Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish in his own words
[LNB] TURNING DOWNBILL SHANKLY AT 15Shanks said: 'Kenny, we'dlike to sign you. We'll sendour Scottish representativeto see your mum and dad.' [LNB]On the train north, I thoughtover the offer but knew I wasreally too young to leave myparents, and I loved footballat my wee club, GlasgowUnited. [LNB]Signing for Liverpoolwould mean missingwatching Rangers everyweek, and I struggled toimagine a world withoutvisits to Ibrox. [LNB] Unthinkable: Kenny Dalglish rejected legend Bill Shankly when Liverpool first approached him[LNB]THE KOP Listening to this massedterrace choir, my heart fillswith regret as well as awe. [LNB]For all the hundreds of timesI performed in front of theKop, I never got to stand onit. [LNB]For those on the Kop, Ilived a dream they craved.Pulling on the No 7 shirt ofLiverpool was an honour Ifelt hugely but I envied thefans on the Kop for living thedream I desired. [LNB]If only Icould have joined them toshare the atmosphere,jokes, stories, camaraderie.Just once. [LNB] Red noise: Dalglish wishes he experienced the Kop[LNB]SCORING ON HISHOME DEBUT ATANFIELDI scored and my momentumswept me towards the Kop.I loved seeing and hearingthat explosion of joy. [LNB]Back inthe dressing room, I noticedmy team-mates producingsleek leather bags. [LNB]Debut day: Dalglish on his Liverpool debut in 1977[LNB]'Whathave you got there?' Ienquired suspiciously. Theysmiled. Out of those bagsspilled shampoos,hairdryers, all manner oftoiletries and after-shaves. [LNB]Anfield's dressing room wastransformed into a fancyhair salon, fragrances fillingthe air.'What have I done here?'I thought as they preenedaway like peacocks. [LNB]THE ANFIELD BOOT ROOMJust a cramped area, 10ft by10ft off a corridor near thedressing rooms, the BootRoom made an unlikelynerve centre. [LNB]Aftermatches Bugsy (RonnieMoran) and Joe (Fagan)would sit on metal skips,holding court. When visitingmanagers and coacheswere invited in for a drink,they usually acceptedgratefully, aware of thehonour. [LNB]They'd sip whiskyfrom an old glass, totallyunaware they had walkedinto an ambush. [LNB]Joe, Ronnieand Tom (Saunders) shouldhave worn masks, theystaged so many hold-ups. Information was extractedwith great subtlety.[LNB] 'You'rebuilding a good team there.Got any kids comingthrough?' [LNB]Joe would askvisiting managers. Withindays Liverpool scouts wouldbe checking out somepromising teenager. Mostmanagers fell for it. BrianClough didn't. He knew what they were up to. [LNB] Suited and booted: Liverpool's No 7 in the legendary Anfield Boot Room in 1985 with Ronnie Moran, Bob Paisley and Roy Evans (right)[LNB]BOB PAISLEYHe never got therecognition he deserved.Bob Paisley is the greatestmanager in the history ofBritish football. [LNB]Hisrelentless amassing ofsilverware justifies such astatement. In nine years,Bob won six titles, threeLeague Cups, the UEFA Cupand three European Cups. [LNB]Three European Cups and hecan't get a knighthood! MattBusby was knighted. AlexFerguson was knighted.Bobby Robson, God blesshim, was knighted. [LNB]So whywas Bob missed out? Ibelieve it was because henever promoted himself. [LNB] Top boss: Kenny Dalglish admires the silverware in the club's trophy room with manager Bob Paisley[LNB]RESIGNING AS LIVERPOOL MANAGER IN 1991Dealing with Hillsboroughtook a toll on me, physicallyand mentally. I can never saydefinitively that the tragedywas the reason for myresignation, but it played apart. [LNB]Stresses and strainsdogged me, tensing me up somuch that my body blew up inblotches. The nation'samateur psychologistssubsequently claimed it wasthe strain of the extraordinaryFA Cup tie against Everton thattipped me over the precipice.It wasn't.[LNB] My nerves wereshredded long beforeFebruary 20, 1991. But recallingthe see-saw sequence of thatmatch is distressing. Liverpoolkept taking the lead butEverton kept equalising. [LNB]It waslike watching a car crash andnot knowing whichemergency service to callfirst. When Digger (JohnBarnes) made it 4-3, I thoughtjob done. [LNB]'Let's shut up shop,' Isaid to Ronnie (Moran). [LNB]'Let'sstick Jan (Molby) back tosweeper.' 'Hold on,' saidRonnie. 'Just leave it,' Ishrugged. [LNB]I should have putJan back there but I froze.After Everton made it 4-4, thedressing room storm went onaround me and I was there inbody but not mind. [LNB]Thefollowing morning I told theclub: 'I've had enough. I needa break. I just feel as if myhead is exploding.' [LNB] Look back in anger: Dalglish looked down in the dumps on the day he quit Liverpool[LNB]WAITING 20 YEARS TO BE OFFERED THE JOB AGAINAfter resigning I went toFlorida. If Liverpool hadasked me to carry on asmanager the moment Ireturned, I'd have jumpedat the chance because Ifelt my head had cleared. [LNB]Sadly, Liverpool neverasked. In 1993, I wasBlackburn manager when(Liverpool's) PeterRobinson asked me: 'Whenare you coming back,Kenny?'[LNB] 'Peter, you justhave to ask,' I replied. [LNB]Liverpool never phoned,though, and regret hasbeen my constantcompanion ever since.Anfield was home; EwoodPark never felt like home. [LNB]Robinson called me againtwo years later. 'We justwant to know if you'd beinterested in comingback,' he said.[LNB] I couldn'tget to the meeting fastenough. I sat down andPeter announced: 'Wedon't think the time'sright.' Never in my lifehave I felt such anger. [LNB] Stranger in your own home: Despite winning the Premier League with Blackburn - Dalglish says Ewood Park never felt like home[LNB]FERNANDO TORRESHis summers have been filled upwith Euro 2008, theConfederations Cup in 2009, andthe World Cup in 2010. People sayplayers get a rest when they areinjured but that's rubbish.[LNB] Hisunforgiving schedule suggestshis problems will continue and Ifear for him this season.[LNB] Fears: Kenny Dalglish is worried Fernando Torres is burning himself out[LNB] Extracted from MY LIVERPOOL HOME by Kenny Dalglish, published by Hodder & Stoughton at £19.99. © Kenny Dalglish 2010 To order a copy at £18 (p&p free), call 0845 155 0720.[LNB] Kenny Dalglish steps into the red...and admits he would love to walk on and on at Liverpool Steve Clarke: I couldn't turn down Kenny Dalglish and the offer to be Liverpool's No 2Time for a new chapter! Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool return has Anfield faithful buzzingKop that! King Kenny back at Anfield as Clarke is unveiled as his No 2[LNB][LNB] Explore more:People: Kenny Dalglish, Fernando Torres, Bobby Robson Places: Liverpool
