King Kenny aims to reign in Europe again

Liverpool's European adventure may have been on hold for two months but Kenny Dalglish’s wait for tomorrow night's clash with Sparta Prague has been considerably longer.

Some 9,394 days after first being installed to the Anfield hot seat, Dalglish will finally take charge of the Reds in Europe when he leads them out in the Czech capital.

The ban on English clubs competing in continental competitions in the aftermath of the Heysel disaster ended Dalglish's hopes of pitting his wits against Europe's best after he took over from Joe Fagan in 1985.

Liverpool's six-year absence imposed by UEFA meant Dalglish's all-conquering side which dominated English football in the mid to late 80s - winning three league titles and the FA Cup twice - weren't able to showcase their talents to a wider audience.

It was September 1991 - seven months after Dalglish had walked away from Anfield - before the Reds' exile was ended and they graced Europe again in a low key UEFA Cup tie against Finnish minnows Kuusysi Lahti.

Dalglish had been denied the chance to replicate the kind of success he enjoyed on the continent with Liverpool during his playing days when he lifted the European Cup on three occasions.

Ian Rush formed a devastating strikeforce with Dalglish and played alongside 'The King' in the 1984 and 1985 European Cup finals.

And as Dalglish prepares to become the ninth Liverpool manager to take charge of the club in Europe tomorrow night and Rush says he will be desperate to make up for lost time.

"I'm sure Thursday night will be a special occasion for Kenny," Rush said.

"It's his first game in Europe as manager of Liverpool and he's certainly had to wait a long time for it.

"As a player he achieved so much in Europe. To win the European Cup three times is a remarkable achievement and he was a key part of Liverpool's domination.

"He was just very unlucky that when he was manager the first time around we were banned from Europe.

"I know he would have loved to have gone up against the likes of Milan and Barcelona, especially with the side we had back then."

Rush believes if Liverpool had been eligible to play in Europe the club's fifth European Cup, which was secured so dramatically in Istanbul in 2005, would have been in the trophy cabinet a lot sooner.

"When Kenny was in charge Liverpool and Everton were not only the best two sides in England but two of the best in Europe," he added.

"Both clubs would have been challenging for European trophies and at that time we had a lot of success over Everton.

"We had such a good side that you would have really fancied us in Europe, especially the year when we did the double (1986)."

Since Dalglish returned for a second spell as manager after the Reds parted company with Roy Hodgson last month, the mood around the club has been transformed.

The major improvement in fortunes, with four wins and two draws in the last six games firing Liverpool up the Premier League, has come as no surprise to Anfield and Wales legend Rush.

"Kenny's man management has always been first class and that's shone through again since he's been back in charge," Rush said.

"His philosophy is that no-one is bigger than the club and everyone should feel privileged to be at Liverpool. He has instilled that into the players. He never looks too far ahead and just takes it one game at a time. Things are so much more positive.

"We're passing the ball quicker and getting more players forward into attacking positions. As a result of that we're creating more chances.

"The work rate of the players has really improved but more than anything he has given the players belief and confidence just like he did when he was my manager."

If Liverpool can get past Sparta Prague their reward will be a tie with Lech Poznan or Braga in the last 16. One good omen is that the Reds have only met Czech opposition once in Europe before and that was when they beat Slovan Liberec 4-2 en route to their thrilling triumph over Alaves in the 2001 UEFA Cup final in Dortmund. Rush is confident Dalglish can inspire Liverpool all the way to Dublin's Aviva Stadium on May 18.

"Kenny is a winner and he will desperately want to get his hands on that trophy," Rush added.

"The Europa League represents a real chance to win some silverware and with the final being in Dublin that's a big incentive. The club have so many supporters over there and I know the Irish would love to host a final with Liverpool in it.

"Kenny will play the strongest side he can in Europe - he won't rest anyone. As long as we approach the game the right way we should be too strong for Sparta. We're in good form and it's a great chance to progress to the next round."

Source: Liverpool Echo

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.