Former Liverpool winger Stewart Downing believes Kenny Dalglish was not given enough time in his second stint as Anfield boss.
Reds legend Dalglish was appointed full-time manager of the Merseyside club in the summer of 2011 after taking the reins in a caretaker role in the wake of the sacking of Roy
Hodgson.
It was Dalglish's return to management at Liverpool following his first stint between 1985 and 1991 and despite leading the club to victory in the 2012 League Cup, as well as to the 2012 FA Cup final, the great Scot was sacked in May that year much to Downing's dismay.
"I just didn't think we got time to gel," the Middlesbrough winger, who was signed by Dalglish in 2011, told BBC Tees.
"It was strange to see him sacked, they spent a lot of money on players. It's not going to happen overnight but they sacked him after one year.
"He's like God at Liverpool, we could be losing but they would be singing his name. That's how it was at Liverpool, normally the manager would get the flack but he would get his name sang and the players would get the flack!
"He was very good to play for, you could always speak to him and his door was always open. He was just a nice man in general. I was very proud that he signed me to play for Liverpool."
