Champions League or bust for Kenny!

Liverpool owner John W Henry has left Kenny Dalglish in no doubt as to what the club have to achieve in the coming season: they must qualify for the Champions League.

The club's pre-season hasn't gone to plan so far. They have conceded three goals in each of their four friendlies, hardly the kind of preparation for breaking into the top four.

And the Reds have not qualified for Europe's elite competition since 2009 after they finished second in the Barclays Premier League, four points behind Manchester United.

 Champions challenge: Dalglish must hit the heights this season

'Our main goal is to qualify for the Champions League. If we don’t it would be a major disappointment,' said Henry.

The club hope this season will put an end to the doom and gloom which had engulfed Anfield at the end of Rafa Benitez's tenure, followed by Roy Hodgson's fractious spell in charge.

Henry has sanctioned a number of high-profile additions to the team with Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing (£20million), Jordan Henderson (£16m) and Charlie Adam (£9m) all joining this summer.

They join Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll who arrived in January from Ajax and Newcastle respectively for a combined total of £58m.
Splashing the cash: Liverpool started their squad improvements earlier this year with the arrival of Carroll and Suarez
However, the Liverpool chief, speaking in Norway ahead of Liverpool’s friendly with Valerenga, admitted the league title was probably out of their reach for another season, at least.

'It’s too early for us to start talking about winning the league,' said Henry. 'In my opinion Manchester United are the ones to beat. They have a good squad, and look really good.

'Our main goal is to qualify for the Champions League. If we don’t it would be a major disappointment.'

Meanwhile Henry took to Twitter today to express his condolences to those who were killed in the recent massacre.
 Solidarity: A young Liverpool fan visits the memorial in Oslo
The squad are in Oslo ahead of the friendly with Valerenga and the Liverpool owner took time to travel to the memorial to those who lost their lives.

Henry tweeted: 'Here in the square...the flowers, emotions, overwhelming sadness, silence, innocent kids. Overwhelming sadness.'
They were joined by managing director Ian Ayre who laid a large bouquet of flowers with an accompanying message.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2021125/Liverpool-finish-says-John-W-Henry.html#ixzz1TmuCFdH7


I know its the mail and also the headline is slightly misleading.

Common sense really...........

Bollocks really.

Can you honestly see Henry making demands like that to Kenny?

Everyone knows had Kenny been in charge from day one last season we'd of been in the European Cup placings or better.

Bollocks really.

Can you honestly see Henry making demands like that to Kenny?

YES. Look at the money they have invested in buying the club and improving the squad, it would be crazy not to be demanding CL football next season. As you stated yourself if Kenny was in the role earlier we would probably be there now.

Where did Henry say them quotes?

I don't think John Henry would be so quick to sack Kenny. He's not Abramovich, and he knows that Kenny is a great manager and that to achieve success you need continuity.

Besides, why would he have given Kenny a 3 year contract if he was only going to terminate it after the first year?

Not that it matters, top 4 will be a breeze.

To be the best like we used to be that is domination England and Europe we need King Kenny to continue as our manager for at lest 3 to 4 seasons. I don't think John Henry is a man who wants instant silver like the Abramovichs and all. I thinks he has got a level head and knows these things happen step by step. Then again if its instant success and we manage to when the title this season Itself then. I am already jumping up and down.     

Bust for Kenny my foot!! No way is Henry stupid enough to make a rash decision like that if we don't qualify for the Champions League. He hasn't said such things anyway so its a moot point.

Well it's good that Henry is making demands. It leaves everyone in no doubt as to what sort of level they should be performing at and really should give them a sense of what is expected from them. You may say they already know this but someone saying this in black and white makes it definite in the minds of everyone.

Slightly misleading headline is an understatement.

For all fans here...
Would it not be disappointing to not qualify for CL next year? YES
Would it be to much to ask that we won the title this year? YES
Would we all have Daglish sacked if he didn't achieve both of these things? NO

Just Daily Mail spinning an article in a way that makes it seem all East-fu.king-enders.

I dont see anything saying hell be sacked if we dont get it. Obviously the minimum we all want is to qualify for th echamps league but to me thats a mischievious headline

FSG will give Kenny his contract to get the job done, Henry & Co. are not knee jerk owner. All this article is a series of quotes, old news mixed around to create something that is not even there.

I dont see anything saying hell be sacked if we dont get it. Obviously the minimum we all want is to qualify for th echamps league but to me thats a mischievious headline

Wouldn't wipe my arse with the rag Brian, they know nothing about honesty and character which our man has to spare and loyalty which the supporters never lose. Kenny has all the grace he wants and it's not even mischevious mate somebody has got too much time on their hands and empty news space to fill.

Hahahaha, I knew exactly what quotes would be used. What a brilliantly stupid headline.

Nowhere does Henry say Kenny's gone if he doesn't make it, all he says is missing out on the CL places would be a massive disappointment, and he's right.

DailyFAIL...

The demand hasn't been made, it's not Henry's style but let's face it we all know that CL is the least that should be expected.

Common sense really...........

Exactly. We're a club that wants to move upwards and onwards quickly one step at a time, the next step being the Champions League.

This thread wants locking untill the end of the season. Simples

i would say missing out on a champ league spot would be more disapointing for kenny thats the very least he will be aiming for .i would bet his objectives are first to win league if not, then 2nd if not, then 3rd and so on .when we enter the cups kd, the players, owners and staff all want to win it so why should the league be any differant

Well I will be very disappointed if we don't make it back into the top 4 this season so i'm pretty certain Henry would be as well. I don't see why it's such a ludicrous suggestion. Given the money that has been spent (and hopefully there is more to come) it stands to reason that Kenny is under some pressure to get the club back into the Champions League. Surely?

Words taken out of context.  Why would you back a guy with funds and then get rid if you were, for examples sake, 3 points away from your goal.  You would be Abramovich and that is not the Liverpool way.  If anyone doubts that Kenny wants to see Liverpool be the best again they are mental, but he isn't silly enough to believe it will be easy with three clubs at least able to outspend us every time.

Mischief making by the mail. 

I wouldn't wipe my arse with that rag either - but they did ask a valid question.#

We did great in the 2nd half of last season, BUT we have to sustain that over a full one.

I don't want the owners coming out and saying this especially the part about Man U given we trashed them 3-1 last time. He should have said we'll go for as many points as we possibly can like Kenny would say.

Common sense really...........

Exactly.

We did decently when Kenny took charge last season. We just need to better or at least equal that especially since we've got new faces in the squad.

It's just a matter of time to see whether the new regime with new looking squad could challenge for top 4 and possibly forging themselves as a title contender or not?

I don't think it's gonna happen now until we see all of our big guns back in to the frame and then see how do we look.

He didn't say that, and I would probably still keep Kenny if we finish 5th, maybe 6th, but only if there are very promising signs. Which I can't see if we finish 6th. Any lower and I probably would feel he should be replaced too.

He didn't say that, and I would probably still keep Kenny if we finish 5th, maybe 6th, but only if there are very promising signs. Which I can't see if we finish 6th. Any lower and I probably would feel he should be replaced too.

Think Kenny would probably deserve more then one season despite any finish (bar relegation and that is not going to happen.) unlike many on this board the owners are not knee jerkers. Right now and for as far as the eye can see there is no better manager available then our Kenny.

The only way we flop this year would be to injuries...Kenny and Clarke are not going to make tactical mistakes that cost us points, both men have enough experience to make sure that does not happen. And really even if we finished 8th Kenny is not going to get the sack 1 year into his contract...Once again there would be mitigating circumstances to cause a finish like that and the owners would understand.

Where is all this negative sh*t coming from,I would much rather discuss what reward Kenny will get when he takes us back into the Champions league as he surely will.Think positive lads and lasses and let Kenny and the boys make us proud once again.

Daily fail again. They know jack sh*t.

Kenny and Henry would've discussed the upcoming campaign and set out the targets already.

A top 4 spot should be 1st priority without a doubt, and it will be very dissapointing, should we fail to achieve that, but we will.

With our new signings, I believe we'll be right in the mix with the likes of all the top guns.

Kenny shouldn't be worried about his job, cause he'll be here way beyond his current 3 year contract.

Kenny be given 1 more season if we dont get 4th do me a favour there would be a f***in riot. Kenny has a 3 year contract & the only way he wont see it out is if he doesnt want too.
And that is just not going too happen.
Kenny has a very diffucult job ahead of him just to get champions league next season, overhauling Arsenal & Tottenham will be tough enough never mind Utd, City & Chelsea.

Lets get behind Kenny no more of this I think might get another season horseshit.

Give yer f***in hed a shek lad.

We are priveledged to have a man such as Kenny as our manager.

it's daily mail, seriously, wouldn't even bother with it.

i'm sure john henry at some point in one interview or another said the words "not reaching champion's league would be a disappointment", it's what every lfc fan is saying. hardly an ultimatum to kenny, just talking sense

anyway, i don't think we're too far off challenging for the league tbh.

let's be honest when we destroyed Fulham 5-2 we are thought that's it, were going to win the league next year. Then we lost the next two and have had a dreaful pre-season. We are back to earth now and must get back into the CL with the money we have spent, top 4 should be acheiveable as long as Arsenal dont spend 100m between now and 31st August. Man City and Utd are guaranteed, Chelsea should have enough so for me its between us and Arsenal.

YES. Look at the money they have invested in buying the club and improving the squad, it would be crazy not to be demanding CL football next season. As you stated yourself if Kenny was in the role earlier we would probably be there now.

Then you're a bit of an idiot!

They've chatted, Kenny has said he'd be disappointed if we don't get top 4, Henry has repeated it as though its his own feelings and now supposedly Kenny's is on his last legs because Henry is warning him to get it.

F**k Off Tabloid Muckspreading cu*ts!!.

We are priveledged to have a man such as Kenny as our manager.

I think thats all that needs to be said to be honest

What a lazy, sh*te piece of journalism.

One of the best I have read in a long time...

Good luck to whoever sacks Kenny if we fail to qualify for the CL this season then haha, you will have 45,000 very angry kopites on your case.  You will have a small minority on your side though, you know those ones who wanted Rafa out and wanted Roy in etc.

Its bollocks anyway, Henry seems a genuine nice bloke and he knows what hes doing. He knows we wont win everything over night, hes said as much already.