Liverpool FC Forum

[Thingy]

King Kenny in Benitez talks
Apr 18 2009 by Andy Kelly, Liverpool Echo

KENNY Dalglish is set for a sensational return to Liverpool Football Club.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez wants his legendary predecessor as a key new part of his backroom staff and moves are already afoot to create a position for Dalglish.

Benitez has raised the matter with American club owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett and would like to tie up a deal at the earliest possible opportunity.

The ECHO understands preliminary talks have already taken place between Benitez and Dalglish and although nothing has been finalised the discussions are believed to have gone well.

Benitez would like to give Dalglish a roving role which would see the 58-year-old divide his time between the Academy in Kirkby, Melwood and Anfield but with a particular emphasis on an advisorial role on youth development.

The Liverpool manager recently ordered a review of the Academy which is being headed up by former chief scout Frank McParland as he seeks to ensure more young players of potential first team standard are produced than is currently the case.

Should Dalglish be recruited it would provide a shot in the arm for the Academy which has come in for plenty of criticism in recent years.

Dalglish has not been employed in a senior football role since leaving his position as director of football at Celtic in July 2000.

The Kop hero has been linked with several managerial jobs since then but his strong links with Merseyside and his charity work on behalf of his wife’s Marina Dalglish Appeal have meant he has not been enticed into taking employment at any of the clubs which have shown an interest in acquiring his services.

But the lure of Liverpool would be strong for Dalglish who served the club as both player and manager from 1977 until 1991.

When he quit Anfield in February 1991 saying he needed to take a break from football the shockwaves reverberated throughout the sport with Liverpool fans being distraught at the loss of the man they refer to as “King Kenny”.

He later admitted his regret that he was not offered a return to Liverpool in the immediate aftermath of his sudden departure but 18 years later he could now finally be given the opportunity to reignite his love affair with the club he joined from Celtic.

It is now up to Hicks and Gillett to approve the proposed move and should this happen it would require only the agreement of personal terms for Dalglish to complete a sensational return to Anfield.





Would be absolutely fantastic if Kenny came back. Would give us even more of a boost, Sammy Lee and him from the old days still involved, fantastic. Lets hope it comes off.

[Kharhaz]

That would be brilliant, but id like to see him employed in a more influential role. But first things first, get him here to start with. I cant see this coming off though. He is too brilliant a figure to not have a better role than is offered.

[Reg]

Very powerful, very emotive but I cant see how Kenny and Benitez can realistically work together.

To represent the face of the club and promote sponsership like Bobby Charlton does at Ure maybe, but in a footballing capacity... wow Rafa is taking a risk.

Afterall, Kenny IS Liverpool, Rafa is still just a wannabe.

[Madmax]

Great idea but feel kenny deserves more of a higher role. Anyhow would love to see king kenny at anfield.

[JoeTerp]

Hicks recently brought back Nolan Ryan to be the team president of the Rangers, and I said when I found out about it that it would be the equivalent of bring back Dalglish, although this sounds like a smaller role.

[Number 9]

Hicks recently brought back Nolan Ryan to be the team president of the Rangers, and I said when I found out about it that it would be the equivalent of bring back Dalglish, although this sounds like a smaller role.

Its fu,ck all even like it Sunshine Boy!
Don't even compare it..Its nothing near the same,its miles different in fact!
Just ask if you need me to explain why..no sweat!

[NiftyNeil]

Wow! King Kenny coming home at last, feckin' rock on!!

[NiftyNeil]

..........if true that is.

[Judge]

promising news

[lakes10]

Is this a old report being reused?

at the end of last year Kenny was in the changing rooms with Sammy Lee during the halftime team talk.
this was during the Liverpool 3-0  Bolton game, we was only 1-0 up at halftime and Bolton looked like coming back.

this is what started all the stuff with Lee doing the team talks coming out in the press.

[heimdall]

Hicks recently brought back Nolan Ryan to be the team president of the Rangers, and I said when I found out about it that it would be the equivalent of bring back Dalglish, although this sounds like a smaller role.

Its fu,ck all even like it Sunshine Boy!
Don't even compare it..Its nothing near the same,its miles different in fact!
Just ask if you need me to explain why..no sweat!

Yeah a better explanation might be an idea as I have no idea what you are on about, how is it different how is it the same, what the feck is a  team president, so many questions?

Personally I think this is a really bad idea for two reasons: Firstly what's the point of it and secondly I think it will create a lot of tension and instability, I'd rather see him in as director of football or something where he would actually have some influence not as some weird demeaning understudy to the "arrogant" and "contemptuous" Rafa

[Sabre]

Very powerful, very emotive but I cant see how Kenny and Benitez can realistically work together.

To represent the face of the club and promote sponsership like Bobby Charlton does at Ure maybe, but in a footballing capacity... wow Rafa is taking a risk.

Afterall, Kenny IS Liverpool, Rafa is still just a wannabe.

I need some extra explanation so that I know where you come from.

Meaning, what I know of Dalglish? What I could watch for in Spanish TV of the eighties. Enough to know he's a football legend. Afterwards I've seen old games with another perspective than when I was a teenager and I have to say he's an exquisite footballer, I like his style a lot, more even than Gerrard's. Great player.

Outside the pitch, what I have read of Dalglish always made sense to me.

So I don't know enough about the man, and I must be missing something. Where do you, or Heimdall come from when you say this idea might not work?. Where lies the incompatibility? That is, why would it create instability?

From the little I know it seems great that we can add Rafa's knowledge to the work of people like Sammy and Dalglish, people that like you say, ARE the club.

[heimdall]

Very powerful, very emotive but I cant see how Kenny and Benitez can realistically work together.

To represent the face of the club and promote sponsership like Bobby Charlton does at Ure maybe, but in a footballing capacity... wow Rafa is taking a risk.

Afterall, Kenny IS Liverpool, Rafa is still just a wannabe.

I need some extra explanation so that I know where you come from.

Meaning, what I know of Dalglish? What I could watch for in Spanish TV of the eighties. Enough to know he's a football legend. Afterwards I've seen old games with another perspective than when I was a teenager and I have to say he's an exquisite footballer, I like his style a lot, more even than Gerrard's. Great player.

Outside the pitch, what I have read of Dalglish always made sense to me.

So I don't know enough about the man, and I must be missing something. Where do you, or Heimdall come from when you say this idea might not work?. Where lies the incompatibility? That is, why would it create instability?

From the little I know it seems great that we can add Rafa's knowledge to the work of people like Sammy and Dalglish, people that like you say, ARE the club.

I think its a case of two massive personalities and two great managers occupying the same space. We all remember the disaster that was dual managers with Evans and Houllier (not saying either of them was great btw ). I think this could be similar and it would divide the fans and just cause disharmony.

[JC_81]

I don't think it's a good idea.  Two big personalities are Benitez and Dalglish, and perhaps the club isn't big enough for the both of them.

As soon as we hit a bad run of form there would be even more pressure on Benitez because you would have fans calling for Dalglish to step in and take over.  And with Dalglish already employed by the club, the owners would have a lower threshold for sacking Benitez in these circumstances and asking Dalglish to take over.

The only way it could work is if Dalglish has absolutely no involvement with the first team squad, is nowhere near training sessions and isn't anywhere near the bench on matchdays.  That would be difficult I feel.

[Sabre]

What Heimdall? I understand correctly when I read that you consider Rafa a great manager with a massive personality?

Two big personalities might clash if they're incompatible, which it hasn't to be that way necessarily. I'm pretty sure that Dalglish wouldn't join a work methodology he doesn't trust. I'm pretty sure Rafa has learned about the importance of knowing to work together after the Pako Aiestaran experience.