Soccer:New Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has warned his sentimental return to the dugout will not instantly solve all the club's problems and has called for unity as he attempts to turn around a disappointing season.
The 59-year-old admits he is "a lucky boy" to be handed the job until the end of the season after Roy Hodgson paid the price for poor results and an even poorer relationship with fans just six months after replacing Rafael Benitez.
Emotion and romanticism have paid a large part in the outpouring of joy which followed the announcement of his appointment. Dalglish has long been rated Liverpool's best player and is their last manager to win the title (1990).
He quit his post 19 years and 11 months ago after suffering emotional burn-out in the wake of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which took a huge personal toll on him.
The Scot soon realised he wanted to return but it has taken the best part of two decades for that wish to be fulfilled. But after the club's worst start to a season since 1953/54 - when they were relegated - even Dalglish accepts he cannot instantly turn back time to the glory days he used to enjoy both on the pitch and in the dugout.
"All I would say is I'm going to do the best I possibly can to try to help the club, but everybody has to pull in the same direction," said the Liverpool legend on www.lfc.tv.
"There's no point not being a unified unit. If we pull in different directions we won't get anywhere. We won't always be successful, and to be perfectly realistic, I think we have to say 'Let's just start walking before we run'.
"Let's not go crazy here and think the season changes and we're going to sweep everything aside now and go undefeated from now to the end of the season. We're perfectly capable of doing it but let's be realistic, let's just go out there and try our best and take things one game at a time.
"I'm really looking forward to it and it'll be a real pleasure for me to be in that dressing room again and on the bench."
Dalglish will get a hero's welcome at the home of arch-rivals Manchester United today when he will renew rivalries with old foe Alex Ferguson in the third round of the FA Cup (kick-off 1.30pm).
It is one thing Hodgson could never call on during his short stint in charge but Dalglish, who was overlooked for the job in the summer when Benitez departed, knows he and his team have a duty to start putting in the performances.
He admits confidence has been a problem within the squad but his introduction into the dressing room should give the players the necessary boost after it appeared they had struggled to adapt to Hodgson's way of working.
"We'll do our best to get the results that they (the fans) all want," said Dalglish, who cut short a holiday to fly in to Manchester from Dubai.
"As a squad of players and as a management we have to give them something to cheer about as well. I'm sure our people will respond if we go out there and they see that our lads are proud to play and that they'll do their best for Liverpool Football Club.
Selected Sunday Fixtures
The FA Cup Third Round
Man Utd v Liverpool 1.30pm
Tottenham v Charlton 1.30pm
Chelsea v Ipswich 3pm
Leicester v Man City 4pm
Scottish Cup Fourth Round
Dundee v Motherwell 1.15pm
Berwick v Celtic 3.30pm
Hearts v St Johnstone (off, burst pipe)
East Stirling v Buckie Thistle (off, frozen pitch)
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