Photo quality is terrible but just went to fish this out my draw, it's my autograph from Kenny Dalglish when i met him in the Molineux boardroom last year! :)...
With the humiliating defeat to Merseyside rivals Everton, a home defeat to Blackpool and an embarrassing loss at home at the hands of bottom side in the league at the time - Wolverhampton Wanderers, well it was no surprise that Roy's time was coming to an end.
A highlight perhaps of some of his achievements are only really an unbeaten run in the early stages of the Europa League and a home victory over Chelsea. Fair play to Hodgson for his time here and i do wish him all the best because i'm not some sort of bitter fan who will do my utmost to continue a disliking for our ex manager. I wish Roy all the luck and hope he finds a more suitable role in the near future.
Roy Hodgson perhaps shouldn't shaft all the blame of course because we've all seen how poor some of the squad players have been this season however i do still think that some of these poor performances fall down to the fact that they weren't happy and didn't want to play for Roy Hodgson.
Hodgson's replacement is none other than the King himself, Mr Kenny Dalglish. I would be amazed if there is a fan out there who is totally against his appointment until the end of the season, of course people will have their niggling doubts and questions but the fact is, most if not all Reds would rather see us sink with a legend in charge who instructs attacking football and knows what the fans want, rather than being defensive with a distanced manager who appeared to have no idea what the fans wanted.
Critics and sceptics are already pulling up the example of Alan Shearer and Newcastle United, but quite simply this is defunct. Shearer had no experience whereas Kenny has bags. Perhaps a comparison to his old friend Kevin Keegan? But again i personally don't feel it's a valid example because without meaning to offend Mr Keegan, his level of management compared to Dalglish's in the game is below par.
Other people are saying that Dalglish's time out of the game will be detrimental and he'll be out of touch. I've always in any case of a manager or even a good player coming back into the game stood by the fact that this theory is utter rubbish. None more so i feel in the case of Kenny Dalglish.
You don't as a football manager come out of the game and suddenly stop caring or keeping up to date. Not to mention his reintroduction into the team of Liverpool staff recently, he's always been close to the club, at Anfield, at Melwood, he knows some of the local lads and players, he's got the knowledge and i have no doubt he can apply his plan of action on top of this to steady Liverpool until the end of the season.
With his first game being an away trip to Old Trafford in the FA Cup and him only having just over a day to prepare, well it would be a tough task for anyyone. Let's face it, we didn't realistically fancy our chances this time yesterday or even this time last week so we should remain in that mindset but i can't help but feel just the reemergence of a man that thrived off battering sides like Ferguson's and wiping their grins of their faces, will spur the lads and definitely the fans on.
The likes of Reina and Fernando Torres who have been here a while and done their duty in terms of learning about the history of the club will no doubt know who Kenny Dalglish is, i feel somebody like Torres who at the moment is struggling will most certainly benefit from the presence of a player who was rated in a poll by Four Four Two as the Greatest Ever British Striker, if that doesn't inspire the Spaniard to put one in the United net tomorrow nothing ever will.
All in all i think it's safe to say this is most definitely a move forward for Liverpool FC. Yes we may be playing it dangerously by literally chasing a dream and making this into a fairytale with a legend at the helm and new owners in place but i think after some horrible weeks and months for Liverpool fans it is time to smile and be optimistic...
Kenny, welcome back!
(Link to article i did here at The Liver Bird on Kenny Dalglish - here)