Dalglish having to prove himself again at Liverpool

Kenny Dalglish won the league eight times as a player and manager with Liverpool between 1977 and 1991. Matthew Lewis / Getty Images

Hard work, good coaching and team spirit. That is Kenny Dalglish's recipe to revive Liverpool's season.

Dalglish, 59, is vastly experienced having won eight league titles - as a player and manager with Liverpool - and he also won the Premier League while in charge at Blackburn Rovers.

And he believes concentrating on the staff he has rather than looking toward the transfer market will restore Liverpool's fortunes after a difficult six months under Roy Hodgson.

Dalglish's previous success as a manager at Anfield came with the club still at the peak of their powers and a top-class squad. However, he dismissed the assessment of critics that the current playing staff was not up to the required standard.

"I think it is the best squad of players I have inherited as a manager since the first time I came here," said Dalglish, who also managed at Newcastle United and in Scotland with Celtic. "We don't have much time to get things up and running so the most important people for us are the people here and we will concentrate on them first and everyone will be given an opportunity.

"As far as I can see, the players are 100 per cent committed. There are no splits or divisions. The desire is there in abundance. We won't lose out because of lack of hard work.

"At the end of the day, it is about players, about people, and your relationship with those players and trying to impart your experience and knowledge on them.

"It is looking after players, getting relationships with players and getting the respect from the players."

Even though Dalglish enjoys legendary status at Liverpool, he feels that, after a decade out of management, he has to prove something to his squad.

"It's one thing showing people what you've won - it is another thing to get respect out of them for what you are trying to do and that is what I have got to achieve," he said.

"I have no preconceived ideas that because of what I've done it gets me any more respect.

"The only way to earn players' respect is to work with them, get them on your side and hopefully get the confidence levels up, get a couple wins and take it from there."

Liverpool travel to Blackpool tonight without Steven Gerrard, their captain, who starts a three-match ban after his red card against Manchester United in the FA Cup.

* Press Association

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