Soccer:Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has threatened some of his players with a swift exit from the club if they persist with the attitude which contributed to a 3-1 defeat at Bolton.
For the first time since returning as Reds boss just over a year ago, the Scot publicly criticised his squad.
Dalglish believes they were distracted by Wednesday’s forthcoming Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Manchester City, which they go into holding a slender 1-0 lead, and the FA Cup fourth round tie at home to Manchester United next weekend.
As a result midfielders Mark Davies and Nigel Reo-Coker were able to put their side 2-0 up inside half an hour and although Craig Bellamy’s seventh of the season reduced the deficit, Gretar Steinsson restored the two-goal cushion just five minutes into the second half.
Dalglish accused his players of disrespecting Bolton and warned if that is repeated in future they will find themselves heading out of Anfield.
“There is no-one at this football club who doesn’t have respect for other people,” said the Scot.
“If that was what the problem was, if they thought this game was not as important as the next one, then fine, but they won’t be here.
“The result is disappointing but the most disappointing thing for me was I don’t think they were ready to play the game.
“I don’t think the approach was correct, I don’t think the way we went about our work was correct.
“The foundations the football club have always been built on is respect for other people.
“It is built on the philosophy that the next game is the most important one, not the one that is two or three down the line. If they needed a lesson to be taught to them then this was it.
“If they think they can just turn up and get a result and not be competitive and not match the opposition for effort and then they have had a lesson today.
“If we have learned it then fine but we have to look at ourselves, without taking anything away from Owen Coyle and the way Bolton played, and what we can do and try to prevent it happening in the future.”
