100 Players
Who Shook The Kop – the groundbreaking series that had every Liverpool fan
talking back in 2006 – is set to return this summer, here's my top ten
countdown.
#2 - Kenny Dalglish
There can
only ever be one King and the man who's earned the right to sit on Anfield's
throne is Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish.
With a
delicate touch and the ultimate football brain, King Kenny is regarded by the
majority of Liverpudlians as the club's greatest ever player.
When he
joined in August 1977, it was hard to see how Bob Paisley's side could top
their first European Cup triumph of the previous season. But, with the highly
influential Dalglish in the team, the next 13 years brought untold riches.
Unlike many
Liverpool signings of the era, the Scotland international was already a
household name when he made the switch from Parkhead to Anfield. His deeds in
the green and white hoops of Celtic had made him one of the most sought-after
figures in British football and it required a record £440,000 fee to secure his
services.
Dalglish
was brought in to replace Kop idol Kevin Keegan, who'd moved to Hamburg earlier
that summer, though any fears he couldn't fill those illustrious boots were
quickly laid to rest.
The
Glasgow-born forward found the net seven minutes into his league debut against
Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park, and followed that with a goal on his first
appearance in front of the Kop as Newcastle were beaten 2-0.
Dalglish
slipped seamlessly into Paisley's all-conquering red machine and the new King
of the Kop crowned his first season by topping the club's goalscoring charts.
The most memorable of his 31 strikes came in the 1978 European Cup final
against FC Bruges at Wembley, a delicate dink over the keeper that clinched a
1-0 victory.
The move
south increased his profile dramatically, though Dalglish was never one to seek
the limelight and remained typically modest despite his new found superstar
status.
In 1979,
his talent was recognised by the football writers of England, who voted the
canny Scotsman their Footballer of the Year. The award was just desserts for a
player whose every touch made Kopites purr with delight.
A selfless
team player who brought others into play, Dalglish was an on-the-field visionary
who could spot openings that few, if any, of his contemporaries could see.
David
Johnson was the first grateful recipient of this in the late Seventies but it
was the King's strike partnership with Ian Rush that was to fire the Reds to
greater glory during the Eighties.
The club
may have had a new chief goalscorer, but Dalglish remained the man pulling all
the strings. If assists were recorded back then, he'd have been the first name
on everyone's Fantasy Football teamsheet.
A double
Footballer of the Year in 1983, he was without doubt the finest British-born
player of his generation and was rightly spoken about in the same breath as
Maradona, Zico, Platini and Rummenigge.
With the
ball at his feet, he was a pure genius - a contention backed up by footage of
just about every one of his 172 Liverpool goals. There's the aforementioned
European Cup winner, his sublime curlers at Highbury, Portman Road and
Goodison, a mazy dribble through the Man United defence at Maine Road, his
stretching volley in the League Cup final versus West Ham and title clinchers
against Tottenham and Chelsea.
Everyone
has their own particular favourite but the one common denominator in all the
above was the famous Kenny celebration: a quick turn with arms aloft and a
beaming smile that would have lit up even the murkiest Mersey sky.
The Kop
hero-worshipped him like no other. Dalglish was the first name they sang and
many a bed sheet was converted into a homemade banner paying homage.
In the
aftermath of the Heysel Stadium disaster, the playmaker was a surprising but
popular appointment as player/manager.
Fears his
new role would result in more time on the touchline and less on the pitch were
initially unfounded. It was on his return to the side during the 1985-86 run-in
that Liverpool embarked on a winning streak that would see them clinch a
coveted league and FA Cup double. How fitting it was at Stamford Bridge when
Dalglish 'the player' scored the goal that secured the title.
Inevitably,
his appearances became fewer and fewer over the next few years but there was
still the odd flash of brilliance as the master sought to teach his
apprentices.
What
Dalglish went on to achieve as Liverpool manager cemented his legendary status.
His double
in 1986 was followed by league titles in 1988 and 1990, with another
all-Merseyside Cup triumph in 1989.
Who knows
how many European trophies would have found their way back to Anfield during
this period had English clubs not been barred from continental competition?
It could be
argued that it took a decade for the club to recover from his shock resignation
in February 1991,
As well as
aiding the development of Liverpool's stars of the future, Dalglish also worked
in an ambassadorial role helping develop the commercial side of the business
around the globe.
But in January
2011, at the age of 59, he was positioned back at the Anfield helm by new
owners Fenway Sports Group almost two decades after his resignation, assuming
an interim position as Reds boss following the departure of Roy Hodgson by
mutual consent.
Liverpool
had endured a difficult campaign until that point, but Dalglish's impact was an
instant one as the team quickly ascended from the lower reaches of the table in
to the top half.
Even the
deadline-day departure of Fernando Torres to Chelsea could not dampen the
optimism reverberating around Anfield as Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll arrived
to replace the out-going Spaniard.
The Reds
were once again playing with a confidence and belief - as demonstrated by their
outstanding showing in a 3-1 Anfield victory over Manchester United in March -
and just under four months after being appointed until the end of the season,
Dalglish and his assistant Steve Clarke were handed permanent three-year deals.
Ultimately,
Liverpool would narrowly miss out on Europa League qualification on the final
day of the campaign as they finished in sixth place, but the progress made both
on and off the pitch since the turn of the year was clear for all to see.
That
summer, Dalglish brought in seven players as he attempted to restore the Reds
back into contention for Champions League qualification.
However,
despite a series of impressive displays in the league, Liverpool were unable to
turn performances into results and finished the campaign in eighth position.
The team
had no such problems in the cup competitions, though, as Dalglish steered his
side to a Carling Cup success over Cardiff City at Wembley, ending the club's
six-year wait for silverware and securing a return to European football for
2012-13.
Liverpool
also reached the FA Cup final, where they narrowly lost out to Chelsea, however
it was the league form which ultimately led to the announcement he would part
company with LFC.
Dalglish
departed Anfield on May 16, 2012 - just under 46 years since he first pitched
up at Anfield for his trial.
He may not
have decided to sign on that August afternoon in 1966, but what the King would
go on to accomplish as both a player and manager for Liverpool Football Club
may never be matched again.
However,
time may prove that unifying the club and providing the Reds with a solid
footing to move forward into a new chapter with owners Fenway Sports Group
could turn out to be his greatest achievement of all.
Previous
Clubs:
Glasgow Celtic.
You can get
involved now by casting your vote of what you consider to be the 10 greatest
players in this club’s illustrious history. http://www.liverpoolfc.com/100pwstk
No comments:
Post a Comment