playnext.fm

Walk On: The Athletic FC's Liverpool show

Kenny Dalglish: the player, manager & his significance to Liverpool

·43 min·4 clips
Documentary director Asif Kapadia feared meeting his hero Kenny Dalglish would ruin his perception, but discovered a surprisingly open and humble man.
The episode begins with host Tony Evans introducing the panel and guest Asif Kapadia during an international break. Kapadia explains he was approached in April 2022 to make a documentary about Kenny Dalglish, his childhood hero, while attending a Napoli Champions League game at Anfield. He describes initial worries about Dalglish's reputation for being media-shy, but found him remarkably cooperative, requesting only parking details and bringing Irn Bru and Dairy Milk to sessions. Kapadia highlights Dalglish's consistent humility, deflecting praise and maintaining the same demeanor on and off camera. The discussion shifts to Dalglish's playing career, with Kapadia noting the challenge of finding unseen footage from his Celtic days and early Liverpool years, often shot on film. The hosts emphasize Dalglish's two-footed skill, false nine role, and joy in scoring, contrasting with modern players. Kapadia explains the film's dual audience: older fans who remember Dalglish and younger viewers who know him only from FIFA video games. The conversation covers Dalglish's transition to player-manager, starting with the Heysel disaster announcement and leading to a double-winning season, including his iconic winning goal at Chelsea. The panel analyzes Dalglish's managerial innovations, like signing John Barnes and Peter Beardsley, and the limited television coverage of that era. The emotional core focuses on Hillsborough, where Dalglish's leadership and subsequent nervous breakdown are framed as a burden he carries with grace. Kapadia discusses ending the film with Dalglish's 1991 resignation, avoiding a redemption arc to highlight the weight of his experiences. The episode concludes with Kapadia's goal of reaching non-football fans to understand Dalglish's social and political significance in Liverpool's history.

As heard by us

A concise Walk On episode anchored by a forceful claim about a player's greatness.

Walk On comes through with a tight editorial focus: a player's greatness is treated as something that can hardly be overstated. That conviction gives the episode its shape, turning a short burst of commentary into a clear statement of admiration.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a concentrated hit of sporting reverence, with one claim held up like it matters?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on
Apple PodcastsSpotify
Play clips from this episodeMore from Walk On: The Athletic FC's Liverpool show