Alvaro Arbeloa has thanked Kenny Dalglish - for making him love watching Liverpool again.
The Spanish defender left Anfield for Real Madrid in 2009, and while his affection for the club never withered, he admits there were times when being a supporter became 'difficult'.
"Always when I can, I try to watch Liverpool," Arbeloa told SI.com.
"This past season at the beginning it was a little bit difficult and when they have changed the manager, I think they have improved a lot and finished better.
"So I am supporting them and when I was there I was really, really happy and the supporters were good to me.
"I think the style under Roy Hodgson, they played maybe too many long balls.
"I think Liverpool is the type of team that has to play more football. Technically they have some really good players and they need to play more football. I think with Kenny Dalglish, who was one of the best players in the history of Liverpool, they look more confident and they improved a lot."
One man partially responsible for making fans purr during the second half of the season was January signing Luis Suarez.
"I think Suarez is a very good player, he was doing really good from the first day," added Arbeloa. "It was a little bit of a surprise because it's not easy to come to England to play that well from the first day and he did."
Another player our former full-back has been keeping a close eye on is Lucas Leiva. The two are good mates.
"Yes I keep in touch with some of them, especially with Lucas Leiva, he's a really good friend," said Arbeloa. "I think he had a good season and I think he's growing a lot at Liverpool."
The idea that Lucas has grown in stature over recent seasons has been echoed by Xabi Alonso, whose departure for Anfield, also in 2009, meant the Brazilian would be in the starting XI week in, week out.
"I think that Lucas, for example, has improved quite a lot the last few years, he has won a lot of importance in the team and has become quite mature," said Alonso.
"But let's not think about a new Alonso. Try to think of a new pattern, a new pattern of play, a new idea of how to play and that comes from Kenny Dalglish, as well as Steve Clarke, who's done a great job.
"That's going to be important to create a style, and that's what they're going to try to work on. And now, when they sign new players, try to gel them as well as possible."
The Spanish defender left Anfield for Real Madrid in 2009, and while his affection for the club never withered, he admits there were times when being a supporter became 'difficult'.
"Always when I can, I try to watch Liverpool," Arbeloa told SI.com.
"This past season at the beginning it was a little bit difficult and when they have changed the manager, I think they have improved a lot and finished better.
"So I am supporting them and when I was there I was really, really happy and the supporters were good to me.
"I think the style under Roy Hodgson, they played maybe too many long balls.
"I think Liverpool is the type of team that has to play more football. Technically they have some really good players and they need to play more football. I think with Kenny Dalglish, who was one of the best players in the history of Liverpool, they look more confident and they improved a lot."
One man partially responsible for making fans purr during the second half of the season was January signing Luis Suarez.
"I think Suarez is a very good player, he was doing really good from the first day," added Arbeloa. "It was a little bit of a surprise because it's not easy to come to England to play that well from the first day and he did."
Another player our former full-back has been keeping a close eye on is Lucas Leiva. The two are good mates.
"Yes I keep in touch with some of them, especially with Lucas Leiva, he's a really good friend," said Arbeloa. "I think he had a good season and I think he's growing a lot at Liverpool."
The idea that Lucas has grown in stature over recent seasons has been echoed by Xabi Alonso, whose departure for Anfield, also in 2009, meant the Brazilian would be in the starting XI week in, week out.
"I think that Lucas, for example, has improved quite a lot the last few years, he has won a lot of importance in the team and has become quite mature," said Alonso.
"But let's not think about a new Alonso. Try to think of a new pattern, a new pattern of play, a new idea of how to play and that comes from Kenny Dalglish, as well as Steve Clarke, who's done a great job.
"That's going to be important to create a style, and that's what they're going to try to work on. And now, when they sign new players, try to gel them as well as possible."
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