SOCCER:KENNY DALGLISH has hailed the managerial structure installed at Liverpool by Fenway Sports Group but cautioned it will take years before its work in the transfer market can be judged a success.
FSG, Liverpool’s owners, promoted Damien Comolli to director of football and Ian Ayre to managing director last month and Dalglish is working closely with Comolli to identify targets despite not being appointed permanent manager as yet.
Comolli and Ayre were at Ewood Park on Monday night to monitor Blackburn Rovers’ coveted central defender Phil Jones against Manchester City and they presided over the signings of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez in January, although the Uruguay striker had been on Liverpool’s agenda since the final year of Rafael Benitez’s reign.
Dalglish believes whoever is in charge at Liverpool can operate alongside a director of football but, with the club having been held back by transfer mistakes in recent years, he also says it will take more than the Suarez and Carroll deals to prove the merits of the partnership on transfers.
“The structure is great now with Ian as managing director and Damien as director of football,” the Liverpool manager said. “We said at the time they were two great appointments by the club. As for transfers, it remains to be seen. We have Andy and Luis in and they have done very well but it is only two.
“We need to wait a few years before we judge it but certainly they are two positive appointments.”
Dalglish believes Liverpool will witness further improvement in Suarez and Carroll next season. “Most players are better after a pre-season with their new club and that will apply to Andy and Luis next year,” he said.
Those plans are in jeopardy due to international commitments, however, with Stuart Pearce determined to take Carroll to the European Under-21 Championship in Denmark in June and Suarez heading for the Copa America in Argentina in July.
“Luis will be away until July 24th if Uruguay get to the final,” he said. “It’s not helpful but there’s nothing we can do about it and we just have to get on with it. The competition is there and it’s a huge event for the South Americans and we’ve got to respect that.”
Carroll trained yesterday as he attempts to overcome a knee injury in time to face his former club Newcastle United at Anfield tomorrow, while Liverpool have denied reports in Belgium of a €23 million bid for the young Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku, a Chelsea target.
Jamie Carragher will make the 665th appearance of his 14-year Liverpool career against Newcastle, a landmark that puts him joint second in the club’s all-time list alongside Emlyn Hughes and Ray Clemence, behind Ian Callaghan who made a remarkable 857 appearances.
