish has copped a lot of stick for his signings, of which this year they haven't produced the results you would have wanted. Stewart Downing has no goals or assists (in the league!), Henderson has looked like a League 1 player at time, while showing signs of promise at rare intervals, Carroll hasn't looked overly interested until the back end of the season, and looked a real handful when he did. Charlie Adam hasn't shown the form he did at Blackpool, and struggled with his fitness and the tough ask of being asked to be more disciplined than he had to be at Blackpool. 


From what I understand, Damien Comolli is the one responsible for paying the prices. Dalglish identified who he wanted, and Comolli was the one who was sent out to do the business. Much like Harry and Daniel Levy at Spurs. That's why Comolli was shown the door long before, why spend £20m on Henderson, when you could have van der Vaart for £8m. What a lot of people don't realise is that it wasn't Dalglish writing the cheques. 


That said, the league results are what Dalglish has to take responsibility for. He has done with the ultimate price. The inability to beat teams at home has been a real thorn in Liverpool's season, I'm pretty sure it is the worst record at Anfield, possibly ever, if not, in a very, very long time. The league season was as good as over when the Carling Cup was won, and the Europa League place never became a necessity. Throw in the FA Cup run and players were resting during the league games ready for the cup matches, leading to defeats at home to WBA and Fulham. 


I'm not making excuses for Kenny, he has looked out of touch with the game and some of his selections have been strange. Results and the league table don't lie, and it hasn't been a good league season for the reds, it's been painful to watch at times.


While I agree that we needed a change at the helm, FSG and Dalglish have done a more important job that is more of an intangible benefit. The Suarez saga was a prime example, right or wrong the club went for a unified approach. Something that was badly missing with Hicks and Gillett. The fans hated the board, the board hated the fans, and the players and manager(s) were lost somewhere in between. That is no more, Liverpool are no longer airing their dirty laundry out in public, going back to the 'old' Liverpool way. While the results haven't reflected the 'old' Liverpool, there is no change in the way you should conduct your business and   Dalgish has re-instilled that in the club. He's done his part, and now it's time to step aside.

Don't forget in one season, Dalglish has delivered a trophy and a FA Cup final appearance. Something others haven't done, despite Liverpool having a bad season. 


Who will be the man to take over? Roberto Martinez, Rafa Benitez and Andre Villas-Boas are all possible candidates, and only time will tell who gets the job. Whoever does take over, I don't think there will be open cheque-book this close season for them to exploit. 


Finally, this poor league placing wont affect how Kenny Dalglish is viewed by Liverpool fans, an easy target for the 'chelpers' considering his reputation, I'm sure his reputation before he took over in January 2011, will remain and this wont have any affect on how Dalglish is viewed. He will still be revered, will still have been an integral part in the success of the club, and will always be the King.