LIVERPOOL, England — The long-running saga over Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish’s contract was resolved Thursday with the manager confirming the English Premier League (EPL) club has handed him a three-year deal.
Liverpool chiefs John W. Henry and Tom Werner, who also preside over the Boston Red Sox, rewarded Dalglish for his efforts after the Scot stepped into the breach on a temporary basis following the departure of Roy Hodgson in January.
He and assistant manager Steve Clarke earned deals until 2014 after lifting the club from the lower reaches of the EPL table to its current fifth position.
“I said when I took the job on in January that I was just happy to help the club out for the remainder of the season,” Dalglish told the club’s official website.
“Now the owners have decided in their wisdom that they want me to stay a little longer and it’s fantastic news for both myself and Steve Clarke that we have signed these contracts,” he added.
Dalglish, a former playing legend for the Reds who led the club to three league titles during the late 1980s, said he understood the delays taken by Henry and Werner before appointing Hodgson’s long-term successor.
“Both John and Tom have taken their time to assess what was best for the [soccer] club and bring in the people they wanted to take the club forward,” he said. “They are both winners, but understand what the supporters want from a Liverpool side and the way that we should go about things.”
“This is a unique [soccer] club and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to help build something special here again,” he added.
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