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• Hodgson admits he found it difficult to leave Fulham
• Manager hopes to persuade Gerrard and Torres to stay

The new Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has described his appointment as an opportunity that was “absolutely impossible to turn down”. Hodgson was Liverpool’s first choice to replace Rafael Benítez after two and a half impressive seasons at Fulham, which culminated in them reaching last season’s Europa League final.

Hodgson admitted it had been difficult to leave Fulham, where he had built up a bank of goodwill, but believes taking on the Anfield job will be a highlight of his long and varied managerial career that has included stints in charge of Internazionale, Blackburn Rovers and the Switzerland and Finland national teams. His appointment, on a three-year contract, has already received the backing of the club captain Steven Gerrard, and Hodgson is keen to begin the job of reviving the club’s on-field fortunes after they finished seventh in the Premier League table last term.

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“I’m extremely proud. The club’s tradition in terms of its football and its managers is really second to none and it was an opportunity which was absolutely impossible to turn down,” Hodgson told the club’s official website. “I am both proud and excited at the prospect of working as the Liverpool manager.

“I don’t think there are many jobs that would have tempted me away from Fulham, to be perfectly honest. I had such a good relationship with the chairman and the chief executive, the players were magnificent to work with and everything was as good as it gets, but on the other hand when there was a chance that Liverpool wanted me, and they asked to speak to me, I asked the chairman [Mohamed Al Fayed] for permission.

“He wasn’t too happy to give it but fortunately for me this job came about and I am really happy to be here. It’d be foolish to compare but it’d also be dishonest to say anything other than it’s going to be a highlight of my career. I have worked long and hard to reach the level I have reached.”

Hodgson arrived at the club’s Melwood training ground this morning to meet those players who had returned for the first day of pre-season, although many of the club’s leading lights are still on leave after playing at the World Cup. He will give his first press conference at 1.30pm at Anfield this afternoon before meeting senior players such as Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

With the futures of Gerrard and star striker Fernando Torres at Anfield a matter of some uncertainty, Hodgson said it would be an immediate priority to ensure they remained. “It’s important, of course. I don’t think there’s anybody here at the club who would welcome losing them,” he said. “Certainly the fans wouldn’t welcome losing them and us as a club I’m sure will do everything we can to make certain they stay with us.

“I’ll be trying to persuade them that this is the place to be. I’ll ask them to give me a chance to work with you and give us a chance to improve on last season. It would be foolish to give guarantees that it’s going to happen because I can’t speak for the players themselves, but I’ll be doing my best to keep them.”

“There are a couple of meetings this afternoon with senior players, in particular Steven and Jamie, and I’ll contact the rest by telephone. I will make certain that before the end of the week I have had a conversation with all of the players to tell them I’m here and am looking forward to welcoming them back.”

Roy HodgsonLiverpoolguardian.co.uk

Nineteen years after resigning as manager, Kenny Dalglish wants to take up the reins at Anfield once more. Is the Kop favourite the best man to bring the glory days back to the club?

• Scot believes he can convince Gerrard and Torres to stay
• Benítez finalises £4m-a-year deal with Internazionale

Kenny Dalglish has told Liverpool he is prepared to make a sensational return as manager as the previous incumbent, Rafael Benítez, agreed to become the new coach of Internazionale last night.

Dalglish, who quit the Anfield job in 1991, is currently charged with identifying the club’s next manager alongside the managing director, Christian Purslow. The Liverpool legend, however, is willing to enter his own name into that process and believes he can revive the club’s fortunes on a limited budget and, crucially, convince Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres not to leave this summer.

Dalglish, 59, has admitted that he regrets quitting as Liverpool manager 19 years ago, when the stresses of dealing with the Hillsborough disaster took their toll, and claimed he would have been ready to return after a brief sabbatical.

The Scot’s desire for the position may present a problem for Purslow and the Anfield board, who are looking at replacing Benítez with a manager currently in the game. Roy Hodgson emerged as the favourite in the aftermath of the Spaniard’s exit last week, although no official approach has been made to Fulham. Any appointment of Dalglish, who has not managed since his acrimonious departure from Celtic in 2000, would appease many Liverpool supporters at a turbulent time. With the club lacking the resources to entice many leading names this summer, he could also offer the emotive pull to convince Gerrard to resist overtures from Real Madrid.

Dalglish first became Liverpool manager in the days after the Heysel disaster in 1985, when he took over from Joe Fagan. The Scot, who had signed from Celtic as a player for £440,000 in 1977 and won seven league titles, three European Cups and five domestic trophies at Anfield, secured the Double in his first season in charge and during his six-year spell won two more titles and the FA Cup in 1989, following the Hillsborough disaster. He returned to the game with Blackburn in late 1991 and took them from the second tier to become Premier League champions in 1995 and also had a short period at Newcastle, steering them to a second-place finish and the 1998 FA Cup final.

While Liverpool ponder this development, the man they parted company with “by mutual consent” last week has completed a dramatic change in fortunes and agreed to coach the European champions. Benítez’s unveiling at Internazionale is now a formality, according to the president Massimo Moratti, after he accepted a three-year contract worth in the region of €5m (£4.1m) per season. “We have agreed the final details, which were not important things,” Moratti said in a statement on the Inter website last night. “All that is needed now is a counter-signature. Tomorrow we will tell you when he will be presented.”

Benítez has been on holiday in Sardinia while his Anfield departure was negotiated and soon began talks over his move to San Siro, where he will replace José Mourinho. He is due to sign this week and after hiring Liverpool’s first-team coach Mauricio Pellegrino, goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero and fitness coach Paco de Miguel, may also tender a bid for the disillusioned midfielder Javier Mascherano.

LiverpoolRafael BenítezInternazionaleAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk