Source: Daily_Mail
Time for a new chapter! Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool return has Anfield faithful buzzing
In the Liverpool branchesof Waterstone's, KennyDalglish's recent bookdoes not sit on theshelves of 'books thatwe recommend'. [LNB]Spacesthere are taken by tomesfeaturing such luminaries asX Factor winner Matt Cardleand two leather-clad cookscalled the Hairy Bikers. [LNB]The new Liverpool manager does,however, occupy a space on the'Scousers Who Dun [sic] Good'shelf and, indeed, another for'Local Stories You Will Love'. [LNB] Look who's back: Kenny Dalglish is all smiles on his return to Anfield[LNB]Despite the fact that Dalglish aScotsman is about as Scouse asYorkshire pudding, it seems thenation's favourite booksellers havepigeon-holed the 59-year-old justabout right. [LNB]Few, of course, havedone better during their time onMerseyside than King Kenny. Fewhave stories as fondly recalled. [LNB]Now after a break of 20 years it is his turn again. Yesterday, ona damp, dank day by the Mersey,Dalglish was centre stage in thisgreat old city once more. [LNB]Around the corner from Waterstone's,along St John's Street inthe splendidly designed new shoppinghub 'Liverpool One', Dalglishhas hurriedly been placed in primeposition in the official club shop. [LNB]Out of his depth: Roy Hodgson was sacked by Liverpool last week[LNB]As you walk in you cannot misshis souvenir box set. For the bestpart of £100, devotees can buy areplica shirt from 1985-86 alongwith a medal and a DVD of theLiverpool Double campaign hemasterminded. [LNB]Elsewhere in the store, otherreplica shirts from the 1978European Cup final for example already have the 'D-word' printedon the back.Win, lose or draw at home toEverton on Sunday, there is moneyto be made.[LNB] And why not? Liverpoolhave had it bad for too long.Watching Rafael Benitez carefullyand disastrously dismantle everythinghe had built was bad enough.Seeing Roy Hodgson thrashingaround out of his depth for sixmonths was just plain ugly. [LNB]A Liverpool Echo poll yesterdayrevealed that 85 per cent of votersbelieve Hodgson's time to be theworst in the club's history. Thosewho remember the 1950s maydisagree but the manner in whichLiverpool followers feel they havesuffered in recent times is clear. [LNB]Free thinkers among us mayquestion how far Dalglish can takeLiverpool. Will he be able to handlemodern players? Will he cope withbeing told what to do by footballdirector Damien Comolli? [LNB]Will hishead threaten to 'explode', as italmost did after the 4-4 FA Cupdraw with Everton that presagedhis resignation 20 years ago?All are pertinent questions.[LNB]Currently, though, the philosophyin Liverpool would appear to beblind faith. Certainly Alan, the taxidriver who took me from the AlbertPub opposite the Kop into the citycentre, had few doubts. [LNB]'The past couple of years havebeen pitiful,' he said with conviction.[LNB]'The fact that some peopleseem to think a 1-0 defeat atManchester United on Sunday wasrespectable says everything. Losingthere should never be seen asOK, whatever the score.[LNB]'It wasn'tin Kenny's day and it isn't now. Hewill understand that. There areplayers in our dressing room whodon't seem to know what playingfor this club means. [LNB]'By the end ofthis week I think they will.' [LNB] Glory days: Kenny Dalglish won the European Cup with Liverpool in 1978[LNB]The notion that Dalglish willspend this week knocking headstogether seemed a popular oneyesterday. [LNB]Certainly, there is afeeling on Merseyside that prideand self-respect have been allowedto slide away along with results inrecent times.The fact that Liverpool's playersmay not be good enough does notseem to have occurred to many. [LNB]Some fans I spoke to yesterday including Alan the cabbie seemed to think Dalglish canrocket Liverpool towards theChampions League places.[LNB]It is fanciful stuff but perhaps understandable. The last Liverpoolteam Dalglish built ifwe exclude some desperatelater signings played with aswagger. They were a dashinggroup and his re-emergencehas put the red half of the cityinto time-warp mode.[LNB]'It's obvious that we will lookback,' said Keith, a teacher,outside the Tate Gallery at theAlbert Dock later in the day.[LNB] Comeback to forget: Ryan Giggs' penalty was enough to condemn Dalglish to defeat on his first game back in charge of Liverpool [LNB]'There has been nothing for usto savour in recent times. Kenny's appointment hasgot us all a bit melancholy. Andwe don't always need muchexcuse for that around here.' [LNB]Along the way at the LiverpoolPictures store, the city'shistory tumbles from theshelves. Old black and whitesof The Beatles and city scenessit alongside modern watercolours,featuring Antony Gormley's'Men of Steel' sculpturesin the sea at nearby Crosby. [LNB]Interestingly, there are noDalglish images here. Nor inthe nearby Liverpudlian store.Instead, Liverpool FC are representedby reminders of theirChampions League triumph of2005 and, more tellingly,photos and images of the lateBill Shankly.[LNB] It is Shankly whois viewed as the father ofAnfield. He is revered above allothers.[LNB] Dalglish, though, is verymuch the favourite son.Back at Waterstone's ,Dalglish's book sits at No 12 inthe local bestsellers.[LNB] In thecoming weeks, he may expectsome upward movement. Boththere and in the BarclaysPremier League.[LNB] Kop that! King Kenny back at Anfield as Clarke is unveiled as his No 2Liverpool striker Babel charged by FA after Twitter attack on ref Webb Steve Clarke named Liverpool's new No 2 under Kenny DalglishMartin Samuel: Win some, lose some and Kenny Dalglish will hand Liverpool another crisis[LNB] Explore more:People: Rafael Benitez, Kenny Dalglish, Roy Hodgson, Antony Gormley Places: Liverpool, Tate Gallery
