ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:KENNY DALGLISH has spoken of his desire to rebuild "something special" at Liverpool after finally being confirmed as the club's new permanent manager.
The 60-year-old and the first-team coach Steve Clarke both signed three-year contracts at the club yesterday having overseen a remarkable transformation since replacing Roy Hodgson in January.
Liverpool have risen from 12th to fifth during Dalglish’s 16 Premier League games as temporary manager to make his appointment a formality, and, with the club’s owner, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), prepared for an ambitious summer in the market, the last man to win the league title at Anfield is targeting a repeat of his successful spell at the helm.
“I said when I took the job on in January that I was just happy to help the club out for the remainder of the season,” Dalglish said. “Now the owners have decided in their wisdom that they want me to stay a little longer and it’s fantastic news for both myself and Steve Clarke that we have signed these contracts.
“Both John (W Henry, principal owner) and Tom (Werner, chairman) have taken their time to assess what was best for the football club and bring in the people they wanted to take the club forward. They are both winners, but understand what the supporters want from a Liverpool side and the way that we should go about things. This is a unique football club and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to help build something special here again.”
Talks between Dalglish’s lawyers, Bermans, and FSG commenced early into his return as manager, but the Scot insisted he had no issue over the timing of the announcement.
“We always said there was no rush,” he added. “The club is more important than anyone else. Take your time, make your decisions.”
Damien Comolli, Liverpool’s director of football who was charged with overseeing the search for Hodgson’s permanent replacement in January, described the decision as a “no-brainer”.
Comolli said: “We didn’t look around. Very early on we knew Kenny was the right person and, along with Steve, we had the right coaching staff behind him.
“I have been impressed by the way they turned it around: the quality of the football, the enthusiasm, the confidence of the players, the way Kenny managed to integrate very young players into the first team.
“I don’t think there is anyone better than Kenny who could say what the identity of the club is about. And the reason no one was linked with the job was because it was a ‘no-brainer’.”
Guardian Service
Dalglish’s Roll of Honour
Celtic Player
Scottish First Division: Four titles (1972, 1973, 1974, 1977). Scottish Cup: Four titles (1972, 1974, 1975, 1977) Scottish League Cup: One title (1975).
Liverpool Player
First division: Five titles (1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984). European Cup: Three titles (1978, 1981, 1984). European Super Cup: One title (1978). PFA Player of the Year: One award (1983). FWA Footballer of the Year: Two awards (1979, 1983).
Liverpool Player-Manager
First division: Three titles (1986, 1988, 1990). FA Cup: Two titles (1986, 1989). Manager of the Year: Three awards (1986, 1988, 1990).
Blackburn Rovers
Premier League: One title (1995). Manager of the Year: One award (1995).
Celtic Manager
Scottish League Cup: One title (2000).
Scotland International
Caps: 102 Goals: 30.
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