Dalglish on Blades list
KENNY Dalglish will emerge as the surprise contender to become Sheffield United manager if the campaign to appoint Bryan Robson stalls.
Robson, as our website thestar.co.uk exclusively revealed last night, is in pole position to replace Neil Warnock at Bramall Lane following the 58-year-old's resignation on Wednesday.
The former Manchester United and England midfielder has been out of work since leaving The Hawthorns in September 2006.
And although the prospect of pairing him with Brian Kidd, who worked with Robson at Old Trafford, clearly appeals to some members of the South Yorkshire club's board, at least one prominent figure is known to be considering Dalglish for the role.
With Warnock's assistant Stuart McCall accepting the vacant post at Bradford City, the path is clear for United to make an appointment early next week when plc chairman Kevin McCabe returns from a business trip to North American designed to attract new investors.
"The grass is not growing underneath our feet," he insisted.
However, despite reports indicating that McCall would be granted the opportunity to stake his claim during interview, his lack of experience meant he was never considered to be a suitable candidate.
Suggestions that McCabe has already drawn up a shortlist of possibilities are also wide of the mark and, barring a surprise change of heart, any such exercise is likely to be purely cosmetic as Robson, Dalglish and possibly Peter Reid battle it out for the right to become Warnock's successor.
Robson has been installed as the bookmakers' favourite to be handed the job of leading United back to the Premiership following Sunday's controversial relegation but Dalglish's claims should not be ignored.
A close friend of McCabe, the Liverpool, Celtic and Scotland legend came within 24 hours of joining the United staff two seasons ago when it appeared Warnock was set to join Portsmouth.
Then, United's hierarchy were ready to leave McCall in charge of first team affairs but with the proviso that he was supervised by a director of football. But Warnock's last minute change of heart meant Dalglish, Reid and Ray Wilkins - who were also vying for the job - were told to remain at home.
United's lawyers are continuing to prepare their case after launching an appeal against the Premier League's refusal to dock West Ham points.
United's longest serving player Rob Kozluk is the surprise name among the list of players United are releasing. Craig Short, Alan Wright and Paul Gerrard also depart while Geoff Horsfield, Ian Ross, Jon Forte, David Sommeil, Mamadou Seck and Li Tie have been placed on the transfer list.
n Blue Square have Robson as 11/8 to get the job. Stuart Pearce and Chris Coleman are 7/1 and 7/2. Blue Square quote Owls' Brian Laws at 50/1 for a controversial move across the city!
Robson was on the Wednesday short-list last November, along with Laws and Gary Megson.


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