Getting down to business: Five tasks for Kenny Dalglish to get Liverpool back on track
Kenny Dalglish has finally secured a long-term deal at Anfield, but the long process of turning Liverpool around has only just begun. Here are five areas that need attention...
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First things first: Kenny Dalglish has a big task ahead of him if he is to recapture the glory of his last spell at Liverpool Photo: GETTY IMAGES
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Target: Marseille's Andre Ayew Photo: Reuters
By Rory Smith 8:10AM BST 13 May 2011
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1. CUT THE DEAD WOOD
Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool's owners, have made it clear quite how shocked they were by the club's bloated wage bill - more than £100 million a year - and have made their intention to get better value for money clear, so Dalglish's first task this summer will be to find new homes for Anfield's mongrel reserves.
Joe Cole will be the highest profile exile, but Milan Jovanovic, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Alberto Aquilani, Nabil El Zhar, Paul Konchesky, Fabio Aurelio, David Ngog, Christian Poulsen, Philipp Degen and possibly even Daniel Agger, due to increasing concern over his injury problems, will join him.
2. REVAMP THE SQUAD
Dalglish will be tasked with working alongside Damien Comolli to fill the gaps left by that clear out, but it is FSG who will set the guidelines. The Americans' policy is based loosely on an economically viable version of Real Madrid's Cracks y Pavones, big stars on substantial wages supported by younger, cheaper squad men.
As many as eight signings are being targeted, with Bolton's Gary Cahill, Lyon's Dejan Lovren and Newcastle's Jose Enrique the most likely defensive reinforcements, two wingers - Ashley Young, Andre Ayew of Marseille and Sylvain Marveaux of Rennes - a central midfielder, possibly Feyenoord's Georginio Wijnaldum, and a striker expected to arrive.
3. IGNORE THE POLITICS
Much of the talk yesterday was of the unity that Dalglish has brought to Liverpool, hardly a surprise given the factionalism which has riven the club over the last three years.
The presence of the Scot, an old-style dictatorial manager, and Comolli seems a combustible one, but Dalglish has made it clear that the club is the most important thing.
If that is anything but empty posturing, he must resist the temptation to become embroiled in power struggles. Rafael Benitez, Tom Hicks, George Gillett, Rick Parry and Christian Purslow could not: none survived, and it was Liverpool left to deal with the consequences.
4. BUILD IN THE OWNERS' IMAGE
Short of banning Boris Johnson from Liverpool's city limits, FSG could not have done much more to make themselves popular in their eight months on Merseyside. But this is no group of free-styling demagogues: John Henry and Tom Werner have a plan, and they will have appointed Dalglish not for nostalgia, but because they believe he is the best man to implement it.
His links to the club's Academy were vital in securing him the job, and he must continue to stick to the path they believe will bring success. If not, they are not afraid to act swiftly and ruthlessly.
5. MANAGE THE EXPECTATIONS
Dalglish's success in turning around Liverpool's fortunes since January has been remarkable, but to an extent he is creating a rod for his own back. Liverpool remain some distance from a Premier League title challenge, and a busy summer is hardly the ideal way to prepare for one.
In the last five months, he has worked miracles in as close to a pressure-free environment as football can manage; few could have plumbed the depths Roy Hodgson did. Next season he will not be afforded the same luxury. The Kop will expect; Dalglish must remind them that even Messiahs require time.
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