Kenny Dalglish leaves Liverpool
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 16, 2012
Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish is no longer the manager of Liverpool Football Club. Few details out now, although I have a source (an actual source!) that tells me this decision was made at least 24 hours ago, if not more. Awaiting more details as they emerge, but it seems the British sports media narrative is that Fenway Sports Group “don’t know what they’re doing.”
Which is at least partly true, based on John Henry’s remarks about not knowing the enormous cost of transfer fees, for one. But the Americans clearly have a long term plan in place for the club. Sacking Kenny, along with Damien Comolli before him based on a very poor season by the club’s standards doesn’t exactly seem like the wrong decision, necessarily.
Now, who to replace him? I love silly season, don’t you?
UPDATE: Liverpool FC have issued the official press release:
Fenway Sports Group (FSG) and Liverpool Football Club announced that Kenny Dalglish is to leave his post today as Manager after having his contract terminated.
After a careful and deliberative review of the season, the Club came to the decision that a change was appropriate. It is not a decision that was reached lightly or hastily.
The search for a new Manager will begin immediately.
No hogwash about “mutual consent” departures, and FSG ties their name directly to the decision in the first sentence. I like this, and so should Liverpool FC fans who appreciate honesty.
*Or has left by mutual consent, we don’t know yet, but this headline is clearly way cooler than “The King has left by mutual consent”
AVB to Liverpool! Do we start a hashtag? Should we hold a rally? Can I write to my Member of Parliament?
AVB is a perfect fit, I say we start hashtagging and occupying places until it gets done
I’;m not Kenny fan and he’s definitely an anachronism as a manager, but at least one of the reasons didn’t hold water. I agree with the PL and PR disasters, but the GBP – as in money spent in transfers is a bit of a joke considering Henry brought in his sabre metrics and Commolli – *the* soccer statto to quantify the game and make shrew purchases.
Hanging that one on Kenny seems a bit like something you do when the other half of the equation needs to bite his tongue for fear of violating the terms of his payoff.
SB
I think Martinez has been tapped up and installed by Friday
As a neutral towards Liverpool, I think it was the right decision. Liverpool is more of a threat next year under someone else, compared to not being relevant under Kenny. Its a hard pill to swallow for the fans, but why do the fans insist that the player legend that is Kenny also need to be a coaching legend.
Fair comment….and I agree Martinez is a good choice…young, hungry, familiar with the north-west of england, and capable of some flair attacking football.
Maybe he brings Victor Moses with him?
Martinez is a horrible choice. This isn’t a come see how you fair in your first crack at the big time kinda club. This is a ohhhh so you have a CL or League title on your resume type of club…
I agree, except Liverpool aren’t playing Champions League next year, which complicates things…if they were, I’d say Mourinho in a heartbeat.
Liverpool and their fans need to show a little humility. They’d be lucky to have Martinez, and they’ll probably get him.
Hey I am not saying this is my personal belief but I see what LFC fans in England are saying. These people expect the best not people cutting their teeth. I honestly really don’t give a fuck either way. Martinez would be fine with me.
Bringing back Rafa would be fine. Don’t want Martinez though, as I think Villa would be a better fit for him.
Don’t pretend you don’t know who will be the new Liverpool manager, you all know the man in Egypt will gladly leave Africa to go to build an “Americanized” team in England.
Queue the Bob Bradley for Liverpool rumours along with the so called “Legends of American Soccer”, Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey.
Avram Grant has my vote. He’s adorable.
rafa returns to LFC i can see it. he knows the core of the squad and knows what it takes to win.
Didn’t FSG say when they first took over that the club was in bad shape because of a poor use of money, and amongst other things, hinting at all the shite transfers Rafa made?
I don’t think he will be coming back anytime soon, but you never know.
Finally he has gone. The game has left him. And in the modern day he is a poor coach
Alex McLeish is available…… LOL
As a Liverpool supporter i have all the respect in the world for Kenny Dalglish. He’s a legend and nobody in the world is more Liverpool to the core and in his heart than Kenny. I have not a sinlge bad word to say about him, and I will forever be grateful to the man for being there for the club when the club really needed him. He also delivered a first piece of silverware in 6 years when the supporters really needed it. Say what you want about the Carling Cup, but it meant the world to me that day.
That being said, I did get the feeling especially later in the season that Kenny had taken the club as far as he could. The players didnt seem motivated (which is also a reflection on some of them as well) and everything had become a struggle.
In my opinion, there are a number a choices out there for the job, but one stands out to me. He’s a former European Cup winner, and Runner Up, and FA Cup Winner, a 2 time La Liga Winner and Took Liverpool to the closet they’ve been to a league title in 20 years. That man is Rafa Benitez. He deserves another chance, this time with owners who have a real vision for the club.
Thank You Kenny
Cheers
Looks good on ya Liverpool. Roy Hodgson doesn’t look so bad now does he. HA HA HA
If you read the article on this same blog about the reasons he gave for including Oxlade-Chamberlain in the England squad for Euro 2012 he looks like the same fool he was a year and a half ago.
I want to put aside the Martinez rumours for a bit and get an idea about who is actually available right now (or we know will be this summer). Here are the obvious ones to get started:
AVB
Capello
McLeish (I didn’t say they had to be suitable)
Pep
Rafa