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Dalglish could be a pain Roy Hodgson can do without at Liverpool
There are some who cannot believe Roy Hodgson is not already in place as Liverpool manager. They think a man who as good as hit the glass ceiling at Fulham when reaching the Europa League final should have jumped at the opportunity to join one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Eyebrows rose further when Hodgson chose to honour his media duties with the BBC in South Africa, instead of camping on the doorstep of Christian Purslow, Liverpool's managing director, with his pen out ready to sign.
This has been taken as a bit of an insult. It has certainly not added to Hodgson's popularity on Merseyside, and he already needs all the friends he can get. Hodgson's derogators are mistaken, though. For far from being his dream ticket, Liverpool could turn out to be his impossible job.
Indeed, the only way he can make it work is if he stays strong now, lays down some guidelines and plays a little hard to get. He already risks walking in the front door as club legend Kenny Dalglish exits through the back, making him the home wrecker in the eyes of most Liverpool fans.
Hodgson will need a stunning first season to overcome that stigma as it is. The moment Dalglish asked to be a candidate, rather than a member of the steering committee that would appoint the next Liverpool manager, the currency of the post was devalued.
What should have been the most sought-after position of the summer - for who would not initially have fancied improving on last season's position of seventh - became a poison pill.
Dalglish may have been acting with the best intentions - if he thinks he is a better candidate than those he is assessing, why shouldn't he put his name forward? - but the way he did it placed the club in an impossible position and he should have realised that, too.
Maybe he understood but didn't care. Maybe he thought if the news leaked out that he was interested, the groundswell of local support would leave the board no choice but to appoint him. Only Dalglish will know at which point, if any, sincerity and the works of Machiavelli overlapped, but the effect has been to make the Liverpool job a more awkward proposition for every manager, bar him.
Could Dalglish do the job? Yes. He would command instant respect in the dressing room, and adoration from the stands. He is still involved in the game as a club ambassador and head of the Kirkby Academy, and was said to have held very firm opinions on where the fault lay during Rafael Benitez's final season.
Liverpool have difficult times ahead. Significant players could leave this summer and the resources are not there to replace them, or to carry out the rebuilding process that is vital. It is going to require a great deal of patience from the supporters and no manager is better equipped to extract that loyalty and understanding than Dalglish.
Overlooked, however, he could be the worst enemy the new manager will have. This does not even have to be his intention. Just by not being Dalglish, the next man is disadvantaged.
So if the leading candidate is not sprinting towards Anfield, is it any wonder? Hodgson will be aware of the timeline, of the fact that Dalglish put his name forward after Hodgson had emerged as a strong contender, perhaps the earliest vote of no confidence in history.
Hodgson will know, too, that Dalglish is hugely influential at Liverpool; that he sits in the directors' box for most games and has powerful allies in the local and national media. His is an important voice. To have Dalglish in opposition would be a disaster for any Liverpool manager.
Hodgson's choice: Some observers have been surprised by Hodgson's decision to continue with his BBC World Cup duties
Hodgson is stuck between the devil and a deep red sea. If Dalglish remains, his presence may not be entirely helpful, if he leaves in protest at being ignored - an idea floated this week - Hodgson could not have made a more unfortunate start had he suggested ground-sharing at Goodison Park.
Lose any combination of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano this summer, and Hodgson could take Graeme Souness's title of least popular Liverpool manager before a ball is kicked.
Any other business? The alleged approach to Marseille for coach Didier Deschamps, said to have taken place on Thursday. Jean-Claude Dassier, the Marseille president, claimed he spoke to Purslow and refused permission to open talks with Deschamps and his agent Jean-Pierre Bernes.
Hardly going all out to make Hodgson feel wanted, are they? Deschamps is a World Cup-winning captain turned title-winning manager and may be seen as a better fit than the humble Hodgson, but his appointment would still be a snub for Dalglish, and would raise the same issues; and Deschamps would not even have the saving grace of Hodgson's knowledge of the Premier League to guide him through the first season.
At any other club in Liverpool's position, Hodgson would be a fine choice; and at any other time, Liverpool would be a fantastic opportunity for him. Not right now though.
This is a tough job, made doubly difficult by the involvement of Dalglish which is why, if it is to be Hodgson, he must take his time. Further delay will not endear him to supporters, but it is only right he knows where he stands.
What are Dalglish's intentions? How much influence will he have if he stays? Who is to be sold, who will remain? What is the financial position? Hodgson should not be expected simply to be grateful for his chance. He might not be King Kenny, but he is too good to be taken for a mug.
Copyright - Daily Mail
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1290117/MARTIN-SAMUEL-Kenny-Dalglish-pain-Roy-Hodgson-without.html#ixzz0sKQF8f7Q
Eyebrows rose further when Hodgson chose to honour his media duties with the BBC in South Africa, instead of camping on the doorstep of Christian Purslow, Liverpool's managing director, with his pen out ready to sign.
This has been taken as a bit of an insult. It has certainly not added to Hodgson's popularity on Merseyside, and he already needs all the friends he can get. Hodgson's derogators are mistaken, though. For far from being his dream ticket, Liverpool could turn out to be his impossible job.
Indeed, the only way he can make it work is if he stays strong now, lays down some guidelines and plays a little hard to get. He already risks walking in the front door as club legend Kenny Dalglish exits through the back, making him the home wrecker in the eyes of most Liverpool fans.
Hodgson will need a stunning first season to overcome that stigma as it is. The moment Dalglish asked to be a candidate, rather than a member of the steering committee that would appoint the next Liverpool manager, the currency of the post was devalued.
What should have been the most sought-after position of the summer - for who would not initially have fancied improving on last season's position of seventh - became a poison pill.
Dalglish may have been acting with the best intentions - if he thinks he is a better candidate than those he is assessing, why shouldn't he put his name forward? - but the way he did it placed the club in an impossible position and he should have realised that, too.
Maybe he understood but didn't care. Maybe he thought if the news leaked out that he was interested, the groundswell of local support would leave the board no choice but to appoint him. Only Dalglish will know at which point, if any, sincerity and the works of Machiavelli overlapped, but the effect has been to make the Liverpool job a more awkward proposition for every manager, bar him.
Could Dalglish do the job? Yes. He would command instant respect in the dressing room, and adoration from the stands. He is still involved in the game as a club ambassador and head of the Kirkby Academy, and was said to have held very firm opinions on where the fault lay during Rafael Benitez's final season.
Liverpool have difficult times ahead. Significant players could leave this summer and the resources are not there to replace them, or to carry out the rebuilding process that is vital. It is going to require a great deal of patience from the supporters and no manager is better equipped to extract that loyalty and understanding than Dalglish.
Overlooked, however, he could be the worst enemy the new manager will have. This does not even have to be his intention. Just by not being Dalglish, the next man is disadvantaged.
So if the leading candidate is not sprinting towards Anfield, is it any wonder? Hodgson will be aware of the timeline, of the fact that Dalglish put his name forward after Hodgson had emerged as a strong contender, perhaps the earliest vote of no confidence in history.
Hodgson will know, too, that Dalglish is hugely influential at Liverpool; that he sits in the directors' box for most games and has powerful allies in the local and national media. His is an important voice. To have Dalglish in opposition would be a disaster for any Liverpool manager.
Hodgson's choice: Some observers have been surprised by Hodgson's decision to continue with his BBC World Cup duties
Hodgson is stuck between the devil and a deep red sea. If Dalglish remains, his presence may not be entirely helpful, if he leaves in protest at being ignored - an idea floated this week - Hodgson could not have made a more unfortunate start had he suggested ground-sharing at Goodison Park.
Lose any combination of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano this summer, and Hodgson could take Graeme Souness's title of least popular Liverpool manager before a ball is kicked.
Any other business? The alleged approach to Marseille for coach Didier Deschamps, said to have taken place on Thursday. Jean-Claude Dassier, the Marseille president, claimed he spoke to Purslow and refused permission to open talks with Deschamps and his agent Jean-Pierre Bernes.
Hardly going all out to make Hodgson feel wanted, are they? Deschamps is a World Cup-winning captain turned title-winning manager and may be seen as a better fit than the humble Hodgson, but his appointment would still be a snub for Dalglish, and would raise the same issues; and Deschamps would not even have the saving grace of Hodgson's knowledge of the Premier League to guide him through the first season.
At any other club in Liverpool's position, Hodgson would be a fine choice; and at any other time, Liverpool would be a fantastic opportunity for him. Not right now though.
This is a tough job, made doubly difficult by the involvement of Dalglish which is why, if it is to be Hodgson, he must take his time. Further delay will not endear him to supporters, but it is only right he knows where he stands.
What are Dalglish's intentions? How much influence will he have if he stays? Who is to be sold, who will remain? What is the financial position? Hodgson should not be expected simply to be grateful for his chance. He might not be King Kenny, but he is too good to be taken for a mug.
Copyright - Daily Mail
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1290117/MARTIN-SAMUEL-Kenny-Dalglish-pain-Roy-Hodgson-without.html#ixzz0sKQF8f7Q
