Premier League Special Report: King Kenny and the LFC love affair
For now, it’s being called a match made in heaven but such has been Liverpool’s luck in recent times that everything associated with them is just doomed. Be it Rafael Benitez, Roy Hodgson, Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres or Joe Cole, such
has been their luck or you may as well call it bad luck that they just don't remain the same anymore.
The latest drama in the ongoing Liverpool saga is the appointment of King Kenny as the manager of the club. There is no denying the fact that Kenny Dalglish has a special place in Liverpool folklore and is a true club legend after he guided
the Merseyside club to three European titles as a player and as a coach from 1977 to 1991. But this time, he has returned to the fore in circumstances way beyond his comprehension.
He has inherited a squad from Roy Hodgson that is miserably lacking self confidence and although they might be very good players but cannot perform as a cohesive unit.
Roy Hodgson’s recent signings have all been big flops, be it Raul Meireles, Christian Poulsen or Paul Konshesky. None of them have lived up to their reputation and have only added to Liverpool’s wage bill, nothing else.
‘They certainly don’t make messiahs anymore, at least not the way like they used to’ was the message conveyed by some United fans in King Kenny’s first game at Old Trafford. United fans may be right, King Kenny may be in for his humiliation,
as of now he is a Liverpool legend, a cult hero but the only way for him is to go down as he can't get Liverpool to win the title from where they are now. Even qualifying for Europe will be a huge achievement given their current circumstances. So, why would
King Kenny even bother to take charge of a team that is on a downward spiral?
If Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League once again this season, Fernando Torres will not be at Anfield come next season. Even an ardent Liverpool fan cannot argue with this fact. Same can be said about Steven Gerrard, if captain
commendable has to win anything he has to move away from the Kop.
So, with the situation as dire as it currently is at Liverpool, was it a wise decision to take over the role of the manager? Perhaps not, but logic always takes a back seat in the matters of heart. Such is the romance between king Kenny and
the Liverpool fans that he did not even think twice when he was offered the job while he was sitting at the bar of a cruise ship in the middle of the Mediterranean. He got the cruise to make an emergency stop, took the next flight home and was at the Melwood
training ground very next morning.
Such is the love and affection of the man for his club and if anything that can prove to be vital in turning things around at the club, if they can in fact be turned around.
Liverpool have a new set of owners and a new manager who has unconditional support of the fans with him. The reception that he received at Old Trafford on Sunday was a glaring testament to the love and affection LFC fans have for him. The
support that he has been given in 6 days of joining the club, Roy Hodgson could not muster in 6 months.
Perhaps Liverpool’s driving force this season will be based on this new found love but the job at hand is not an easy one. The fans, owners and the manager all know this but for now it is happy times for Liverpool.
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