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Our Verdict: Give Him The Job

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We can be a reference
We can be a reference


Not that we're any kind of authority, but this is the first issue to be solved as the restructuring to next season begins, and the official Asylum position is that Kenny Dalglish should be brought on full time, but on no more than a two year contract.

Back when this debate first started, a mere six games or so after Kenny took over, there was a large clamoring to sign him up then. However, I took the position that there had to be no rush to this. Kenny wasn't going to manage another club, we needed a larger sample size, there were tests to be administered, and more. There was no reason to not wait until the end of the season.

So what have we learned? The biggest thing is that Kenny has re-instilled heart into the team. The players never quit, and have pride back in their game. In the league, Kenny is not tactically outgunned either. He's gotten one over United, Chelsea, drew with Arsenal, and destroyed City. We've seen Liverpool float from three at the back to four at the back, from a 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 and 4-2-2-2 and others as well. Clearly Kenny is not afraid to try new things, and experiment as well.

And one has to wonder how much of a tactic genius you have to be to ascend if you have the proper squad, as evidenced by Harry "Just go on and run around a bit" Redknapp grabbing a Champions League place. How much of his geniusness would Arsene Wenger trade for just a slice of the balls that Kenny has generated for Liverpool at Arsenal? It might be simply enough to get back into the Top 4 or higher.

Also we must look at what next season will be. Even if there is European football, it'll be a Europa League campaign that really no one will give a toss about. Everything will be about the league season. And while Dalglish didn't impress on the continental stage, that's not important next year. And Dalglish, for the most part, has proven that he can handle that. To boot that the world's burgeoning managers won't be clamoring to take a job with no European football, a still-limited though big transfer budget, and a team to be rebuilt.

And the players clearly love him. While the foreign players clearly never bought into Roy Hodgson, they have Dalglish. It might be destructive to ask everyone to buy into a third manager in a year. Added that some of the youngsters are getting a chance with the belief they can contribute, and this can only help. Granted, they've been the only option mostly but that they haven't looked out of place says something.

So why only two years? Well, chances are Kenny doesn't even want to be the long-term solution. He loves this club, wanted to get it out of the rut, but I highly doubt he wants the job for any longer than it takes to restore us to the top echelon. Secondly, Champions League football is coming in a year (hopefully), and Liverpool don't want to merely be in the competition, we want to win it. Is Kenny that guy? Unlikely. Perhaps a more experienced manager in European affairs will be required then. There will be some interesting candidates too next summer. Pep Guardiola's contract runs out, and he's clearly getting fed up with the bullshit that comes with Barcelona. Jose Mourinho is having the same problem at Madrid. You never know.

There are those who are here to restore, and there are those to finish. Kenny has proven, to me at least, that he can do the former. So let him.