Liverpool ask Dalglish to look for Benitez’s successor

LONDON - Former Liverpool player and manager Kenny Dalglish has been asked to find Rafael Benítez’s successor as Liverpool manager, with Roy Hodgson and Martin O’Neill among the frontrunners.

The Guardian reported that Benitez accepted a severance payoff worth a maximum six million pounds from Liverpool’s co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, to end a six-year reign that polarised opinion at Anfield.

Dalglish, who is now club ambassador, will assist the managing director, Christian Purslow, in the search of a manager, who can restore Liverpool’s Champions League status on a limited budget and convince leading players such as Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano not to quit Anfield.

Hicks and Gillett are struggling to find a buyer willing to meet their 600 million-800 million pounds price, but Anfield officials insist they will not rush a decision and can install a long-term appointment.

Hodgson, who has many admirers at Anfield, is the frontrunner with his European pedigree and recent success at Fulham.

The 62-year-old former Internazionale, Switzerland and Blackburn Rovers manager is on a 12-month rolling contract at Craven Cottage and Liverpool are confident he would be receptive to their advances, despite insisting he was fully committed to Fulham after last month’s Europa League final defeat to Atlético Madrid.

Benítez, who is on holiday in Sardinia, said: “It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts. I’ll always keep in my heart the good times I’ve had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager. Thank you so much once more and always remember: You’ll never walk alone.”