Damien Comolli's sacking at Liverpool should serve as a warning for manager Kenny DalglishWhen you sit down for lunch with ruthless American bosses, there is always the possibility the dessert will consist of a P45. So it proved for Damien Comolli.
Bleak omen for Damien: Liverpool owner John Henry (left) with former director of football Damien Comolli Photo: ACTION IMAGES
By
Chris Bascombe
10:00PM BST 12 Apr 2012
Once the surprise about the timing of
Liverpool’s director of football’s departure had disappeared, it turned out there was no shock in the announcement at all.
Comolli was summoned to America earlier this month to offer his explanation for a dismal league performance and — here is the key — what his plan would be to remedy those failings.
The Frenchman was singularly unimpressive in his responses, so much so he’d confided to colleagues he was worried about his next encounter with the Fenway Sports Group.
Comolli lost his job because after 18 months the owners decided he wasn’t what he was cracked up to be.
There are numerous reasons why.
It is not just that Liverpool overpaid for players — they were purchased on the manager’s request after all — or failed to recruit high class bargains like, say, Newcastle, despite his claims of an impressive scouting network.
It was not even Comolli’s clumsy handling of the Luis Suárez affair, as others were just as if not more culpable for that, or that bizarre £1 million exit clauses were inserted into the contract of a valuable asset such as Dirk Kuyt.
It was all of the above. A sense from John Henry and Tom Werner that Comolli wasn’t the perceptive guy they needed. Once their judgment was made, getting rid as quickly as possible was the best solution.
The fact there was a coach to catch ahead of an FA Cup semi-final was irrelevant. If the players or manager were distracted by such a story, they’re at the wrong club.
The two days of high level meetings at all levels of the football were an exercise in the self-analysis the club has needed for years.
Football clubs function on trust between all its staff, and there is still plenty of suspicion to address.
In a stern interrogation of Comolli and Kenny Dalglish, the owners wanted a full debrief of the league performances and explanation about why particular individuals were signed at such a hefty cost.
They’ve even questioned why certain players, such as popular midfielder Maxi Rodriguez, have rarely played despite his obvious goalscoring threat. Rodriguez’s two goals against Blackburn in midweek now look more relevant than they seemed at the time.
The revelation that Kuyt — a Dutch international —
could be surplus to requirements at Liverpool but integral to Holland’s Euro 2012 campaign also raised concerns.
It means Comolli’s sense of foreboding on his return flight from America was justified, but his departure should not be seen as a political victory for manager Dalglish — who honourably assumed all responsibility for the summer signings that contributed to Comolli’s downfall.
Comolli will soon be replaced by another director of football and the FSG management model will remain intact.
Dalglish, just like managing director Ian Ayre, will see Thursday’s events as a warning, not a reassurance.
If there was a layer of protection for Dalglish, Comolli was it. It is to the manager’s credit he has never tried to shift blame for the failure of expensive players on to anyone else, not even in private briefings. He has staked his reputation on the players’ coming good.
They are now playing for his job as much as their own Anfield careers against Everton on Saturday.
If ever Dalglish needed his faith in the dressing room repaid, it is now.
If they fail, Dalglish’s submissions that those signings only need time to settle may see him become the next requested to dine at a table packed with long knives.
