January 2011 – Page 2

VIDEO: Reaction to derby draw – The Redmen TV

It was the return of the King, the derby, a flag day (for the King) and a chance for more of the FSG investors to see what their money had been spent on.

The Redmen TV To a neutral the game will have been entertaining, this wasn’t one of those dour derby draws where Everton want a 0-0 and Liverpool struggle to spoil their plans. Both sides wanted to score, and in all they managed it four times. The referee got his cards out three times – all for Liverpool players – but never for the kind of foul a derby day is usually littered with. The spoils were shared, Everton’s hopes of bringing out a commemorative DVD were dashed but The Kop’s hopes of a winning start for Kenny were not to be either.

What did you think of the game? The Redmen TV have come up with another great video of fan reaction to the game. Listen for details of how you can be involved in their next one.
Continue reading VIDEO: Reaction to derby draw – The Redmen TV

Liverpool v Everton – Spearing and Kelly start, Pacheco on bench

Kenny’s back at Anfield – as manager – for the first time since he got his old job back. The opponents are Everton; it’s the derby and the world is watching.

Watching from closer quarters than usual are Liverpool’s new owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG, formerly NESV) who have seen a couple of games before now but are set to attend today’s game in force – with up to nine members of the consortium said in the director’s box.

The first game FSG attended as Liverpool owners was the Goodison derby earlier in the season. Having seen their side beaten at home to Blackpool in the last match before the takeover, Reds fans the world over were buoyant that the previous regime had been ousted, hopeful of a new, brighter future. And they expected some signs of that joy and hope to show itself on the pitch, for those in the Red shirt to be up for a game that nobody in that shirt should need any help getting up for.

As it was Liverpool played like Hicks and Gillett still owned the club and that administration was still inevitable, Everton beating a Reds side that looked like it wished it was somewhere else. And with one or two exceptions, that’s how Liverpool played up until last weekend’s decision to finally oust Roy Hodgson and bring Kenny Dalglish in as caretaker until the end of the season. That defeat means Everton are looking to achieve the unthinkable and do the double over the Reds. They’ve probably got the covers printed for the DVD already.

Kenny’s return has improved the mood at Anfield immeasurably – certainly something that will be visible from fans today as the hastily-planned flag day for Kenny brings extra colour to a fixture rarely lacking in colour.

A surprise in the line-up is Jay Spearing come back from injury to start what is always a bruising encounter, the youngster getting Poulsen’s place in midfield.

Martin Kelly put in such a good performance in midweek and last Sunday that it would have seemed unfair to leave him out and he gets a start. Glen Johnson starts at left-back in favour of Fabio Aurelio who is on the bench.

The highly-promising front-man Dani Pacheco is named amongst the subs, alongside Joe Cole who is still to live up the hype that surrounded his arrival in the summer.
Continue reading Liverpool v Everton – Spearing and Kelly start, Pacheco on bench

Blackpool v LFC – Kenny picks the team

Kenny Dalglish returned to the position of manager of Liverpool FC on Saturday but arrived back in the country too late to have any real time with the team ahead of the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.

That’s not the case tonight and although he’s only a dew days into the job it’s his team, formation and tactics for tonight’s visit to Blackpool.

And it looks like Kenny has sprung a surprise. We now know the team but we have to wait and see what the formation is. Martin Kelly has played at left-back away from the first team and may well be used there tonight, but there’s also a possibility that he’s going to be used as a centre-back, the position seen as his long-term future.

If that’s the case then Kenny could be going for something like a 3-5-2 formation, with Kelly, Agger and Skrtel the three at the back. The midfield of Poulsen, Lucas and Meireles would be flanked by Johnson on the right and Jovanovic on the left, with Torres and Kuyt up front.

If Kenny has decided on using a back four it’s also possible that Johnson will start on the left, but it really is best to wait and see. In the days before players had squad numbers Kenny would often cause confusion by dishing numbers out to players that in those days were considered odd for the position they’d be playing. And his teams were usually revealed as late as possible.

Danny Wilson had been rumoured as getting a start tonight but has to settle for a place amongst the subs.

Glen Johnson starts the game the day after his partner gave birth to a baby boy – congratulations to both on their new addition.
Continue reading Blackpool v LFC – Kenny picks the team

VIDEO: Blackpool v LFC preview – The Redmen TV

Liverpool travel up to the seaside tonight to face Blackpool for a game that was originally scheduled for Boxing Day but fell victim to the snow.

The Redmen TV A few weeks later and it’s a very different mood amongst the Liverpool fans travelling up for the fixture, and the players in the squad, because of the return of that man – Kenny Dalglish. Returning with Kenny are the smiles we’ve been missing for so long and more importantly hope and confidence.

Kenny’s opposite number tonight, Ian Holloway, spoke like a man truly in awe of his hero when he discussed Kenny earlier this week – but it would be a mistake to assume he’ll be starstruck tonight when he sends his team out to try and do the double over the Reds. Blackpool were as good as Liverpool were poor when they met at Anfield earlier in the season and the newly-promoted side deserved their win.

The lads from The Redmen TV are, once again, inviting you to send in your views on tonight’s match after it’s over. You can send a short video clip or comment on their Facebook page and they’ll try and get it into their next show.
Continue reading VIDEO: Blackpool v LFC preview – The Redmen TV

Kenny: There was no way I was going to say ‘no’.

Kenny Dalglish sat down in front of the banks of photographers and reporters at Anfield as he was formally presented to them as the new manager of Liverpool Football Club.

Kenny’s appointment is until the summer; at that point owners FSG are expected to appoint a new manager on a permanent basis.

He was hit with first question; did he want the job beyond the end of the season? There was a pause from Kenny as he fixed the reporter, Vinny O’Connor, with a serious-looking stare.

“Bit of a strenuous start there Vinny is it not?”

He smiled; the gathering laughed. There was no way this was going to be a serious affair.

“Maybe could have broken us in a wee bit gently!” he laughed, before answering the question: “My understanding is it’s until the end of the season, and that’s no problem for me.

“I’ve seen, or I’ve heard, stories about ‘demanding this’ and ‘demanding that’ – when I was phoned early on Saturday morning, when I was away, and asked if I’d take the job it was a straightforward ‘yes’ and that was it for me.

“So, there’s no conditions, there’s no promises, there’s nothing.

“I came back here to work at a club that myself and my family are eternally grateful for many things they have done for us.

“When I was asked to do it, as I said yesterday, there was no way that I was going to be disrespectful and say ‘no’.”

But that was enough seriousness for one answer: “If I can get to the end of the season then I’ll probably end up one of the longest-serving managers in the Premiership anyway, the way things are going!

“We’ll not start running before we can walk.”
Continue reading Kenny: There was no way I was going to say ‘no’.

Seven months on, now do they see?

In the days following the departure of Rafael Benitez the speculation was mounting about who the club would be bringing in as a replacement.

Already, after word had got out of his interest in the role, Kenny Dalglish was the fans’ favourite for the job – be it short-term until a change of owners or as a long-term role. At that time we’d not been given the full truth about how little time the owners had left to sell up or lose the club.

It was quite clear that some of the fanciful ideas that had been put about by certain individuals agitating for a change of manager were nothing like the reality of the recruitment process that had now begun.

Despite some laughable reports, the club didn’t have the means to approach coaches of the standard (and pay-scale) of Jose Mourinho, not that many supporters genuinely believed they did in any case. And those that did wondered how the club could persuade a top-drawer coach to manage LFC at a time when the Reds were making more from transfer fees than they were spending. A time when the club was falling apart.

To supporters it seemed obvious what to do. But to the sections of the media that had campaigned for Rafa’s departure and were now campaigning for the appointment (and in later months the retention) of Roy Hodgson it wasn’t their idea so they mocked it at every opportunity. The club’s then executive management team said it didn’t fit in with their ideas, although they never really explained why.

Now Kenny has the job, belatedly, and the smiles on the faces of supporters tell you why this was such a good idea. The positivity and unity sweeping through the club now is the strongest it has been in a very long time.

If only the former board had listened to supporters last summer, instead of clamouring to the sections of the press that have nothing to do with Liverpool FC. Nothing to do with us other than criticising us, or complaining when they borrow (and break) our players for their England national side.
Continue reading Seven months on, now do they see?

Steve Clarke joins Kenny’s coaching team

Less than 48 hours after appointing Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool manager, the club have made another change to the coaching staff.

Steve Clarke comes into the club as First Team Coach, the position previously held by Mike Kelly (Roy Hodgson’s appointment) and before that Mauricio Pellegrino.

Sammy Lee is set to remain as assistant manager.

Steve Clarke joins Reds coaching staff Clarke is perhaps best known from his time as assistant to then-Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, staying on at the London side beyond the tenure of Mourinho. He would later leave Chelsea to join West Ham where he was assistant to Gianfranco Zola, before West Ham changed hands and their new owners pushed Zola out, Clarke leaving at the same time.

His first senior appointment in a coaching role came when he was made assistant to Ruud Gullit at Newcastle following the then-owners of Newcastle’s decision to force current Reds boss Kenny Dalglish out. Newcastle weren’t renowned for patience at that time and Gullitt was also out of a job a year later, Clarke taking over as caretaker for one match, a defeat to Manchester United.
Continue reading Steve Clarke joins Kenny’s coaching team

MUFC v LFC – Nando and Stevie start in Kenny’s first team

The King is back and his first line-up has been announced. How much it’s his line-up and how much he’s decided to stick with whatever Roy Hodgson had planned to go with on his last day in the job on Friday remains to be seen, but Kenny’s doing the team-talk and that on its own will be a huge boost to these players. It’s certainly a massive boost to the fans.

Glen Johnson isn’t in the squad – his wife is in labour (good luck to them both!) – so in his place comes Martin Kelly, with Fabio Aurelio and Daniel Agger the other changes to the defence that leaked three goals in Hodgson’s last match, the defeat at Blackburn on Wednesday.

Another recent new father, Fernando Torres, starts, after confirming he wants to stay at Anfield. We wait to see if Gerrard partners Torres up-front, if so then Dirk Kuyt is likely to start on the right of midfield with Meireles in the middle.

Liverpool FC are buzzing; it’s a tall order for the team four points from the relegation places to beat the team running away with the league title – but this is Kenny’s Liverpool again now.
Continue reading MUFC v LFC – Nando and Stevie start in Kenny’s first team

A kip, then we take on the world. Kenny’s back.

As Liverpool supporters around the world were celebrating the news that The King was coming back to manage their club, the man himself was flying back from the Middle East in readiness to take that job on.

Kenny Dalglish - Back With Liverpool just four points above relegation it was clear to anyone with their eyes open that Roy Hodgson had failed in his task.

The owners had been hoping that Hodgson would have it in him to keep the club ticking over until they found his permanent replacement, but as results continued to be a long way from good enough his comments were making it increasingly difficult to keep him in his post.

They clearly needed a caretaker to step in and run the team until they had a permanent replacement available. There really wasn’t a better candidate than Kenny Dalglish and he was appointed from a distance, on his holiday, but there was only ever going to be one answer from the man who lives for this football club.

As he landed at Manchester airport tonight he was mobbed by reporters and photographers, including the Sky Sports News cameras.

Sky asked him if he had a message for the supporters: “Just it’s a great honour to be asked to come back,” he said, with cameras flashing away noisily enough to almost drown out his words.
Continue reading A kip, then we take on the world. Kenny’s back.

They listened. Roy’s gone. Kenny’s back.

The news that Liverpool fans have been waiting for has finally been announced.

The King, Kenny - back as Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is no longer Liverpool manager.

And not just that, because – for the time being at least – Kenny Dalglish, a Reds legend as player, manager and man, is the manager of what remains the most successful side in English football history.

The news was announced by the club this morning, the day before the Reds travel to Old Trafford for the 3rd Round FA Cup clash with old rivals Manchester United.

The King has been out of the country in recent days and that might explain why there was a delay between the owners leaking their intentions to find a successor, with a caretaker stepping in if necessary, and Hodgson’s departure being finally being confirmed.

Hodgson’s press conference at Melwood was cancelled yesterday, although Roy did take training and did give an interview behind closed doors to the official site.

Good luck to Roy, whatever he does next. It wasn’t his fault that people out of their depth placed him into a position that would prove to be out of his depth too.

But now it is time to celebrate. Because The King is back.

Full LFC statement:
Continue reading They listened. Roy’s gone. Kenny’s back.