SOCCER ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: KENNY DALGLISH has admitted he would be "delighted" to accept the Liverpool manager's job on a full-time basis after Damien Comolli, the club's director of football strategy, confirmed the club legend will be considered for the post at the end of the season.
The 59-year-old was officially unveiled as Liverpool’s temporary manager yesterday, 24 hours after his first game in charge for almost 20 years ended in FA Cup defeat at Manchester United. Dalglish insisted he had no qualms about the brevity of his appointment by the club’s principal owners, John W Henry and Tom Werner, and would happily stand aside once his five-month stint is over.
However, that would be on the basis “someone better than me comes along” and it was his reservations over last summer’s candidates to succeed Rafael Benitez that led to Dalglish putting his name forward. Asked if he would accept an offer to continue beyond the end of this campaign, Dalglish said: “If they think I can help then I’ll help any which way I can. If that means I’m not here, then okay. If that means I’m here, then I’d be delighted. The football club is much more important than any individual that’s ever been involved or is involved with it.”
Comolli has been charged with “putting together a criteria” for Roy Hodgson’s permanent replacement, according to Ian Ayre, the Liverpool commercial director, who unveiled Dalglish in the same Anfield trophy room where the Scot announced his shock departure as manager 20 years ago. It was believed Fenway Sports Group wanted to install a young coach this summer, even before bringing forward plans to part company with Hodgson, but Dalglish’s five-month tenure is effectively an interview for the job after Comolli admitted he met the criteria required.
Liverpool’s director of football strategy, who was instrumental in Juande Ramos’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur when he held a similar position at White Hart Lane, said: “What we’re looking for is: competence, someone who will fit into the club’s philosophy, the playing philosophy, and he has to be huge on man management. Those would be the three things that are most important to the club. The job is open to those people that I have described and, obviously, Kenny will come in to that category because he is exactly what I have described. Will he be considered? The answer is ‘yes’.”
Comolli also revealed the managerial change would not prompt a rethink on FSG’s approach to transfers, with the Frenchman and Dalglish, like Hodgson before him, still having to convince the owners of a player’s worth before a signing is authorised. He said: “If Kenny is not happy with a player we think could make the team better, or if he doesn’t think it is the right timing, then it is down to the manager.”
Dalglish made his first appointment as manager yesterday when the former Chelsea, West Ham United and Newcastle United coach Steve Clarke joined the backroom staff at Liverpool. He will work alongside Sammy Lee, the assistant manager under Benitez and Hodgson, while Mike Kelly, the first-team and goalkeeping coach, will leave this week and Dalglish does not envisage a coaching role for Jamie Carragher in the short term.
Clarke was at Chelsea when Jose Mourinho won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups over three seasons.
Despite the possibility of a permanent managerial role at Liverpool, however, Dalglish insisted he understood his immediate remit from FSG and would not be a hindrance to any rival candidate. “My understanding is it is until the end of the season and that is no problem for me.”
Guardian Service
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