FOOTBALL’S landscape has changed much in the two decades years since Kenny Dalglish dropped his bombshell by walking away from the job as Liverpool manager.
Back in February 1991, third-placed Crystal Palace remained in the battle for the championship while Wimbledon and Luton Town, now members of the Conference, rubbed shoulders with England’s elite.
On the Continent, Red Star Belgrade and Dynamo Dresden were preparing to do battle in the European Cup quarter-finals, with the likes of Barcelona and Inter having not even qualified.
And both the Premier League and Champions League were mere scribbles on the drawing board, yet to take the first steps on their way to becoming the all-conquering tournaments that dominate the present game.
Dalglish admits the modern-day incessant scrutiny of every detail from 24-hour rolling sports news channels, countless websites, the proliferation of radio stations and, yes, newspapers simply doesn’t relate to coverage back then.
But in terms of the game itself, the Liverpool manager, who tonight takes charge of a home European game at Anfield for the first time when Sparta Prague visit for the second leg of their Europa League round of 32 tie, sees no reason to feel out of place.
“For me the biggest change is the elevation in status of the game itself, through the evolution of the Premier League, and when things get bigger you obviously get more of the media coming in with greater interest,” says Dalglish.
“That’s the biggest change for me – the things that happen in and around the game not the game actually itself, and not the playing of the game or not the working towards the playing of the game.
“The story of the game itself isn’t that different, it’s still 11 aside, still more or less the same rules and the ball is still the same shape. So I don’t think the game itself is too different.
“You learn from your experiences, and there are things that I have learnt that when I came back into it this time, I think it is a bit different than it was before. Everybody has got to adjust to it, everybody has a responsibility to come and speak to the media.
“But our greatest responsibility is to the club itself. Through the media we get to the punters, we have a responsibility to answer questions as best you can, but to still bear in mind that the importance of the football club is the priority.”
