Kenny Dalglish is relaxed about the prospects of his Liverpool future remaining unresolved until the summer. Although the Scot is expected to remain as manager at Anfield next term, serious negotiations about another contract have yet to open in earnest and could be postponed until the season's end.
"As regards the job, I've seen in the papers that I've asked for a four-year contract but I don't know anything about that. I don't know who I was supposed to have asked," Dalglish said following his side's 2-0 win at Sunderland, a victory witnessed in person by John W Henry, Liverpool's owner.
"I've also seen that I was offered two years, but I don't know who sent that in. Of course I speak to the owners regularly through the week and they are very supportive, but there have been no detailed discussions about the future and there is nothing to say yet. For me that's no problem – I've always said the football club is the most important thing."
After accruing 20 points from 10 Premier League games, Roy Hodgson's successor as manager can afford to adopt a publicly laid-back stance. Indeed asked if he would be happy to see contract talks delayed until May, Liverpool's manager reiterated: "That would be no problem."
Henry watched a win secured courtesy of Dirk Kuyt's controversial penalty and a stunning angled drive from Luis Suarez alongside a fellow American, the Sunderland owner Ellis Short, with whom he also njoyed a pre‑match lunch.
"This was a big three points for us because this is a tough place to come," said Henry. "There was a really great atmosphere and I really enjoyed the game. It was a great goal by Suarez; he is a heck of a player."
On the subject of Dalglish's next contract, Henry proved slightly less forthcoming. "We are working on the future," he said. "But what is going on in that regard is private. It is something called the Liverpool way. You do these things behind closed doors. I am not going to talk about these things, but Kenny Dalglish has done very well."
He knows it is not Dalglish's fault Liverpool will struggle to finish fifth and thereby secure England's final Europa League place. "We will have to have a lot of days like today to do that," said Henry. "Tottenham are in fifth and they look very good so we will have to play extraordinarily well. But we will do our best.
"To have a shot at fifth we will have to win when Tottenham come to Anfield. But our mood is all very positive. Someone was saying that people weren't happy here last autumn, but I think people are happier now."
