OUTSIDE, in a rainswept Haymarket, the homeless were selling the Big Issue. Inside a London restaurant a recent addition to the army of jobless, and owner of a rather nice house at Southport, was promoting an even bigger issue.

Kenny Dalglish, late of Celtic, Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers, launched his autobiography yesterday just four weeks after ceasing to be the director of football at Ewood Park, a denouement which provides the 276 page book with a grumbling appendix.

Here Dalglish reiterates the explanation he gave at the time, namely that while holidaying in Spain he called the Rovers chairman, Robert Coar, to express reservations about the level of his involvement with the club, reservations which Blackburn shared.

"The title of director of football," Dalglish felt, "was a role with no authority and little guidance." Coar then informed him that "a letter had been sent to my home in Southport, saying our relationship had run its course."

Dalglish still feels Blackburn should have called him directly but adds that "I was ready to go because I wasn't getting enough job satisfaction.

This time Blackburn, managed by Ray Harford since Dalglish stepped aside after winning the championship two seasons ago have made a dreadful start. They are bottom of the Premier League with one point from six matches, a slump which has more to do with the £15 million transfer of Alan Shearer to Newcastle United than the departure of Dalglish.

Yesterday Dalglish kept faith with his recent colleagues. "Blackburn's present position doesn't give me any satisfaction," he insisted. "There was only disappointment about the way they went about terminating our agreement. That gives me no reason for any animosity towards the club."

Still only 45, Dalglish wants to be involved in football again but strictly on his terms. "You've got to know who you're working for first," he explained. "If you feel comfy with them then you'll do a better job, and I've always felt comfy with those I've worked for".

"I'm perfectly philosophical about things," he continued. "Not getting back into football management wouldn't break my heart so long as I could find something else I was comfortable with. But I'd have to trust the people I was working with, and if I couldn't do that then I won't have a job.

"I'd like to get a bit more knowledge on the coaching side of things. I'd like to educate myself there a bit more. At Blackburn my last job was more a consultant's role than director of football. It never worked out the way I imagined."

Dalglish continues to watch matches for pleasure and still takes notes. "I came back from holiday on a Tuesday (a week after his departure from Ewood Park) and that night I was away watching Preston play Crewe, just to see a game and note things for the future. You've got to keen abreast of events."