The man to restore Liverpool to their former glories

Despite the disappointing Europa League elimination to SC Braga, Steve McManaman is certain that King Kenny is the man to restore Liverpool’s fortunes.

The 60-year-old Scot is in charge at Anfield until the end of the season but it is unclear as yet whether he will remain in charge thereafter.

It was Dalglish who gave the former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder his first team debut as an 18-year-old towards the end of his last spell at the club and McManaman wants to see his former gaffer re-installed on a permanent basis.

Speaking as the UEFA ambassador at the Bangkok leg of the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, McManaman said: “Who else can you name that is available at the moment that would be a more suitable candidate for the job on a full time basis than Kenny? There isn’t anyone.

“He knows the academy inside out as well as a host of players across Europe.

"Even when he wasn’t at the club, he could have told you everything you needed to know about each player in the academy, their strengths and weaknesses.

“This wasn’t a man who took time off and wasn’t involved in football. He was still heavily involved on a variety of levels and always has been and still is an expert when it comes to the knowledge of the game.

“He has unified the club and taken them from just outside the relegation zone to the lofty heights of sixth in the league.

“Back in January, when I spoke to people about Liverpool, everyone was moaning and asking what was happening at club. Now everyone seems happier and they know that the team is tick along.

“He has rescued a pretty average season really if you are a Liverpool fan. I think everyone knows that the Reds won’t win the league without significant investment but now everybody is walking around with a smile on their face and that’s down to King Kenny.”

As well as the huge upturn in form, there seems to be more stability at the club since Dalglish returned to the Anfield hotseat.

McManaman reckons that his former mentor has helped Liverpool Football Club to re-find its identity.

“Football has changed a lot in the 20 years since Kenny left. We now live in an age of scientists, doctors and dieticians but he has brought a lot of old school values back to the club.

“There are certain things that should be sacrosanct within the club and he understands that. The old boot room mentality of getting help and the Liverpool way, the things used to be done that had been lost over the years.

“The club started to have headlines splattered on both the front and back pages of the newspapers and that is not healthy.

“Being brought up with the boot room mentality with likes of Kenny, Ronnie Moran and Roy Evans, I felt that a lot of those old school traditions needed to be brought back and Kenny is the perfect man to do that.

Despite being pleased that Dalglish is bringing back some of the traditional ways, McManaman refutes any suggestion that his old boss is out of touch.

“Kenny brings a certain sensibility to the club but as much as he is an old school manager, you have to move with the times.

“Alex Ferguson has been in charge at Old Trafford for what seems like forever and there’s no way that he could be accused of being stuck in old ways.

“And it’s the same with Kenny, just look at the people he has got sitting around him on the sidelines. They are people who know about all of the latest technical advancements available to squeeze just another one-per-cent out of players.

“With the history and traditions of Liverpool there is still a time for the old school methods but there is no doubt that Kenny has moved along.

“In the 10 years he hasn’t been in management he certainly hasn’t stood still and he will embrace the old with the new now that he is back in charge.

“I am sure that he is definitely the right man to restore Liverpool Football Club to where they should be.”

The Trophy Tour

The schedule of the 2011 UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by Heineken is:

February 22 – 27: Kuala Lumpur

March 5 – 6: Penang

March 11 – 12: Kuala Lumpur

March 16 – 17: Bangkok

March 19 – 20: Chiang Mai

March 25 – 27: Kon Kaen

April 6 – 9: Seoul