I was in Phuket for a short vacation the previous weekend. Unlike Bali, free wireless internet is almost non-existent in Phuket. Paid wireless internet allowed brief updates from the rest of the world. One particular tweet caught my attention on Sunday morning. Kenny Dalglish is the new manager of Liverpool FC.

The King returns to his throne! Rejoice, my fellow Reds!

As a childhood fan of Liverpool, I have seen how the team improved under the management of Rafael Benitez. It was under Rafa’s guidance that the saw team make a stunning comeback from being 3-0 down to force a penalty shoot-out in the 2005 Champions League Finals. To witness the team win the fifth European title is a dream come true. It far eclipses the joy of seeing the club clinch a Treble under Gerard Houllier’s reign.

It was during Rafa’s tenure that I watched the most number of matches played by Liverpool. I wanted to watch the match. I thirsted for the beautiful football the team played under the Spaniard. While I could argue that it was because I was able to watch more matches due to the advent of streaming matches online, it is undeniable that Rafa built a team I loved.

Thus, when Rafa was sacked, I stopped watching Liverpool’s games. I wanted Roy Hodgson to show me that he is capable of managing a big club like Liverpool. I wanted him to make me want to watch the team play. Sadly, I did not watch any match while Roy was the manager.

Kenny Dalglish will always have a special place in the hearts of Liverpool fans. He is the last Liverpool manager to win the league title back in the 1989-1990 season. The news of King Kenny’s appointment as caretaker manager put a smile on my face. Suddenly, I can’t wait for the next Liverpool match.

Time for the team to stand up and show what it means to play for a club of Liverpool’s stature.