Premier League - Dalglish relishing opportunity

Eurosport - Sat, 04 Jul 14:40:00 2009

Returning hero Kenny Dalglish has promised to make the most of his second chance with Liverpool.

FOOTBALL 2008 Kenny Dalglish - 0

The Scot - branded 'King Kenny' by the Anfield faithful after winning eight league titles and three Europeans Cups with the Reds as a player and then manager - confirmed on Friday he has accepted a senior role in the club's academy and as a global ambassador for the Merseysiders.

He immediately revealed his gratitude towards manager Rafael Benitez for handing him an official position at Liverpool for the first time since he quit as boss in February 1991.

"I spoke to Rafa a few months ago, and things have progressed from there," Dalglish told the club's website. "Now that it has come to fruition I am very excited, but also a bit nervous."

He added: "For the boss to put his trust in me is a great compliment, and I am coming back as a very lucky person.

"When you leave a club you don't often have a chance to return, so I am fortunate for being given such a fantastic opportunity."

Dalglish's appointment is part of a wide-ranging revamp of the Liverpool academy, which has been criticised for failing to produce enough youngsters with first-team potential.

Frank McParland was brought is as director last month, and Dalglish is delighted to be part of the renewed focus on youth.

"Rafa has made a very brave decision to revamp the academy," he said. "Everyone knows the most important team at the club is the first team, and we hope we can start producing players to challenge for a place in Rafa's plans."

Benitez, who has been criticised for often favouring fellow Spaniards for key positions at the club, believes the appointment of Dalglish shows he is sympathetic to Liverpool's glittering past.

"We are changing things at the academy; we are bringing in new ideas and new people - but we're keeping the spirit and the heart of the club," he said. "Kenny has played for the club; he's managed the club; he's done everything. He's a fantastic signing."

PA Sport

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  1. Rafa loses the plot

    Sir Alex Ferguson has always been­ a Jedi Master when it comes to mind games and this­ season the Manchester United manager dangled his bait­ in front of his old Liverpool adversary Rafa Benitez­ and waited for a bite. The Spaniard duly obliged as he­ launched into his now infamous 'Rafa rant'­ around the turn of the year, accusing the Red Devils of­ being treated favourably by match officials and Premier­ League big wigs. At the time of his outburst, Liverpool­ were sitting pretty at the top of the table and looking­ a good bet to end their 19-year wait for a top-flight­ title. The pressure seemed to be getting to the Anfield­ camp, though, as results began to wobble in the wake of­ their manager's furious tirade. The Reds would­ remain hot on the heels of United for the remainder of­ the campaign, even securing a memorable 4-1 victory at­ Old Trafford at one stage, but the damage had been done­ and they were unable to wrestle the crown away from the­ Theatre of Dreams. Benitez has always insisted that he­ never let Ferguson get to him, while the United boss is­ adamant that he never intends to rub people up the­ wrong way, but the episode proved to be pivotal for­ both men - with Obi-Wan Fergie coming out on top.

    From Pete H, on Mon 6 Jul 8:46PM

  2. I have time for some of Manchester Uniter players - but­ I have none for Mr Ferguson - a proven hypocrite &­ liar doesn't deserve the title liar - or some of­ their fans. Constant vile abuse - their parents must­ be so proud of their internet activities.

    I for one am­ relishing the prospect of King Kenny helping our youth­ out - would love to see Pacheco, Nemeth, Kelly &­ Ince (yes, Man United legend Paul's son)come­ through the ranks, as well as a few others.

    From Roddenberry, on Mon 6 Jul 3:14PM

  3. Oh my God!! What posseses people to post such total and­ utter drivel? I can just imagine you sat at home­ jabbing away at your keyboard with your caps lock on­ with your blood pressure rising by the minute.....What­ is it that someone has posted on this thread that­ deserves such a foul tirade of bigotous ranting?­ You're clearly not a football supporter -­ You're just a sad delusional Manc who's been­ brainwashed with all the nonsense coming out of­ Fergusson's mouth for the last 20 years - If you­ just watched the game for what it is, you'd realise­ that all teams have a part to play in the Premier­ League, and that's what makes it great. Maybe you­ should try getting out of your PJ's and get out of­ your bedroom a bit more - Hell, why don't you even­ and try interacting with other humans - Maybe think­ about getting a boyfriend (or a girlfriend if you think­ that will fool anyone and hide those painful memories­ of pillow biting as a youth) - You could even try and­ get a job. Give your Mum something to be proud of from­ her cell at Holloway. IDIOT!!

    From mancscumhater, on Mon 6 Jul 2:58PM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    LOSERPOOL YOU SCUM YOU HAVE SIGNED JOHNSON OH YES THAT­ MEANS YOU WILL WIN THE LEAGUE NEXT YEAR PMSL
    YOU WILL­ BE FIFTH NO DOUBT
    SCUM LIKE YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN­ EUROPE BECAUSE YOUR FANS ARE A DISGRACE AND YOU WONT BE­ NEXT YEAR WITH SIGNINGS LIKE JOHNSON
    CHILDREN OF GLORY­ SEEKING SCUM

    From reddevils_4life99, on Mon 6 Jul 1:27PM

  5. It is all SPIN and @#$%, A PR stunt to keep the fans­ happy.
    Kenny was a great player, I just wonder what­ LOCAL talent LFC have to manage???? That could be said­ of any team. What ever hapened to the old academy­ system and developing young players from THE UK.

    From johnmcparland, on Mon 6 Jul 8:26AM

  6. I seem to recall kenny in his prime destroying­ ferguson's work almost for fun... if those­ day's are coming back, then mrs ferguson will be­ nervous of a drunken kicking from her husband

    From Peta, on Sun 5 Jul 11:15PM

  7. best hooligans!!

    From lemontreesid, on Sun 5 Jul 6:53PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Owen to United, yet another bit of managerial magic­­ from the maestro:
    Owen to score the winner for United­ at Anfield. How­ good will that be!
    Next Mascherano­ & Alonso to leave­ Rafa up the swanee.
    Beaneathus­ by name, beneath us buy­ nature. I thank you.

    From Sid, on Sun 5 Jul 5:40PM

  9. scotland and england hardly makes him a global­ ambassador very , very ,overstated good luck to him­ anyway! one thing i would ask is,?if he is as good as­ some people at liverpool say he is ! WHY HAVE THEY ONLY­ JUST REALISED

    From lemontreesid, on Sun 5 Jul 4:12PM

  10. All teams academies can save club­ fortunes,Fowler,McManaman,Gerrard,Owen,Carragher in­ modern area conservatively worth over £200 million at­ todays prices.Just a matter of not spending money on­ over hyped Bulgarians and Portugese.Dalglish can only­ help these young players and was a global ambassador­ anyway,good luck to him and wheel him out now and them­ for the "mind games",as cryptic as they come­ was Kenny. Worst cse scenario, get him on a DNA gene­ pool programme at Melwood, don't know many people­ who saw him at his best wouldn't want to see his­ like again.

    From sue.williams68, on Sun 5 Jul 1:50PM

  11. LIVEERPOOL = BEST CLUB!
    =BEST PLAYER!
    =BEST­ SUPPORTERS!
    =BEST CITY and much better than­ Manchester!

    Long live king Kenny!

    From LFC Liverpool top of the kops, on Sun 5 Jul 1:02PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    P.S. DO NOT TELL ME TO GET OF YOUR FORUM TO FOCUS ON MY­ OWN TEAM BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE VERY HYPOCRITICAL
    SOME­ OF THE VILE COMMENTS FORM YOU LOSERS ON MAN UNTIEDS­ FORUM JUSTIFY ME BEING ON HERE SAYING
    LIVERPOO ARE­ S.H.I.T
    S.H.I.T. SUPPORTERS
    S.H.I.T.CLUB
    S.H.I.T. CITY

    From reddevils_4life99, on Sun 5 Jul 11:57AM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    AVERAGE MANAGER AND AVERAGE PLAYER GOING BACK TO THE­ SCUM
    HOW EXCITING FOR YOU
    AND BY THE WAY TO COMMENTS­ ABOUT OWEN BEING A LIVERFOOL REJECT LOTS OF YIOU SCUM­ POOL FANS HAVE BEEN WANTING HIM BACK THE PAST FEW YEARS­ YOU CAN BLAME THE FAT SPANISH WAITER FOR NOT SIGNING­ HIM SO DONT BE BITTER
    HE NEVER ACHIEVED ANYTHING LIKE­ WHAT ALEX FERGUSON HAS
    FERGUSON WILL GO DOWN AS THE­ BEST BRITISH MANAGER IN HISTORY
    DALGLISH WILL GO DOWN­ AS THE MAN WHO TRIED TO REVIVE LIVERFOOLS YOUTH SYSTEM­
    HA HA HA WHAT A JOKE

    From reddevils_4life99, on Sun 5 Jul 11:55AM

  14. NOW THIS SHOWS LOYALTY TO THE CLUB KING KENNY COULD­ NEVER DO WHAT THAT GIT OWEN HAS DONE A TRUE LEGEND­ KENNY IS HE WILL HELP BRING ON THE YOUNG ONES JUST AS­ RAFFA WANTS FOR FIFTY YEARS I HAVE SUPPORTED THE­ GREATEST RED TEAM IN THE WORLD WE WILL WIN NEXT YEAR­ LONG LIVE THE THE NEW KING RAFFA AND THE OLD KING KENNY

    From justjulies, on Sun 5 Jul 10:30AM

  15. joe r, i never thought a utd supporter could get any­ lower, you have just proved me wrong. the way you speak­ .....you are scum, hope you aint got or have any kids.!

    From TEVEZ, on Sat 4 Jul 7:09PM

  16. joe r you are just a t.w.a.t your scum team just­ signed liverpool rejects and injury prone has been i­ hear you are getting kewell next

    From markhowell75, on Sat 4 Jul 6:07PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Anyone who seen dalglish play will tell you=great­ player but a whinging cheating moaning @#$%.
    He belongs­ with the SCUM who adored him and the SCUM that will­ NEVER win the Premier League.
    UNITED=CHAMPIONS=WITHOUT­ KILLING ANYONE.

    From joe r, on Sat 4 Jul 5:33PM

  18. HOT OFF THE WIRES........OWEN TO WEAR THE­ NUMBER.........999 SHIRT AT UTD... HONEST

    From TEVEZ, on Sat 4 Jul 5:02PM

  19. PAULJUDD6, WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE .WHO WILL BE THE NEXT­ TOP NAME TO TURN HIS NOSE UP AT JOINING YOUR LOT?

    From TEVEZ, on Sat 4 Jul 4:23PM

  20. WELDER TO THE GENTRY. SEEM THE KNOWLEDGE YOUR FATHER­ HAD.DID,NT GET HIM .....FAR

    From TEVEZ, on Sat 4 Jul 4:21PM
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