csconstantine.com

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.”

Labels: Again, Europe, Kenny, Liverpool, reign