by Chris Tobin
The sixteenth day of May 2012 is a date which will go down in Liverpool Football Clubs illustrious history – maybe a turning point for FSG Liverpool’s owners also. For many supporters of the club, at this moment it remains far too raw and sad a moment to really comprehend in a true context – where once again owners who are not greatly perceived as footballing people, have chosen to dispense with the services of another Liverpool manager.
Only time and history will tell us indeed how important this day will become, where the master plan was born or if on throwing out the dirty water, the owners have inadvertently chucked away the baby.
Like many fans of a certain age, I would be completely loathing of the conclusion that FSG came to in their review of Liverpool’s lacklustre season – a complete overall of the club with the departures of not only Dalglish but previously four senior members of staff, all of whom were chosen by FSG.
It would remind me of a similar day, in different circumstance in February 1991 – remembering how I had written my feelings in my diary all those years ago. I would head for the attic and dig my way through many an old suitcase in pursuit of such diary.
22-02-1991
The most unbelievable day, cannot quite put into words how I feel right now. You know when you think things will always be the way they are, those constant things in your life that truly make you happy – mainly because they never change, they never disappoint you, as reliable as to never ever let you down.
Kenny Dalglish the Liverpool manager has quit – I am gutted, shocked, stunned I actually feel like someone has died. When Sarah [my girlfriend] picked me up earlier, I was so emotional I cried. She has never seen me cry, she said it scared her…wow. I actually have not seen me cry for a while either two years ago probably and Hillsborough and all that s**t at Sheffield and the days after – cried out I suppose.
It’s funny , always Liverpool making me cry – it is a bastard of a club for that, always made me cry when I was younger even though we always won I couldn’t take losing. Plus I was a mardy kid.
Dalglish looked like he was gonna cry at the press conference – that got me going. He looked like he did at the funerals, sad and sombre, really like someone had died. Maybe he just feels it like we feel it. For me somebody has bloody died.
God I f**king felt sorry for the man – I f**king love that guy. I suppose I forgot he has a family and pressures all of his own – we don’t own him at all, he does not belong to us. He said he had pushed himself to the limit – Kenny as a person had. We are proper in the s**t now without The King.
Managing us lately would be enough to make anyone jump ship – woeful defending against the bluenoses again – it’s all too much.
Really pissed me off how the reporters kept trying to interrupt him while he was talking, clearly it was difficult for the man. Hate them.
Hillsborough has done for him, that you can see. My Dad said he should have gone away after that, looks like it’s caught up with him now – I don’t think we will ever see him again, he will just slip away from football. I hope I am wrong.
Then another bit of me thinks good on you Kenny don’t come back go and enjoy yourself. God I am mental today, I don’t mean that.
I feel bloody emotional even writing this s**t, tears in my eyes – I don’t think anyone else understands. My Dad was shocked but differently; he says Dalglish will be back in a month or so, but people are saying we will get Alan Hansen as manager or Toshack.
Anyway I don’t want to talk about this anymore – just making me down right sad – not like you understand anyway do you.
Goodnight diary.
Those were the exact words from the day Kenny left us in 1991 – twenty one years later and seven managers; we have not managed to capture the somewhat elusive title in all those years. Kenny Dalglish leaving Liverpool in 1991 has had a huge bearing on the club – HUGE.
Those people who asked for his head, and our American owners who provided it – had better be very careful that they have not just set us back where we once again find ourselves on a windy day in February 1991 with another fruitless twenty years ahead of us.
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