Dalglish signs 3-year deal at Liverpool

Liverpool Football Club has this afternoon confirmed the news we’ve been wanting to hear for 20 years – Kenny Dalglish is permanent manager of the club again.

Dalglish has put pen to paper on a three year deal with new owners John Henry and Tom Werner so impressed at the team’s remarkable turnaround in fortunes in his caretaker stint that they flew over to Merseyside to seal the deal this morning.

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In addition, coach Steve Clarke has also agreed to stay at the club after masterminding the return to form of several players at the club.

Principal owner Henry said of the news, “Kenny is a legendary Liverpool figure both as a supremely gifted footballer and successful manager. Since returning in January he has shown extraordinary leadership and the ability to bring the best out of so many people associated with the Club. It was obvious to us very early on that the atmosphere surrounding the Club had been transformed by his presence. No one else could have produced such a response. Therefore, I’m delighted we have agreed to a new contract. We didn’t need nor want to look elsewhere for the right man to manage the team.

“Working closely with him, we’ve seen first-hand his love for the Club and his determination to do whatever is necessary to produce a winning side again. He has a unique relationship with our supporters and embodies everything that is special about the Liverpool way of doing things. Liverpool enjoys a global standing within the sport, but having Kenny in the dug-out will help us in our efforts to bring the best available talent to the Club as we continue to move the club forward.”

Dalglish himself spoke of his delight at the contract, which he sees as a reward for all staff at the club and their efforts to transform the club over the last four months.

He said, “I said when I took the job on in January that I was just happy to help the Club out for the remainder of the season. Now the owners have decided in their wisdom that they want me to stay a little longer and it’s fantastic news for both myself and Steve Clarke that we have signed these contracts. Both John and Tom have taken their time to assess what was best for the football club and bring in the people they wanted to take the Club forward. They are both winners, but understand what the supporters want from a Liverpool side and the way that we should go about things. This is a unique football Club and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to help build something special here again.

“I want to salute the efforts of all the players as they have been fantastic and thank everyone at the Club for the welcome they have given me since I returned in January.

“I also want to pay tribute to Steve Clarke’s input since we started working together as he has brought great experience and knowledge to the role. The players enjoy the training sessions, understand their relevance to our actual football games and have responded brilliantly.”

Long live the King!