KENNY DALGLISH is to lead the search for Rafael Benitez’s successor as Liverpool manager, with Roy Hodgson and Martin O’Neill among the front-runners. Benitez accepted a severance payoff worth a maximum €7.2 million from Liverpool’s co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, yesterday, to end a six-year reign that polarised opinion at Anfield.
Dalglish, the revered former Liverpool player and manager and now club ambassador, will assist the managing director, Christian Purslow, in the pursuit of a manager who can restore Liverpool’s Champions League status on a limited budget and convince leading players such as Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano not to quit Anfield.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Liverpool over players and the future ownership of the club, with Hicks and Gillett struggling to find a buyer willing to meet their €721m-€961m price, Anfield officials insist they will not rush a decision and can install a long-term appointment.
The leading candidate at present is Hodgson, who has many admirers at Anfield with his European pedigree and recent success at Fulham. The 62-year-old former Internazionale, Switzerland and Blackburn Rovers manager is on a 12-month rolling contract at Craven Cottage and Liverpool are confident he would be receptive to their advances, despite insisting he was fully committed to Fulham after last month’s Europa League final defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Any approach to Aston Villa for O’Neill would be fraught with complications. The Villa owner, Randy Lerner, recently announced the 58-year-old would not be leaving the club for Anfield or any other destination this summer and the Midlanders’ stance has not altered.
Dalglish himself has also been mooted as a possible interim appointment, 19 years after the stresses of the job prompted his departure as Liverpool manager, but it is understood moves for Hodgson and O’Neill take precedence over what would be a remarkable return for the Scot.
Benitez’s departure was confirmed this afternoon following a further round of talks between Liverpool directors and the Spaniard’s agent, Manuel Garcia Quilon. The position of the former Valencia and now Liverpool manager was made untenable on Wednesday when, following negotiations between Benitez and the new club chairman, Martin Broughton, the Anfield board offered him a compromise fee of €3.6m to leave with immediate effect.
Under the terms of the five-year contract signed only last March, Benitez would have been entitled to €19.2m if sacked by Liverpool this summer. Instead, he agreed to go with an initial €3.6m severance payment plus the guarantee of a further €3.6m spread over future dates. It is unknown whether the outspoken critic of the financial restrictions in place at Anfield has signed a confidentiality clause as part of the deal, but Benitez is now free to take a job without Liverpool demanding a compensation fee.
Benitez could replace Jose Mourinho at Internazionale. The president of the reigning European champions, Massimo Moratti, yesterday insisted: “There is nothing new to add at this stage.” An Inter director, Gabriele Oriali, however, admitted Benitez is under consideration.
“Benitez has a certain affinity with Inter fans. He is very appealing to us,” Oriali said. “He has already given us great joy, namely the 2005 Champions League win against Milan. Who does not remember Istanbul? We like him a lot. But the decision will be made by our president.”
Liverpool insist there is no timescale on the process to install a replacement for Benitez, and Broughton claimed the decision to dispense with the coach stemmed from the disappointments of last season. “Rafa will forever be part of Liverpool folklore after bringing home the Champions League following the epic final in Istanbul,” he said, “but after a disappointing season both parties felt a fresh start would be best for all concerned.”
News of his departure provoked angry protests outside Anfield.
Benitez, who is on holiday in Sardinia, said: “It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts. I’ll always keep in my heart the good times I’ve had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager. Thank you so much once more and always remember: You’ll never walk alone.”
- Guardian Service
