BRING BACK KENNY DALGLISH

JAMIE CARRAGHER wants Liverpool's owners to appoint Kenny Dalglish to a senior position on the Anfield board.

The Reds defender believes the lack of footballing expertise and experience within the hierarchy has been a factor in the ongoing shambles at the top of his club.

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He believes the legendary Dalglish could fill a similar role to that of Sir Bobby Charlton at Manchester United.

American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett caused consternation when they considered sacking Rafa Benitez early last season and they've recently clashed with their manager on footballing issues by pulling to plug on the Gareth Barry deal.

Credentials

Hicks also provoked outrage when he admitted he checked the credentials of Benitez's potential replacement, Jurgen Klinsmann, by searching the internet.

Writing in his autobiography Carra, the Liverpool vice-captain explains how such controversies would have been avoided, and can be in the future, if an ex-player like Dalglish had acted as a go-between - a man respected by directors, manager, players and fans.

"After the takeover was complete, I'd argued to friends there needed to be a greater Anfield connection on the board to balance out what Tom Hicks and George Gillett openly accepted was their limited understanding of our game and Liverpool in general," says Carragher.

"I'd have loved them to appoint a figurehead such as Kenny Dalglish to offer advice on key issues. The fans would have trusted Kenny to make the right judgements on such matters. He'd certainly have urged Hicks and Gillett to think twice about replacing Rafa mid-season and would have been able to fill them in on the credentials of future managerial candidates.

Shudder

"Looking to the future, I firmly believe a man of Kenny's stature should be on our Board. It makes perfect sense. Manchester United have successfully operated with Bobby Charlton as a director throughout the Ferguson era.

"What worries me about Hicks saying he'd never heard of Klinsmann is this: what happens when we do need to appoint another manager?

"Liverpool fans will shudder at the idea of names being checked on the internet.

"If Kenny was on the board, the owners would be able to ask his advice in the knowledge he has a grasp of what the supporters here expect."

JUMP FOR JOY - Dalglish shows his passion for Liverpool back in 1989

Dalglish, now 57, became a Kop legend after joining the club in 1977 for a then-British record transfer fee of £440,000 and after a glittering playing career became first player- manager and then manager before resigning in 1991.

When trying to buy Liverpool last season, Dubai International Capital explored the idea of having a fan from The Kop join the hierarchy.

But Carragher doesn't believe that's a way forward.

He explains: "There's been a lot of talk about placing a fans' representative on the board but, for me, appointing someone such as Kenny - a fan with experience of the ins and outs of football on and off the pitch - would be more appropriate."

As they cling on to power, it's unlikely Hicks and Gillett will feel in a position to make such an appointment now. Just as unlikely is any Anfield legend accepting such an offer given the unpopularity of the current regime.

However, should the Arab takeover of Liverpool proceed as anticipated, it's possible an Anfield figure from the golden days could play some ambassadorial role.

DALGLISH'S ANFIELD RECORD

AS PLAYER (1977-90)

515 games, 172 goals
3 European Cups
6 League titles (one as player- boss)
1 FA Cup (as player-manager)
4 League Cups

AS MANAGER (1985-91)

3 League titles (one as player-manager)
2 FA Cups (one as player-manager)

TOTAL LIVERPOOL TROPHIES

3 European Cups
8 League titles
2 FA Cups
4 League Cups