Revealed: How Kenny Dalglish ran rings around the press at the Emirates

By Oliver Holt

Published 23:09 23/08/11

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There were many reasons I missed Kenny Dalglish when he was out of the game but one was the chance to attend his press conferences. They are always combative but the Liverpool boss has got the sharpest wit of any manager in the Premier League.

After his side had beaten Arsenal on Saturday, a few of us gathered around him in a small room at The Emirates to ask about Liverpool’s performance and their prospects for the season ahead.

One of my colleagues was bold enough to ask Kenny whether Raul Meireles would be sold before the end of the transfer window upon which Kenny fixed him with one of his most withering stares.

“By the way,” he said, “just smell your newspaper for fish and chips.”

It was an old line but it was delivered with such gusto, it was impossible not to smile.

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I understand the reasons why Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore were vilified by many QPR fans and I also understand that the majority of the credit for last season’s promotion must go to the superb management of Neil Warnock.

But maybe it’s worth pointing out that while Flavio and Bernie were in charge, QPR went from being a club whose very existence was threatened to a team that secured a place in the top flight for the first time in 15 years.

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