Honeymoon's over for Dalglish

DALGLISH AT LIVERPOOL

The Independent’s James Lawton thinks it is essential that King Kenny at least reminds us of what Liverpool used to be – and what they might just be again. In The Sun Ian Wright asks Kenny Dalglish why he didn’t help Roy Hodgson when he had the chance. H should have at least tried. In The Times Tony Evans believes Dalglish has come back to a very different Anfield from the one he arrived at in the summer of 1977. That was a time of massive optimism, this isn’t. The Daily Mail’s Matt Lawton says the romance is back at Anfield ut now Kenny must prove he is still King of The Kop. But The Guardian’s Kevin McCarra thinks Dalglish might well improve on the miserable results, yet the owners cannot afford sentimentality towards a club they bought for £300m.

DIVING THEO WALCOTT

In The Daily Express Mick Dennis says Theo Walcott should not be punished for admitting he dived to try to earn Arsenal a penalty.

QATAR WORLD CUP

In The Times Matt Dickinson says the Qatar 2022 World Cup began as a bad joke (surely no idiot would vote for football in a desert), became an injustice (what, 14 idiots?) and is now a scandal that will not go away.

HOME INTERNATIONALS

The Daily Telegraph’s Henry Winter thinks the plan to reinstate the Home Internationals is so misguided it is tempting to check whether some mischievous time lord has landed at the FA and that today’s date is actually April 1. English football needs the return of the Home Internationals as much as it needs the return of hooliganism.

QUOTE

‘Liverpool are reliant on a couple of star players and if they are out injured they have tended to struggle’ – Man Utd striker Michael Owen

Dalglish returns but what now?

DALGLISH BACK AT LIVERPOOL

In The Times Simon Barnes believes that a manager’s job is to get sacked. That’s why he is appointed in the first place. The Daily Telegraph’s Alan Hansen thinks Kenny Dalglish’s first task is to get some confidence back into striker Fernando Torres. In The Independent Stan Hey hopes that in taking this temporary position he must hope that some alchemical wisdom from his past will transform the warmth of his return, and the yearning of the fans, into something golden for both the team and the city. James Lawton wonders what took the Americans so long? Liverpool needed so much more than any old caretaker manager and no one could say they didn't get a little of it at Old Trafford yesterday when Kenny Dalglish responded to arguably the most desperate SOS in the history of football. Sam Wallace says owner John W Henry has to understand that this is not just a pliable junior coach who can be sent back to the academy once a new man has been found. This is Kenny Dalglish. And he is doing the job he has waited 20 years for. In The Daily Mirror Mark Lawrenson outlines a five-point plan to make Kenny a returning hero. The Sun’s Steven Howard believes Dalglish is the right man to steady the ship before a permanent appointment is made. In The Daily Express Bill Bradshaw says the King is back but whether he is long to reign is open to question.  The Daily Mail’s Martin Samuel thinks that bringing in Dalglish and scratching that itch really was the only solution, but it is not necessarily the end of the crisis at Liverpool.  The Guardian’s Richard Williams thinks the 1-0 defeat to Man United highlighted the weaknesses the new manager must correct.

CRICKET

The Guardian’s Kevin Mitchell thinks the T20 cash grab is proving costly to Australia’s Test prospects. Inward-looking Cricket Australia can learn lessons from England about keeping the short-form virus at bay. In The Daily Telegraph Geoff Boycott wants England to become the indisputable champions of all formats of the game.

RUGBY UNION

In The Daily Telegraph Brian Moore argues that Clive Woodward stands out as the best man for the new post at the RFU.

QUOTE

‘I've seen the replay and unless the rules have changed it is no penalty’ – Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish

England the new masters

THE ASHES

The FT’s Matthew Engel believes England have established a mastery over Australia that is unprecedented in the memory of almost anyone present in Sydney. In The Times John Woodcock says Andrew Strauss’s side are of an age, character and ability to fulfil their well-advertised ambitions. Simon Barnes highlights the fact that the current England set-up hold the belief  that is it is players who need to be ruthless, not management. The Independent’s James Lawton has been impressed with England’s embrace of competitive humility throughout the series.  Peter Roebuck believes Australia have been given a cricketing education. The Daily Mirror’s Ian Botham says England have been magnificent. This was a thumping series victory. It’s been a blast to watch. In The Sun England spinner Graeme Swann reveals that England’s new objective is to be the best team in the world. We can never relax, never settling for second best. The Daily Mail’s Martin Samuel argues that this England team has established an enduring legacy to those that follow. Nasser Hussain pays tribute to the retiring Paul Collingwood. He epitomised the change of attitude in English cricket. The Guardian’s Kevin Mitchell says Collingwood got out at the perfect time. The Daily Telegraph’s Simon Hughes argues that mastering the art of reverse swing has been the difference between the two attacks. 

HODGSON ON THE BRINK

The Sun’s man on Merseyside Phil Thomas thinks you could put God in the Anfield hotseat now and they’d only be a couple of places higher in the table. Steven Howard says Roy Hodgson has one and a half feet in the grave and he’s dug much of it himself. The Independent’s Ian Herbert thinks Liverpool owner John W Henry is creating a news vacuum that is making Hodgson’s position desperate. The Daily Telegraph’s Henry Winter points out that managers used to be for life. Now they are lucky to get past Christmas. The Guardian’s Paul Hayward says we are close to the moment when sackings become an official sport with their own television deal.

FOOTBALL

In The Daily Telegraph Alan Smith looks at where it has all gone wrong for Chelsea. Jim White believes Man City manager Roberto Mancini must learn to win trophies in style.

RUGBY UNION

In The Times Mark Souster says the departure of Rob Andrew as RFU director of elite rugby brings to an end one of the less glorious chapters in the union’s history. John Steele, the new chief executive, should be applauded for acting swiftly and making tough decisions that should have been taken years ago. The Daily Telegraph’s Mick Cleary thinks England have a long way to go yet to reclaim their former status. Steele, at the very least, kick-started that process on Thursday. The Guardian’s Shaun Edwards believes Twickenham should be wary of change for its own sake. The Daily Mail’s Chris Foy thinks Wasps’ match in Abu Dhabi represents a great step for the game.

Man City lack inspiration

ARSENAL 0 MAN CITY 0 – THE VERDICT

The Daily Mirror’s Oliver Holt wonders how a club that has spent £350m can be so lacking in inspiration. Man City were outplayed by Arsenal last night in the Emirates goalless draw. The Guardian’s Paul Hayward says City’s players may fight in training but they are becoming united on the pitch. The Sun’s Steven Howard believes money could still land Man City the title. In The Times Matt Dickinson argues that all Jack Wilshere and Arsenal need is a killer instinct. In The Daily Express Mick Dennis says Edin Dzeko’s £27m arrival demonstrates the limitless ambition and bottomless resources of Sheik Mansour. How Arsene Wenger could have done with such a striker last night. The Daily Mail’s Ian Ladyman says the result was another good one for Manchester United.

MANAGERS ON THE BRINK

The Sun and The Daily Telegraph both ask who will be first for the sack. West Ham’s Avram Grant, Liverpool’s Roy Hodgson, Chelsea’s Carlo Ancelotti or Aston Villa’s Gerard Houllier? In The Times Tony Evans says Liverpool need leadership and Hodgson is not applying it. The owners must not allow the club to sink any lower.

BECKHAM AND HARRY FOR ENGLAND

The Daily Mirror’s Oliver Holt thinks the plan to appoint David Beckham and Harry Redknapp as successors to Fabio Capello represents  a shaft of light in the darkness.

THE ASHES

In The Daily Mirror Ian Botham claims that Australia fielder Phil Hughes knew he didn’t take his ‘catch’ off Alastair Cook cleanly. He should have told the umpires it didn’t carry and got on with it. In The Times Ed Smith argues that technology does not make moral arguments redundant. It intensifies them. The Independent’s James Lawton thinks we are better to have flawed technology than the cynical appeals of old. The Daily Mail’s Nasser Hussain says it was pathetic that only Michael Hussey had the class to applaud Cook’s century. Martin Samuel thinks Cook’s 36 hours at the crease in the series have been the most crucial factor in retaining The Ashes. The Daily Telegraph’s Geoffrey Boycott thinks Ian Bell was out caught behind yesterday, he was lucky but we should not blame the technology. The Guardian’s Vic Marks thinks Ian Bell is ready to move up to No5 on the batting order.

QUOTE

‘I am not prepared to talk about that because I am depressed enough with the performance and result.’ - Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson when asked about his future after last night’s defeat to Blackburn.

Give Beckham FA role, says Samuel

FOOTBALL

The Daily Mail’s Martin Samuel thinks that when David Beckham has finished playing he should be given his own office at the FA and whatever title he wants. He deserves it. The Guardian’s Lawrence Donegan says Beckham is granted all sorts of privileges by LA Galaxy, the most obvious being whatever he wants he gets. In The Times Matthew Syed wonders if there is any point complaining about Sir Alex Ferguson’s serial abuse of power at Old Trafford. The FA, United board and Premier League all allow him to behave as if English football is his personal fiefdom. The Daily Telegraph’s Henry Winter says Man City head south to Arsenal tonight with a point to prove. Are they a work in progress or the real deal? The Daily Mirror’s David McDonnell thinks the biggest threat to Man City’s title hopes is not from their rivals, but Roberto Mancini’s feuding players. Oliver Holt wonders when a club is going to commission a stadium with some character rather than a drab concrete and corrugated iron structure that looks as if it’s been lifted out of a flat pack?

THE ASHES

In The Independent James Lawton compares the difference of Test cricket to the banality of most other forms of the game. Peter Roebuck says Michael Clarke has to lead with the bat as well as the brain in a promising start to his captaincy. In The Times Gideon Haigh thinks the recent empowering of umpires to check on no-balls after a wicket falls has made no-balls a subtly more culpable offence. The Guardian’s David Hopps thinks Alastair Cook’s no-ball reprieve off Michael Beer may have swung the series. The Daily Mail’s Nasser Hussain believes Andrew Strauss got it all wrong yesterday with his captaincy decisions. The Daily Telegraph’s Simon Hughes argues that Australia’s round-the-wicket ploy to snare Strauss was a good one but 23 days too late.

QUOTE

‘I am a lucky man. A lot of coaches have been sacked with these result.’ – Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti.