Dalglish: I'm very proud to be back
Following the news that Kenny Dalglish had returned to Liverpool Football Club as a non-executive director, the Scot spoke to Liverpoolfc.com ahead of the Reds' clash with Crystal Palace.
It was announced on Friday that the 62-year-old accepted an invitation from owners Fenway Sports Group and LFC to join the club's board of directors with immediate effect.
Back at Anfield, where he previously played for the Reds and took the managerial reins on two separate occasions, Dalglish reflected on his return, the team's current form and how he will work with manager Brendan Rodgers.
Kenny, I guess it's a case of welcome home - how does it feel to be back?
I was very proud and privileged to have been asked to come back. John Henry and the members of the board invited me to become a non-executive director. It was a very proud moment and I'm delighted to be back. I feel a bit embarrassed because I've got one of the best seats in the house now to watch matches. I'll get that privilege for any game that I'm coming to. It's an honour to be back here and I'm very lucky to be back.
Talk us through the process of how it all came about...what was your immediate reaction when they made the offer to come back?
It just came about through John Henry asking that he would like to invite me onto the board. The process was quite simple. The most important person in me coming back was Brendan. The manager is more important than I am, and his position was more important to me than my position. You could fully understand if the manager wasn't in agreement with it. If he wasn't, he would never have known I'd been asked. So that was the most important thing for me, the fact that people within the club knew I was coming back and wanted me to come back and I wasn't standing on anybody's toes. If you're coming back to help the football club in any way, shape or form, if you can, you certainly don't want to come back to hinder.
You mentioned Brendan; have you discussed your role with him and will you have a working relationship with the manager?
We'll be in close proximity but Brendan is in charge of the team 100 per cent. It's nothing to do with me. I'm here to be of help to anybody; if he wants to have a conversation, I'm here to do as I'm told or asked to do, and that suits me fine.
On the team, you arrive at a time when there's a real feel-good factor around the club. What have you made of the performances in the early stages of the season?
Well, there's only one spot they'd rather be in than the one they're in at the moment and that's the one above them! They've had a very good start, three clean sheets in a row and then the defeat against Southampton a couple of weeks ago left a wee bit of a sour taste in the mouth, but they've got an opportunity to get back here and get their noses in front again. They've done well, but like everything it takes a bit of time to develop - but it looks promising for everyone at the moment.
You've spoken about how you feel to be back here, but what did your family and friends make of it when you told them you were heading back to your spiritual home?
They've always been supportive and always will be. They'll be as proud as I am at coming back here. You never get anywhere without the support of your family and they've been very supportive to myself. It's great for them. They've all got their own lives to get on with, they're adults now and all grown up, but they'll be pleased for their dad. Their mother wasn't too unhappy, either!
There has been a lot of positive feedback from supporters after the news emerged you would be returning to the club - what's your message to them today?
Obviously it's thanks very much for the support I've seen and I appreciate everything they've done for me, but the most important people for them to show their support to is Brendan and the team. They've got to support Brendan and the team because, at the end of the day, that's who we all come to watch. The greater the support we can give them, the more successful we'll be.