This time last season, Rafa made what I think was the best signing of the summer by bringing back Sammy Lee to Liverpool as his assistant. Now this time round, he has made another very important signing, King Kenny Dalglish is now back!
Dalglish will assume a senior role at the Liverpool Academy and will also act as a club ambassador working with the commercial side of the business around the world.
Kenny’s role in the academy must be the most important role he is going to take up as he works alongside new Academy Director Frank McParland.
With the way the game is going and with all these crazy transfer fees being thrown around, I guess it is time for teams to be serious about their academies and rather groom players who in four or five years time could become starts for the first team and thus we would not need to go and spend millions in signing players.
One thing I really hope will change with Kenny’s arrival is seeing these players who come through the ranks getting a crack at first team football. Kenny is very knowledgeable about the game and I am sure he will know when a young player is ready for the first team or not. I have seen the likes of Darby, Spearing, Pacheco and Nemeth do well for the reserves and youth team but they have not been given a crack at regular first team football. Maybe they are not ready, I do not know. But if one person would know and would be able to tell Rafa, “Give this kid a chance” it is Kenny and that is why I am glad he is back.
I would have loved to see him back in the dugout.