Dalglish defends record in second spell at Anfield

[Arn]

Former Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish defends record in second spell at Anfield

Kenny Dalglish has defended his record during his second spell in charge of Liverpool and feels he over-achieved in his final season.

Liverpool legend Dalglish was sacked by the club's American owners in May last year and replaced by Brendan Rodgers after the Reds finished eighth in the Premier League.

The Reds had picked up their first trophy in six years in 2012 when they won the Carling Cup and also reached the FA Cup final, but that was not enough to save Dalglish's job.

The Scot has defended his record in that campaign, and believes winning a trophy and reaching another final was more memorable than finishing fourth and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

"What those boys achieved in 2012 was fantastic. To win the Carling Cup and to get to an FA Cup final was beyond any expectations," Dalglish said in his book 'Kenny Dalglish My Life' serialised in the Daily Mirror.

"Liverpool is a massive football club and they had not won anything for six years when I got there, but we won something in our first season.

"People will turn around and say we finished eighth in the league, but how many points would you swap for three Wembley trips? That League Cup was a trophy for Liverpool Football Club. I don't see that as anything but a positive. It's always pleasant to get a winner's medal.

"It might be more rewarding to qualify in Europe after finishing fourth, but who remembers that game when you finished fourth to get there? Winning a Cup final against Cardiff at Wembley and walking away with the Carling Cup was a day to remember.

"Yes, I would have loved to have finished fourth and I would have loved to have won the Champions League and won the Premier League, but it was never going to be achieved overnight."

Although he was hurt by his sacking, Dalglish, who was a club ambassador before returning as manager, has confirmed he would return to the club if asked to help out.

"I've always said that I'm happy to help Liverpool Football Club in whatever way I can and that hasn't changed in any way, shape or form," concluded Dalglish.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8930994/

[Alex]

He has got nothing to defend for me.

If we had won that FA Cup final, his second spell would have been treated totally differently.

He made some bad signings, but I guess thats life. Anyone can do that.

Kenny

[Tee]

I think the season was a disaster in the league really. 8th place is just not good enough. But that is primarily because of the utter ****e he signed.

No doubting his legendary status at Liverpool but it is fair to say his second spell was a mistake on so many levels, the effects of which we are only now moving on from.

[calvoboy]

We've been through all of this a hundred times. He's got a point on the cup finals - he gave me my first trip to the new wembley, and I'll always remember that from his second spell. It's important for the development of a side to actually win something too, so they've got that experience of getting over the line.

The problem wasn't the signings themselves, it's how overpriced they were. Downing for £10m and on £60k a week and he would still be here now, Henderson is going to be a really decent player, and Carroll was the hottest young English striker at the time and I was definitely pleased we'd signed him on that deadline day. I still think he'll be a top striker when he gets to about 29/30 if he can ever stay fit, players of his build often don't really fulfil their potential until their late twenties/early thirties.

Would Dalglish have signed them for those prices without Comolli? I suppose we'll never know. I'm happy with Rodgers now though, and think we're really starting to build something, it'd be great to get Kenny back as an ambassador though if Brendan is happy with it.

[Arn]

I think the season was a disaster in the league really. 8th place is just not good enough. But that is primarily because of the utter ****e he signed.

No doubting his legendary status at Liverpool but it is fair to say his second spell was a mistake on so many levels, the effects of which we are only now moving on from.

If you finish in eight place as a manager for Liverpool FC then you deserve to be sacked but you also need to question if FSG asked Kenny what he think is more important, the league or winning the domestic cups?

I think that Kenny had acted differently if he knew that the domestic cups is just a bonus.

So it wasn't only his fault IMO that we finished in eight place.

[wiw]

If you finish in eight place as a manager for Liverpool FC then you deserve to be sacked but you also need to question if FSG asked Kenny what he think is more important, the league or winning the domestic cups?

I think that Kenny had acted differently if he knew that the domestic cups is just a bonus.

So it wasn't only his fault IMO that we finished in eight place.

At what point would you sack this manager?

1959-60 Div2 3
1960-61 Div2 3
1961-62 Div2 1 CHAMPIONS
1962-63 Div1 8
1963-64 Div1 1 CHAMPIONS
1964-65 Div1 7
1965-66 Div1 1 CHAMPIONS

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Carroll - £35m
Downing - £18m
Adam - £7m
Henderson - £16m
Coates - £7m
Enrique - £7m

That's £90m, there is no defending that.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

At what point would you sack this manager?

1959-60 Div2 3
1960-61 Div2 3
1961-62 Div2 1 CHAMPIONS
1962-63 Div1 8
1963-64 Div1 1 CHAMPIONS
1964-65 Div1 7
1965-66 Div1 1 CHAMPIONS

Are you seriously comparing football from over 5 decades ago?

[Tee]

At what point would you sack this manager?

1959-60 Div2 3
1960-61 Div2 3
1961-62 Div2 1 CHAMPIONS
1962-63 Div1 8
1963-64 Div1 1 CHAMPIONS
1964-65 Div1 7
1965-66 Div1 1 CHAMPIONS

Not having a go but that has absolutely no relevance to Arn's post mate. None whatsoever IMO.

[wiw]

Are you seriously comparing football from over 5 decades ago?

I just like seeing what Arn comes out with tbh

[calvoboy]

At what point would you sack this manager?

1959-60 D2 3
1960-61 D2 3
1961-62 D2 1 CHAMPIONS
1962-63 D1 8
1963-64 D1 1 CHAMPIONS
1964-65 D1 7
1965-66 D1 1 CHAMPIONS

These days - somewhere during 1964, "he's taken us as far as he can" or some other such bollocks! From champions to 17 points off the Mancs just isn't good enough...

[wiw]

Not having a go but that has absolutely no relevance to Arn's post mate. None whatsoever IMO.

He said you should be sacked if you come 8th no?

[Arn]

I just like seeing what Arn comes out with tbh

Just the usual bit. The champions league money and the problem you get not being able to sign the best players out there if you don't play in the CL didn't exist five decades ago.

[wiw]

Just the usual bit. The champions league money and the problem you get not being able to sign the best players out there if you don't play in the CL didn't exist five decades ago.

[Darkon]

Carroll - £35m
Downing - £18m
Adam - £7m
Henderson - £16m
Coates - £7m
Enrique - £7m

That's £90m, there is no defending that.

It's really 'only' the Carroll and Downing transfers that were a proper disaster. We lost a good 25m on those two in transfer sum.

Adam we recoupled most of, and we needed someone for the position at the time - but well most of us kinda knew he was not quite good enough. But gave us depth. Henderson is a cracking signing, loved him from day one, real potential there. Coates was a good price for Uruguay under 21's captain and a huge prospect touted everywhere - sometimes they just don't quite work out unfortunatly. Enrique is still a valuable member of the squad.