Fenway Sports Group today took the decision to sack Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool manager after a meeting earlier this week in Boston.
The two time Liverpool manager returned to the helm after Fenway sacked Roy Hodgson in January 2011. Despite salvaging last season and finishing 6th, and taking the club back to Wembley three times this season (winning the first trophy in six years in the process) it appears that Fenway believe that Liverpool's squad was good enough to finish much higher, and Dalglish has paid the price for an 8th placed league finish.
Steve Clarke, assistant manager, is understood to be considering his position.
Fenway Sports Group's meek statement said:
"After a careful and deliberative review of the season, the club came to the decision that a change was appropriate.
"Results in the Premier League have been disappointing and we believe to build on the progress that has already been made, we need to make a change."
Meanwhile Kenny himself said:
"I am disappointed with results in the league, but I would not have swapped the Carling Cup win for anything as I know how much it meant to our fans and the club to be back winning trophies," said Dalglish.
"It has been an honour and a privilege to have had the chance to come back to Liverpool as manager.
"Whilst I am obviously disappointed to be leaving, the matter has been handled by the owners and all concerned in an honourable, respectful and dignified way and reflects on the quality of the people involved and their continued desire to move the football club forward."
Liverpool will be set to announce their fourth manager in a little over 2 years - a remarkable turnaround in managers who only had four managers in the space of 31 years from Shankly to Dalglish.
Off the field, Fenway have allowed a ridiculous situation to develop. The club now not only has no manager , but no Director of Football, no Communications Chief, no Chief Executive and seemingly no further forward on a new stadium despite Fenway's 18 months in charge.
The men who love their baseball appear to be showing an alarming lack of knowledge of football.
Awful decision by FSG. No DoF, No Boss, No Lawyer, No director of comms. Is anybody actually doing anything at Anfield right now? Now’s the time we should be sounding out agents and players for possible moves, but as usual we’re miles behind our rivals. Next season already a write off as a result of FSG knowing nothing about the game. We will become like Newcastle, Spurs, Villa and all those other directionless clubs that chop and change personnel each year. Third manager in 4 seasons is embarassing.
look out for louis van gal as the new manager
that was the best thing to do
Thanks for the memories Kenny but your efforts and signings were simply not good enough. You may have spent only £35 million net on complete flops but defeats to teams fighting relagation who spent hardly anything meant the writing was on the wall.
You’ll always be a massive hero at Liverpool FC but we’ll make no progress if we let emotion get in the way. Kenny was a great player and his first spell as our manager was brilliant though that team was built by Paisley followed by Fagan. Even a child could have managed such a well oiled machine.
Having been out of the game for 20 years Kenny’s tactics were outdated so please take your sarcastic sense of humour and funny one liners to a circus or pantomime where it will be highly appreciated. Sorry for being so cold but the truth kis often a bitter pill to swallow.
yes, and the fact kenny didnt know his best 11 just like avb says a lot… after all when avb was fired chelsea was way ahead of liverpool in the league
So Barnes, Beardsley, Aldridge, Houghton, over a third of the most exciting Liverpool team ever produced (1987 – 88) were signed by Fagan and Paisley were they? You talk tosh pal and should check your facts first.
Let me guess, you want ‘Joe Champ Manager’ to be next boss.
You’re talking mince pal!. I didn’t say Kenny in his first spell didn’t sign decent players mentioning none of the one’s you’re on about so it’s you who needs to see an optician. By and large it was still the Paisley and Fagan philosophy that he took over from.
People like you will continue to live in the past but obviously the owners agree with me so rightfully sacked him, deal with it! Not once but throughout the season we’ve been regularly humiliated by relegation threatened teams. Almost 40 points behind the champs Kenny believes we had a good season.
His signings were also terrible but again he tries to justify the likes of Hendo and Adam!. Kenny the player was awesome but as manager is vastly overrated which is why Newcastle and Celtic also sacked him.
Realistically speaking i would like to see Frank Rijkaard or Guus Hiddink if available as our next boss. Two classy managers with experience.
sick he was not givin a enough time the owners are muppets the treatment of a true legend was appalling and a travesty because of there actions liverpool football club are a club going nowhere Goodbye and Goodluck King Kenny You will never walk alone BUT JOHN W HENRY and FENWAY SPORTS GROUP WILL WALK ALONE FOREVER
enf time to take the club to the levels of roy hodgson….???
.
Appoint Luis Van Gaal as DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL.
Appoint Frank Rijkaard as LIVERPOOL MANAGER.
SIGN:
Higuain (Striker)
Ibrahim Affaley (Right Winger)
Eden Hazard (Playmaker)
Kagawa (Left Winger)
Lucas Biglia (Defensive Midfielder)
Yes, I agree with both in the management posts, both did it at Barcelona and put
the foundations in for Pep Guardiola! Can’t see Hazard or
Higuain coming the others are possible if we get a big name manager.
none of the above mentioned players will go to a club without CL … so lets sort out first
Get jose mourinio
Liverpool is turning into FSG own Vietnam! They thought they could do some good but are beginning to make a pigs ear of it now! To many casualties who is running the club now? How can a young manager be any good with little experience of what it is like to manage a club like Liverpool, with no backroom staff with any experience or knowledge of Liverpool to help them?
Think man utd happy now, this was there hidden agenda re saurez incident. If saurez had played those 9 games might have got much higher in the league.
Just heard that Clarke and Ayre have gone too Touch of the Venkies going on
Turning into the Hicks/Gillett saga again Fenway showing their true side.