A biographical portrait of Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool's beloved footballer and manager, is unveiled in a captivating documentary that delves into the turbulent period between 1985 and 1989. This era saw Dalglish take over as player-manager after the Heysel stadium disaster, where 39 lives were lost due to a riot at the European Cup final against Juventus. The subsequent investigation led to further tragedy with the Hillsborough stadium disaster in 1989, claiming 97 Liverpool fans' lives.
Kapadia's film masterfully interweaves archive clips and voiceovers to recount Dalglish's life story, from his childhood in Glasgow to his triumphant career at Celtic before joining Liverpool. The documentary portrays Dalglish as an 'everyman', a down-to-earth figure who shouldered the city's woes, consistently visiting hospitals and attending funerals with his players.
The period between 1985 and 1989 is marked by a tragic series of events that Dalglish navigated with stoic resolve. He famously responded to Kelvin MacKenzie's suggestion that he put things right after Hillsborough with a simple yet powerful headline, "We Lied," which led to his resignation as manager. The film raises questions about the role of government and media in perpetuating tragedy, particularly regarding Margaret Thatcher's handling of the situation.
While Kapadia's documentary primarily focuses on Dalglish's personal struggles during this period, it does touch upon broader themes such as hooliganism, which was largely a response to the contemptuous treatment of working-class supporters. A fascinating historical echo that emerges from the film is the parallel with Princess Diana's death in 1997, where the outpouring of grief at Anfield foreshadowed the nation's collective reaction.
In contrast to some of Kapadia's other subjects, such as Diego Maradona or Amy Winehouse, Dalglish appears straightforward and untroubled. This lack of complexity may be attributed to his down-to-earth nature, which allowed him to navigate the treacherous landscape of football politics with relative ease.
The documentary leaves viewers with a poignant portrayal of Dalglish, an individual who managed to survive and thrive despite being at the centre of some of the darkest moments in English football history.
Kapadia's film masterfully interweaves archive clips and voiceovers to recount Dalglish's life story, from his childhood in Glasgow to his triumphant career at Celtic before joining Liverpool. The documentary portrays Dalglish as an 'everyman', a down-to-earth figure who shouldered the city's woes, consistently visiting hospitals and attending funerals with his players.
The period between 1985 and 1989 is marked by a tragic series of events that Dalglish navigated with stoic resolve. He famously responded to Kelvin MacKenzie's suggestion that he put things right after Hillsborough with a simple yet powerful headline, "We Lied," which led to his resignation as manager. The film raises questions about the role of government and media in perpetuating tragedy, particularly regarding Margaret Thatcher's handling of the situation.
While Kapadia's documentary primarily focuses on Dalglish's personal struggles during this period, it does touch upon broader themes such as hooliganism, which was largely a response to the contemptuous treatment of working-class supporters. A fascinating historical echo that emerges from the film is the parallel with Princess Diana's death in 1997, where the outpouring of grief at Anfield foreshadowed the nation's collective reaction.
In contrast to some of Kapadia's other subjects, such as Diego Maradona or Amy Winehouse, Dalglish appears straightforward and untroubled. This lack of complexity may be attributed to his down-to-earth nature, which allowed him to navigate the treacherous landscape of football politics with relative ease.
The documentary leaves viewers with a poignant portrayal of Dalglish, an individual who managed to survive and thrive despite being at the centre of some of the darkest moments in English football history.
. I mean, yeah, the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters are super tragic and all that... but what about the systemic issues that led to those tragedies? Like, the government and media's role in perpetuating a culture of hooliganism and racism 
. Kapadia touches on it a bit, but I think its time for us to dig deeper into the root causes of these problems. Dalglish might've been an 'everyman' who navigated the city's woes, but what about the broader system that failed those 39 lives at Heysel and 97 at Hillsborough? 
! I mean, taking over as player-manager after Heysel stadium disaster was crazy brave 
. And that documentary about him is totally worth watching - it's like a masterclass on how to stay humble and focused under pressure 
. The way Kapadia has woven his life story together with archive clips and voiceovers is pure magic 
. What I found really interesting was how Dalglish handled the media backlash after Hillsborough, it's like he knew exactly what needed to be said 
. And that "We Lied" headline? Iconic 
! It's also crazy how the documentary draws parallels with Princess Diana's death, that outpouring of grief at Anfield was insane 
. All in all, Dalglish's story is one of resilience and leadership - we could all learn from him 
#KennyDalglish #LiverpoolFC #FootballHistory #ResilienceMatters
. I mean, can you believe it's been like 20 years since the Hillsborough disaster? It feels like just yesterday we were all watching it unfold on TV 
. Anyway, I think what really got me was how down-to-earth Dalglish seems in this doc. Like, he's not some arrogant celebrity figure, but a regular bloke who's been through hell and back 
️. And the way Kapadia portrays him as an 'everyman' is spot on. But at the same time, I'm still trying to get my head around how the media and government handled all of this back then 
. It's wild to think that Dalglish basically lost his job over a headline 
. And can we talk about what happened with Margaret Thatcher for a sec? 
and i have to say it was really emotional lol what's up with the heysel stadium disaster though? like how did that even happen? and what's the deal with margaret thatcher's handling of it? seems so inhumane 
anyway, i loved this docu it was so well made 
but idk about kenny dalglish seeming kinda untroubled given everything he went through... maybe i just need to watch more about his life 
. And can we talk about how much attention is given to the government's role in all this? It feels like the film is glossing over some major issues 
. And what really gets me is how often we're forced to watch a "turbulent" period of history through the lens of one person's perspective. Can't we see it for what it was – a series of tragic events that were, in part, fueled by systemic problems? 
. It's striking how Kapadia has woven together the intricate threads of Dalglish's life, expertly balancing personal narratives with broader social commentary 
. One thing that struck me was how Dalglish's humility & compassion allowed him to navigate football politics with remarkable poise 
. While some might find his story lacking complexity, I think it's precisely his 'everyman' quality that makes him so relatable & inspiring 
.
The way they show Kenny Dalglish as just an 'everyman' is so inspiring 
. Like he was just trying to do his job while dealing with all this crazy stuff 
. But for him and the players, it must've felt like the world was spinning 
.
. Like how did the government and media really respond to all this? Was there a conspiracy or just a whole lot of incompetence 
?
... but in the end, you get this beautiful picture of a man who refused to give up 
.
. It's like he was saying 'enough's enough' to all the lies and manipulation he faced from the media and government. I'm getting goosebumps thinking about Dalglish's character and how he handled it all with such dignity and compassion 
. Still, it's an incredible tribute to Dalglish's life and legacy, and I'm so grateful we get to see his story on the big screen 
I'm totally stoked about this docu on Kenny Dalglish 
. And that headline, "We Lied" 
, still gives me chills! It's crazy to think about how much Dalglish had to deal with during those tumultuous years 
. And that "We Lied" headline? Classy move, Kenny 
! You'd think it's a clever plot twist in some thriller, not actual news 
!