Liverpool's director of football strategy Damien Comolli has explained that the club dismissed Roy Hodgson from his position as manager due to a "cycle of negativity" sweeping through the team.
Hodgson was sacked on Saturday morning after just six months in charge at Anfield, a spell which had seen Liverpool win only 7 of 20 Premier League matches and has left the five-times European Champions languishing in 12th place and just four points from the relegation spots.
Asked what went wrong under Hodgson, Comolli explained at a press conference to unveil the returning Kenny Dalglish: "There was a cycle of negativity and it was difficult to get it back. Of course it is a shame it didn’t work out, it is difficult to explain."
Supporters were particularly vocal in their condemnation of Hodgson and his methods during his time at Anfield, but the club's commercial director, Ian Ayre, said that the decision to sack Hodgson wasn't based on the fans' distain for the former Fulham boss.
"Our decision was not based on the fans’ reaction," he said.
"Things weren’t gelling – the level and number of defeats were what drove the decision.”
Ayre was also keen to point out that the settlement package agreed with the deposed Hodgson – reported to be in the region of £7.5 million – will not impact upon the money available to new boss Dalglish to improve the squad during the January transfer window.
"We reached a mutual decision with Roy," Ayre explained. "His departure won’t affect the club’s transfer budget."
However, whether Liverpool will step into the market this month – the Reds are believed to be tracking a number of players across Europe, including Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross and Utrecht striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel – remains to be seen, and Comolli has warned Liverpool supporters to be patient in what is usually a difficult period.
"I don’t know if we will bring players in," Comolli said. "We have been working but January is a difficult market."
And when pressed on the club's future and on the qualities that it was looking for in a long-term managerial appointment, Comolli said: "Competence, to be able to fit in to the club philosophy and playing philosophy."
That may mean that Dalglish, tied to the managerial role until the end of the season, could be considered on a permanent basis.
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New Liverpool caretaker manager Kenny Dalglish will be a candidate for the post on a permanent basis.
The Scot is in charge until the end of the season, with director of football Damien Comolli tasked with finding Roy Hodgson's long-term successor.
Asked whether former Reds player and manager Dalglish would be considered Comolli said: "The answer is yes."
Dalglish added: "If I do really well and someone better than me comes along I will have no problem whatsoever."
Dalglish, who won eight league titles as a player and a manager with Liverpool between 1977 and 1991, applied for the job in the summer after the departure of Rafael Benitez, only to be overlooked in favour of Hodgson.
But when a dismal run of results brought a premature end to Hodgson's reign on Saturday the club turned to the Anfield legend to take charge until the end of the season.
That gives Dalglish a chance to stake his claim for the long-term job while Comolli scours the globe for a viable alternative.
Asked what the criteria was for identifying the next permanent manager, Comolli said: "Competence, someone who will fit into the club and playing philosophy and huge on man-management - the three things most important to the club.
"It is open to people that we think fit into what I have described and Kenny obviously fits into that category.
"There will be a thorough search of what we want to do, where we want to get to and we will talk to Kenny about it and see where it takes us."
Dalglish, speaking to journalists at Anfield on Monday for the first time since he was appointed, insisted he is happy with his current caretaker role and denied seeking any assurances for his long-term future when he was offered the job by Liverpool co-owner John Henry.
"My understanding is that it's until the end of the season and that's no problem for me," said Dalglish, whose first match in charge ended in a 1-0 FA Cup third-round defeat to archrivals Manchester United on Sunday.
"I've heard stories about demanding this and demanding that, but when I was phoned on Saturday morning and asked if I'd take the job it was a straightforward 'yes' and that was it for me.
"There's no conditions, no promises, there's nothing. I came back to work at a club that myself and my family are eternally grateful for many things they have done for us and when I was asked to do it there was no way I was going to be disrespectful and say 'no'.
"I am here to be of help to the club and if that means Kenny Dalglish is not the manager that is not a problem.
"If at the end of the season the owners have their eyes on someone else then I have no problem stepping aside because if I didn't I wouldn't be true to my word.
"I would do it readily if it meant the club improving."
Liverpool will resume their stuttering Premier League campaign at Blackpool on Wednesday.
And Dalglish joked that in the current climate he may be fortunate to see out the season with the Reds.
"If I can get to the end of the season then I'll probably end up as one of the longest-serving managers in the Premier League any way," he said.
BBC
Hodgson was sacked on Saturday morning after just six months in charge at Anfield, a spell which had seen Liverpool win only 7 of 20 Premier League matches and has left the five-times European Champions languishing in 12th place and just four points from the relegation spots.
Asked what went wrong under Hodgson, Comolli explained at a press conference to unveil the returning Kenny Dalglish: "There was a cycle of negativity and it was difficult to get it back. Of course it is a shame it didn’t work out, it is difficult to explain."
Supporters were particularly vocal in their condemnation of Hodgson and his methods during his time at Anfield, but the club's commercial director, Ian Ayre, said that the decision to sack Hodgson wasn't based on the fans' distain for the former Fulham boss.
"Our decision was not based on the fans’ reaction," he said.
"Things weren’t gelling – the level and number of defeats were what drove the decision.”
Ayre was also keen to point out that the settlement package agreed with the deposed Hodgson – reported to be in the region of £7.5 million – will not impact upon the money available to new boss Dalglish to improve the squad during the January transfer window.
"We reached a mutual decision with Roy," Ayre explained. "His departure won’t affect the club’s transfer budget."
However, whether Liverpool will step into the market this month – the Reds are believed to be tracking a number of players across Europe, including Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross and Utrecht striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel – remains to be seen, and Comolli has warned Liverpool supporters to be patient in what is usually a difficult period.
"I don’t know if we will bring players in," Comolli said. "We have been working but January is a difficult market."
And when pressed on the club's future and on the qualities that it was looking for in a long-term managerial appointment, Comolli said: "Competence, to be able to fit in to the club philosophy and playing philosophy."
That may mean that Dalglish, tied to the managerial role until the end of the season, could be considered on a permanent basis.
__________________________________________________ _____________
New Liverpool caretaker manager Kenny Dalglish will be a candidate for the post on a permanent basis.
The Scot is in charge until the end of the season, with director of football Damien Comolli tasked with finding Roy Hodgson's long-term successor.
Asked whether former Reds player and manager Dalglish would be considered Comolli said: "The answer is yes."
Dalglish added: "If I do really well and someone better than me comes along I will have no problem whatsoever."
Dalglish, who won eight league titles as a player and a manager with Liverpool between 1977 and 1991, applied for the job in the summer after the departure of Rafael Benitez, only to be overlooked in favour of Hodgson.
But when a dismal run of results brought a premature end to Hodgson's reign on Saturday the club turned to the Anfield legend to take charge until the end of the season.
That gives Dalglish a chance to stake his claim for the long-term job while Comolli scours the globe for a viable alternative.
Asked what the criteria was for identifying the next permanent manager, Comolli said: "Competence, someone who will fit into the club and playing philosophy and huge on man-management - the three things most important to the club.
"It is open to people that we think fit into what I have described and Kenny obviously fits into that category.
"There will be a thorough search of what we want to do, where we want to get to and we will talk to Kenny about it and see where it takes us."
Dalglish, speaking to journalists at Anfield on Monday for the first time since he was appointed, insisted he is happy with his current caretaker role and denied seeking any assurances for his long-term future when he was offered the job by Liverpool co-owner John Henry.
"My understanding is that it's until the end of the season and that's no problem for me," said Dalglish, whose first match in charge ended in a 1-0 FA Cup third-round defeat to archrivals Manchester United on Sunday.
"I've heard stories about demanding this and demanding that, but when I was phoned on Saturday morning and asked if I'd take the job it was a straightforward 'yes' and that was it for me.
"There's no conditions, no promises, there's nothing. I came back to work at a club that myself and my family are eternally grateful for many things they have done for us and when I was asked to do it there was no way I was going to be disrespectful and say 'no'.
"I am here to be of help to the club and if that means Kenny Dalglish is not the manager that is not a problem.
"If at the end of the season the owners have their eyes on someone else then I have no problem stepping aside because if I didn't I wouldn't be true to my word.
"I would do it readily if it meant the club improving."
Liverpool will resume their stuttering Premier League campaign at Blackpool on Wednesday.
And Dalglish joked that in the current climate he may be fortunate to see out the season with the Reds.
"If I can get to the end of the season then I'll probably end up as one of the longest-serving managers in the Premier League any way," he said.
BBC
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