Kenny deserved more time - McDermott

16 May 2012 19:47

Former Liverpool player Terry McDermott believes Kenny Dalglish was not give enough time in his second stint at the club and has warned against replacing the fan favourite with an inexperienced manager.

McDermott, who played with Dalglish at Anfield and was on his coaching staff at Newcastle, was dismayed by his friend's sacking by the club's American owners Fenway Sports Group.

He accepts Liverpool's position of eighth in the Barclays Premier League was not good enough but felt Dalglish's much-criticised transfers would have started to pay dividends next term. "It's a big call. I think they've pulled the trigger at least six months too early," he told Sky Sports News.

"A Liverpool person, or a person who knows about football, would have kept Kenny at least until Christmas but people who don't know as much about football maybe came to this decision. To do it now, I think, is the wrong thing."

The likes of Wigan boss Roberto Martinez and Swansea's Brendan Rodgers are among the early favourites to replace Dalglish, but McDermott was quick to warn FSG away from elevating a younger manager.

"They've got to have someone in mind who is going to take over the mantle," he said.

"They have to be to be top notch. It's no good bringing a rookie in because then it's another two or three years while he beds in and brings his own players. It's got to be a real top quality Mourinho-like (manager). Maybe not Mourinho but someone like that who has seen it and done it."

Another former Liverpool man, John Scales, was surprised by Dalglish's departure but was more understanding of FSG's motivations in making the decision.

"I'm shocked and stunned that Kenny's left Liverpool," Scales told Sky Sports News.

"But having said that, Liverpool have fallen well short of their targets in the Premier League this season. They were almost 40 points behind the two Manchester clubs and it has been a difficult season for Dalglish. There were question marks over the players that came in, question marks over the way the team played and their poor home record didn't help either."

Source: PA