Mark Lawrenson: Dalglish Could Be Key For Concerned Anfield Stars

As soon as the season finished and talk began about Rafael Benitez’s exit, I suggested Kenny Dalglish would be the best man to step in and fill in the void.

I still believe that to be the case. Although Kenny has been given the job of helping the board find a new manager, I don’t believe he needs to rush into it.

In fact, with Sammy Lee still at the club, I think that’s a perfect duo to help the club through a period of instability.

And it could be the key to persuading some of the club’s star names to stay at Anfield.

He is the most revered of Liverpool’s former players and has the influence to pull everyone at the club together.

He has a special bond with the fans – now it’s time to get that with the players.

I think Kenny showing such a willingness to work hard and try to get the club back on track could prove quite inspirational to the likes of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano.

With no sign to the end of the off-field turmoil, convincing that duo their futures lie at Anfield will take some doing.

But with Kenny at the helm it sends out exactly the right message. One of ‘we’re all in this together and we can come through it instead of abandoning ship’.

And, whoever ends up following Benitez through the exit door from the backroom staff, as long as Sammy is in that camp, then at least some of the old Anfield values are very much secure.

There might be an argument that Kenny only doing the job on a temporary basis wouldn’t persuade a player that there is any longevity in the arrangement.

But you don’t get ay guarantee of that in the game anyway any more. I don’t think a permanent appointment would influence a player’s mindset ay more than a temporary one.

So Liverpool have to look at the best way of ensuring that there isn’t a mass exodus. The club is at a major crossroads and nobody is sure of the best way to turn.

So they have to make sure that they pick the right man to steer them through it in the right direction – and there’s none better than Kenny.

Whether he wants that responsibility is another matter but I know his feelings for the club would make it very hard for him to resist helping them in their hour of need.

Liverpool is still a major attraction for players and having the man many believe to be their greatest player and ambassador at the helm, however long it lasts, could buy the club some valuable time and prevent the on-field set-up going the same way as everything else.

It will be difficult with a lack of investment – but if Kenny can’t do it nobody can.