What Does This Mean?

We all woke up to the news that Damien Comolli was tail lights back to France today, and while I always thought that was a possibility, I'm still having trouble figuring out what it all means. What we do know is that the Continental system, that of a manager and a director of football, has never flown in England (unless you work for a Russian oligarch and he just forces Shevchenko on you). This would be the latest example.

I have to say, the first thing I thought was that this paves the way for Liverpool and FSG to hire a manager in the summer. Because what I feared was that if the owners thought Kenny Dalglish had to be moved aside, which he very well might, no manager was going to take a post where he didn't have complete say in transfers and the direction of the club. It's what drove Rafa Benitez out (and lately I've been fantasizing about bringing him back), and any other candidate would feel the same way. Does it mean that? Hard to say that when FSG came out today and threw all their weight behind Dalglish. But what else are they going to say days before an FA Cup semifinal which could help save the season? "Yeah, we're not sure about him but we'll see where it goes?" Doubtful.

But then Kenny's comments after the announcement that it was he who was in charge of all transfers clouds things. If so, what did Comolli do? And if Comolli was canned because of the failure of some of the transfers, and now Kenny's claiming them, then hasn't he just put himself on the chopping block as well? I was never sure who was in charge of bringing these players in in the summer, and I guess now I know? Maybe?

It all just leads to more questions though. Are FSG going to toss Dalglish more money after a summer that was dodgy at best? Was he really just a partner and now he gets a crack at doing it all himself? Or have the skids just been greased to push him out?

For me, Kenny should only be punted if FSG have identified a revelatory manager to come in and replace him. While there are a fair few candidates, you're not going to move Kenny along to bring in a Roberto Martinez or the like. Moving Comolli out makes the job more attractive to a top manager who'll get his say, but the club still has some problems that could be awfully frightening to them as well.

Today's firing is definitely a step in some direction. I just don't know which direction that is and if it's the right one or not.