Return of the King
by Steve
Football post time! Interesting times at Liverpool this weekend, as beleaguered manager Roy Hodgson was removed and replaced by Kenny Dalglish. As a Liverpool supporter I couldn’t help but feel excited at seeing a club legend, one of Liverpool’s greatest players and managers, back in charge.
Sentimental old fool that I am, seeing Dalglish, back on the touchline in his trademark oversized coat, was pretty special. Here was a man who left the post nearly twenty years ago, suffering from stress that in a great part came from coping with the Hillsborough tragedy and its aftermath. If anyone deserves a second chance, an opportunity to complete unfinished business, it is him.
I think Liverpool’s owners, New England Sports Ventures (NESV), were pretty canny is appointing Dalglish until the end of the season. Liverpool’s supporters had called for Hodgson’s head and Dalglish’s appointment. NESV have called their bluff. If Dalglish succeeds, wonderful. If he fails, NESV can recruit their own man without any fear of accusations of them failing to listen to fans. He was also, perhaps, the only man available who could guarantee goodwill from the playing staff, who may (or may not) have had a hand in Hodgson’s departure too.
I do feel sorry for Hodgson, though. Nobody becomes a bad manager overnight. Here was a man who was last season’s Manager of the Year, taking unfashionable Fulham to the Europa League Final. I think there were a number of factors that meant he was doomed to failure from the start. As poor as Liverpool have been this season, I doubt any other manager could have done much better.
So, what were these factors?
1. Rafa Benitez’s legacy
Hodgson’s predecessor left him with a woefully unbalanced squad. He sold strikers, leaving an injury-prone Fernando Torres as the main forward option. His actions, directly or indirectly, had led to the exits of two of Liverpool’s most creative and imaginative players, in Xabi Alonso and Yossi Benayoun. He may have also been to blame for an unsettled Javier Mascherano leaving soon after Hodgson took over. Indeed, over the summer Hodgson did well to persuade Torres and captain Steven Gerrard to stay. Many supporters wanted Benitez to return to the club, but seemed to forget that in his last season Liverpool finished only seventh. This was simply not good enough. It also meant Liverpool missed out on valuable Champions League income, and would struggle to attract new signings, as the best players would want to play in that competition.
2. The ownership situation
When Hodgson took over, the club was in the midst of a protracted and uncomfortable change of ownership. It was unclear who would end up in charge, if the club would survive the threat of administration, and what money (if any) might be available to strengthen the squad. This unsettling time was bound to have an impact on the squad, as well as on potential new recruits. It was an impossible time for anyone to navigate. When Hodgson eventually could enter the transfer market, time was tight and the club (beyond its history) wasn’t the most attractive option.
3. The players
It appears that at most clubs the lunatics are running the asylum. Once rumours circulate that a boss has “lost the dressing room”, his days are numbered. Did Hodgson get the whole squad’s support? Was it easier to blame him for bad results than the players playing poorly on the pitch? A great deal of the responsibility for the bad start to the season should lie with the players. Unfortunately, it hasn’t.
4. The supporters
I don’t think the Liverpool support ever really warmed to Hodgson. They wanted a bigger name, or for Benitez to stay. Yet, they seemed unwilling to acknowledge that a seventh placed Premier League side in the midst of a bitter ownership wrangle wasn’t the most attractive prospect to ‘top’ managers. Once fans stopped going to games and orchestrating ‘Hodgson out’-style chants and campaigns, NESV were bound to act. They were always going to listen to the customers, particularly if the customer was going to stop spending.
Obviously, Hodgson made mistakes too. The signings he did make were not always inspired. Some of his comments were a little naïve at times. Yet I doubt anyone could have coped with the above and turned the club around in six months.
But onwards and upwards. What can Dalglish do to help improve the club’s fortunes?
1. Accept this season is for rebuilding
There is no point acting in the short-term. He would be best to write off this season and start rebuilding the team for the future. And so…
2. Give the younger squad members more playing time
The likes of Dani Pacheco, Jonjo Shelvey, Martin Kelly, Jay Spearing and Danny Wilson could all be future first-team regulars. Now, with nothing on the line, is the time to give them a frequent run out and build up their experience and confidence. If even one of them emerges as a proper first-teamer Liverpool will have saved a fortune on bringing someone else in.
3. Recreate the Boot Room
In Liverpool’s heyday, the ‘Boot Room’ was where the club’s coaching staff would discuss the team and tactics. Many of these coaches would then go on to become manager, thus ensuring a degree of continuity in the club. Dalglish has already recruited the former Chelsea and West Ham coach, Steve Clarke. He should look to recruit more coaches of this pedigree, with a view to having a first-class staff for now and the future. I do wonder if Clarke has already been earmarked as a possible successor for Dalglish. NESV seem to favour dynamic, younger coaches. If they can promote from within the club in future, for me, all the better.
4. Bring in new, good, young players
A team in decline cannot be turned around through good coaching alone – a few new faces always help. While I wouldn’t advocate blowing big money this January transfer window, it would make sense to bring in a few new names. The priority should be a striker. However, any new, quality players should shake up any complacency within the existing squad. Everyone’s place in the team should be on the line.
It should be a fascinating few months for Liverpool. It is hard to gauge how things will pan out. Will we realise that Hodgson wasn’t that bad after all? Or will we see the Second Coming of King Kenny? Only time will tell, folks…
Image by mikepickard via Flickr
You’re take on this is delightfully balanced (my own was swayed by my adoration of Kenny Dalglish, I feel). I agree that Kenny now needs to work on bringing the youngsters up to scratch even if Gary Gillespie’s view on Liverpool TV yesterday was that you should only do that when you’ve nothing to lose. Arguably, unless anhone seriously think Liverpool will be nearer the bottom than the top come May, the club really don’t have anything to lose. I have become tired of those ex-professionals who now all seem to be of the opinion that players should not be brought into a side too young. I just think of Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Steve McManaman, Steven Gerrard and so on who were all old enough to be worthy of first team inclusion despite tender ages. They all turned out to be decent players. Of course it doesn’t always work out and some youngsters can be ruined by being pushed forward too quickly (Theo Walcott still having much to prove and SHaun Wright Phillips is now a shadow of his youthful promise). But those who say youngsters are not the answer are often the same ones who claim the modern game is all about strength and power – have they noticed that the three candidates for the Ballon D’Or were all short and skilful rather than huge and bulky?
Back to the point – Steve Clarke is, in my opinion, a wonderful lieutenant but not necessarily a manager outright. But bringing him in is a very clever stroke and hopefully will go some way to recreating the bootroom feel over time. IF Sammy Lee stays (wouldn’t be my choice but he’s Liverpool through and through) and if Carragher is brought into the coaching side as his playing career comes to a natural end, the new owners will have gone some way to restoring a balance that the Moores familysevered when they brought in Gerard Houllier.
As for new and young recruits, I think that’s what Comolli is all about so the future might see more academy graduates being worthy of a first team place – Martin Kelly already looks like a first team man after his excellent handling of Giggs and Evra on Sunday. I think the long term future will see Liverpool come back into contention for trophies and even league titles. But we will probably have to be patient. I just hope Kenny does well enough for the next five months to make the decision of offering him a longer contract fairly straightforward. He loves the club, will not allow any shirking of responsibility from the players, from the coaching staff or from himself. He understand the club like no other. And the fans are fully behind him. Oh, and I doubt very much we’ll be playing defensive football for the rest of the season, even if we still lose some matches. I can;t quite see a return to the silky offensive play of the BArnes, Beardsley, Aldridge era just yet but that’s what Kenny expects of a Liverpool team, same as the fans.
I have ranted so long I ought to have made this another post of my own. Sorry
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No need to apologise for a long comment!
“I have become tired of those ex-professionals who now all seem to be of the opinion that players should not be brought into a side too young. I just think of Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Steve McManaman, Steven Gerrard and so on who were all old enough to be worthy of first team inclusion despite tender ages. ”
Exactly. Rotting in the reserves won’t help anyone. Arsenal haven’t been afraid of bringing in youngsters, and have yielded the benefit. While there is no guarantee that every player will work out, giving them first team experience is so valuable – and this season is the perfect opportunity to do so.
“Steve Clarke is, in my opinion, a wonderful lieutenant but not necessarily a manager outright. But bringing him in is a very clever stroke and hopefully will go some way to recreating the bootroom feel over time.”
Agreed. Jose Mourinho doesn’t wax lyrical about many people, but he has nothing but praise for Clarke. If Dalglish is out of touch at all (which is debateable), Clarke is the perfect person to bring him up to speed.
“But we will probably have to be patient. ”
I think that’s the key. I’d hate us to turn into Newcastle, where we expect success, yet aren’t anywhere near as big as we think we are. Hopefully Dalglish will restore some dignity to the club and stop us becoming a laughing stock.
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Dignity is the quality Liverpool most need to recapture. All the H & G stuff and the supporter barracking of Roy Hodgson leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. Most un-Liverpool in my opinion. I like that the new owners have basically given the fans what they want but shrewdly. Here’s enough rope, they might as well be saying. Kenny can either use it to enable the climb to climb once more, or to hang himself with as a manager. Either way the fans will still love him and will also accept another appointment in the summer if he’s not quite what he once was in the hotseat. And I think the Everton’s and United’s of the world will be laughing a little less now he’s in charge again, and hating us that bit more, which is as it should be.
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I couldn’t put it better myself!
“And I think the Everton’s and United’s of the world will be laughing a little less now he’s in charge again, and hating us that bit more, which is as it should be.”
That’s given me a warm glow this Wednesday morning!
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I’ve been glowing ever since the news broke on Saturday. And to see Kenny stride along the touchline at Old Trafford with his fists in the air like he was possessed by the ghost of Shankly brought even bigger smiles to my face that even the result could not dispel. Over the past five years there have been several events which I hope means the past of Liverpool can be laid to rest and the future can be built: the outpouring of affection between Liverpool and Juventus fans when we were drawn against them in 2005 (and Liverpool offocially apologising for Heysel); the symbolic return of Robbie Fowler under Rafa; oh and of course seeing a Liverpool captain lifting ‘old big ears’ again in Instanbul. I hope this final piece of reconnection means we can eventually restore our position as one of the greatest clubs in the country. And if not, then at least we know the club has a soul.
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Having watched the Merseyside derby twice since the weekend I have pinpointed more reasons to rejoice at Kenny’s appointment. Mainly because the first half saw players pushing forward and flodding the opposition’s half in a manner they’ve not done since the earliest days of Houllier. Secondary reasons are that he clearly has some faith in youngsters like SPearing and Shelvey which Roy Hodgson appeared to lack, and the fact that for both of our goals Kenny did not stay stony-faced in the manner of Rafa or blink at Sammy Lee like Roy: no, he turned to the crowd and yelled his delight along with them. Man of the people tag still in tact 😀
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I thought Sunday’s game was a great illustration of what to be optimistic about, and what to be pessimistic about. We looked good going forward, have got some great young players coming through, and have a manager willing to give them a go. However, we seemed to lack concentration and organisation, particularly at the back, and particularly after half-time. There needs to be a balance between being free-flowing, and knowing when to be professional and keep it tight. I just hope we can finally win a game this weekend.
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Yes, Liverpool’s problems and positive points in microcosm courtesy of the derby. I think it was Spearing who afterwards said they just sort of switched off at the start of the second half. Hopefully Steve Clarke can help organise the defence more effectively as the days progress. A win would be great and maybe at least one decent signing to give another boost to the fans and players.
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