Why Dalglish has got to go
By Matthew Handley
‘All around the Fields of Anfield Road, where once we watched King Kenny play, and could he play!’
Thus begins the chant that will ring around Anfield at least 5 times on matchdays. It is a chant that sings of a stadium in which ‘King’ Kenny Dalglish won 7 league championships and returned 3 European Cups as a player. But recently, Liverpool fans have had less and less to sing about. And the prolific success that Dalglish brought to the club as a player and manager in his first stint seems to become more and more distant. After a string of results that had the league begun on January 1st would leave the Reds in 19th place, the side now languish behind city rivals Everton. Suddenly, questions are starting to be asked of a man who was once thought of as untouchable.
And rightly so. Legendary status counts for a lot. Indeed it was the key reason for Dalglish being brought back to the club. With Liverpool devoid of morale and languishing in the bottom half of the league under Droopy Dog lookalike Roy ‘Woy’ Hodgson, the side desperately needed to be injected with a feel-good factor; Dalglish, the returning King, provided this. Suddenly the players seemed galvanised, and the arrivals of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez on deadline day only seemed to add to a new found buzz around Anfield.
But now those two players seem to typify exactly why Dalglish has gotten it wrong. Andy Carroll is the 8th most expensive footballer of all time. At the moment he’s playing like the kid who got picked 8th in P.E. When there were only 9 kids in the class. Only ‘Fat John’ got picked after him. Signed for £35million, Carroll has cost £7million per league goal so far. Similar flops have included Jordan Henderson, a midfielder with the on-pitch presence of a particularly quiet foetus, and Stewart Downing, who has dramatically failed to recapture the form that made him so sought after at Aston Villa last season. But these three players cumulatively cost around £70million, a frankly absurd figure. The inflated price tag stems from the way in which Damien Comolli, Director of Football, and Dalglish seek to do their business, signing young English players with resale value. This obvious flaw in this policy is that English clubs massively inflate the price tags of their young stars, as the sensationalist sporting press hype up the ‘next big thing’; a few good performances and you’re suddenly touted as the nation’s saviour, and Kenny will probably try and sign you up. This has failed.
Luis Suarez, in a strictly footballing sense, has been able to contribute much more to the side than the aforementioned players. However, in the aftermath of his 8-match-ban for racially abusing Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra, Dalglish’s response brought shame upon the club. Firstly in a match against Wigan he donned a t-shirt with an image of Suarez as a show of support. Aside from making him look like he was on a ‘day out’, it was behaviour more appropriate when a teammate has been diagnosed with serious illness, not when they’ve been found guilty of discrimination. Moreover, after Suarez petulantly refused to shake Evra’s hand upon the clubs’ next meeting, Dalglish refused to criticise his player, and shrugged off media questions about the Uruguayan’s childish actions, until the club’s owners Fenway Sports Group were forced to intervene. This is emblematic of how out of touch Dalglish has become with the modern-day game. He doesn’t seem to understand the fast-moving, media-driven nature of the game, and, in his blinkered support for his players attracts distracting levels of press attention that have contributed to recent poor form. Dalglish simply hasn’t been critical enough of his players, hasn’t given them the necessary kick up their collective backside, and seems completely devoid of ideas as the club sink further into a quagmire of mediocrity.
It’s time for a change. It’s time for someone who understands the modern day game. Someone fresh and original, who won’t be given too much leeway by fans because of their cult standing at the club. Someone young, hungry and with a point to prove. It’s time for Andre Villas-Boas. Simply not given a fair enough chance by Chelsea, AVB is an incredibly promising young manager, who would break with the idea of buying players for ‘resale value’ and instead cultivate a team to work together, rather than the individualism that has massively hampered Liverpool in recent weeks and make them seem devoid of direction. It’s worth a shot. Things, at the moment, seem unlikely to get any worse.
Thanks for the memories Kenny, and you’ll always be a hero. But it’s time for someone new. AVB isn’t doing much at the moment; perhaps FSG should give him a bell…
Matt
02/04/2012 at 12:49
I would have to say that I disagree with everything critical that you have said. It will take Carroll time to settle down, having idiots insult him just makes him harder. Henderson, along with Shelvey will be England’s best midfielders in 5 years time. Since the Carling Cup Downing has been very good and it is just Adam that hasn’t quite lived up to expectation. Your opinion on the Suarez affair is awful. He was not being racist. Any person with half a brain cell can see from the report that what he said was not meant in a racist way. Also the whole handshake thing, if you look closely, it is clearly Evra who moves his hand away. People are just to scared to say it as they don’t want to be accused of being racist too. Also how do you know if he isn’t critical of his players. Are you honestly stupid and naive enough to believe that what he tells the media is the same as what he tells his players behind closed doors. Football fans are so fickle. He’s won a trophy, could win two. You deluded fans who think we should be winning the league are stupid and know nothing about football. Ferguson didn’t win his first league for man u until his 6th season. Show a bit of loyalty and support the team.
Matt
02/04/2012 at 12:53
I would have to say that I disagree with everything critical that you have said. It will take Carroll time to settle down, having idiots insult him just makes it harder for him. Henderson, along with Shelvey will be England’s best midfielders in 5 years time. Since the Carling Cup Downing has been very good and it is just Adam that hasn’t quite lived up to expectation. Your opinion on the Suarez affair is awful. He was not being racist. Any person with half a brain cell can see from the report that what he said was not meant in a racist way. Also the whole handshake thing, if you look closely, it is clearly Evra who moves his hand away. People are just to scared to say it as they don’t want to be accused of being racist too. Also how do you know if he isn’t critical of his players. Are you honestly stupid and naive enough to believe that what he tells the media is the same as what he tells his players behind closed doors. Football fans are so fickle. He’s won a trophy, could win two. You deluded fans who think we should be winning the league are stupid and know nothing about football. Ferguson didn’t win his first league for man u until his 6th season. Show a bit of loyalty and support the team.
Ben
02/04/2012 at 12:58
Are you a Liverpool fan by any chance Matt?
I don’t particularly agree with the article but you’ve made some absurd claims in your response.
Chris
02/04/2012 at 17:47
I agree with you to an extent, and feel that Liverpool are only under such pressure due to what Dalglish has previously achieved at the club. You must rememeber that it took Manchester City, with an even greater spending power than the Reds, three seasons to progress to Champions League football. For every Robinho there was a David Silva, for every Jo there was a Yaya Toure, for every Wayne Bridge, there was a Vincent Kompany. The same is true with Liverpool. The players we got in the summer of last year genuinely seemed to be doing very well at their respected clubs. Charlie Adam, Blackpool captain, who was creating a chance every three minutes. Jordan Henderson, two time Sunderland young player of the year, and a full England international. Stewart Downing, 7 assists, 7 goals. And with Andy Carroll, the man who destroyed Liverpool last season at the stadium that was once known as St James, meant to be converting those assists. That could be were Kenny went wrong. If he wanted someone to finish the chances we have been creating, he should have been going for a poacher. A Forlan, a Cavani,a Grant Holt or Danny Graham, even. I think it is harsh to have such a staunch defence of Dalglish before the end of his first full season. Admittedly, as a red myself, he could have handled Suarez-gate better, but he needs time to develop. Fergie had it at Old Trafford, so why can’t Kenny? However, I do feel Kenny is to blame to an extent. He never sticks with the same starting XI, and I honestly don’t feel he gives his players enough personal criticism for poor individual performances. That is were he and Fergie differ. You’d be seldom pressed to see Kenny with a hairdryer in hand. As for this idea of Kenny being out of touch with the fast moving game, it is well documented that he went to the vast majority of Liverpool games during his hiatius,and especially those at a grassroots level. I can see similarities of Martin Jol’s reign at Spurs and Kenny’s current one. Woodgate, Hutton, and Bent were all big Damien Comolli buys who didn’t live up to their expectations. Our victors yesterday, Newcastle have exactly the calibre of players a Frenchman like Comolli should be looking at. Ben Afra, Santon, Cabaye to name but a few. You must also see how competitive the current climate is. Out of Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, and Newcastle, half of those will not be playing in the Champions League next season. I feel all their respected managers think they will be at the current stage of the season. We are already in the first qualifying stages of the Europa League, have won a first trophy for what seems like six years*, and are in the semi-final of another. Whilst we will not be with Europes elite next year, progress has defintley been made. In comparison to Woy’s regime, anyway. Remember, Citeh’s first silverware after three big ‘moneyball’ years was the catalytic FA cup, and we have the potential to achieve the same feat within one. Very good article, and I completley understand the direction your coming from, but time is just what the Doctor ordered. Comolli out, Kenny in. Long Live the King!
Chris
02/04/2012 at 18:17
apologies, meant to put *have such staunch anti-Dalglish propaganda*. Again very good article, could I speak to you about journalism and how to make the first steps etc. Thanks.
keefw
03/04/2012 at 19:24
I think Kenny should be given another season, I feel that some of the signing will settle and come good. Most Liverpool fans are not the knowledgable lot they’re made out to be, we have seen us energised by the successful projects to remove both the old board and Roy, now they are hungry for more and willing to defy their own reputation for patience and understanding.
The league form although poor, is not a true reflection of performance, our ball retention is a huge change in style from Roy’s side. But the disappearing confidence, a few donkeys in the side and the lack of the previous strength at the back.
Agger/Lukas need to come back to help, as they made skertel look amazing, and is an improvement on an aging Skertel. Henderson in the second defensive mid role and let SG free.
I think Kenny will get another season and we need to realise that KK is the only one who could of given us Liverpool fans a reality check.
We need to stop looking back a realise we need to build slowly to get back towards the top; not hire and fire but slowly develop the club after 20+ years of neglect and delusion.
Ben
03/04/2012 at 23:26
I don’t think it makes any sense to be calling for Dalglish to be sacked 7 games before the end of the season, and I think continuity is an important factor of success at any football club (just look at Chelsea) I think Dalglish will do a good job if given time however it is difficult not to criticise him considering the amount of money he’s spent on players.
Just to play devils advocate, if Roy was given the same transfer budget Dalglish was given instead of the miniscule one he had to work with, would Liverpool be doing better or worse right now?