Clarke shrewd enough to make right decision ... he knows what he wants to do says Dalglish

M a n a g e r o f t h e y e a r S t e ve Clarke has earned the right not to be pressurised into making his next move, according to Sir Kenny Dalglish.

The Kilmarnock boss, who h a s b e e n l i n ke d wi t h p o s t s north and south of the Border, including the Scotland vacancy, said yesterday that he faces a “professional or personal decision” on whether to leave Rugby Park. Dalglish, who had Clarke as his first-team coach when he was Liverpool manager in 2011-12, declined to put pressure on the 55-year-old by backing him for the Scotland job. But he did say that, whatever Clarke decided, he was shrewd enough to make the right decision.

“Stevie knows what he wants to do himself, and there’s no reason for anybody to put him under pressure,” Dalglish said. “Whatever he wants to do, he’s entitled to do it. But what he’s done for Kilmarnock has been fantastic. It must be beyond – with all due respect to Kilmarnock – even their expectations.

“Steve will do what he wants to do for himself, and that’s the most important thing: he goes where he’s happy. If you do well at whatever job you’re at, somebody else is going to look at you and assess you, and if they need you, they’ll ask you if you want to go. But it doesn’t mean to say you’ve got to go.

“He deser ves any recognition that he’s getting, because of the results that he’s got at Kilmarnock. Whether he stays or goes, he’ll make that decision. If he’s got somewhere to go, if it’s no better than Kilmarnock or if he’s not as happy as what he is at Kilmarnock, why would he go?

“Whatever he wants to do, h e’ l l d o . A n d wh e r e ve r h e goes, if he does go from Kilmarnock, it’s his choice.”

Speaking at Scotstoun, home of Glasgow Warriors, to help p r o m o t e t h e f o r t h c o m i n g Guinness Pro14 final at Celtic Park, Dalglish also praised the work of another of his former proteges, R angers boss Ste - ven Gerrard. “I think he can look back and say he’s reasonably pleased with what they’ve done,” he said of the former Liverpool player. “I think he’s been a breath of fresh air for t h e m, a n d I t h i n k i t ’s b e e n SIR KENNY DALGLISH “Steven Gerrard has been a breath of fresh air for Rangers” good for S cottish football as well, a resurgent Rangers.

“Aberdeen’s got stronger, Kilmarnock’s got stronger obvio u s l y, s o I t h i n k t h e league itself is looking a bit stronger than what it was. Whether Celtic’s come back towards them or they’re going towards Celtic is open to debate, but at least it’s a lot more competitive now than what it’s been for the last few years, especially when Rangers were out of it.

“For Rangers it’s been a win and for Steven I think it’s been a good win as well, and they c a n b e p l e a s e d w i t h w h a t they’ve done this season.”