Former manager Kenny Dalglish emerged as one of the leading favorites for the Liverpool job Friday following the departure of Rafa Benitez.
British bookmakers listed Dalglish as third favorite behind Aston Villa's Martin O'Neill and Fulham's Roy Hodgson. Money is also being placed on former Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann.
Dalglish, a former star striker for Liverpool, was the last manager to lead the club to the league championship title 20 years ago. He currently has a role helping guide young players at Liverpool's youth academy as well as working on the commercial side.
Benitez left Liverpool on Thursday after six years in charge. The club finished seventh in the Premier League this year.
Bookmakers William Hill listed Dalglish as a 9-2 shot to take the job behind O'Neill, who is 6-4, and 3-1 second favorite Hodgson, who led Fulham to the Europa League final.
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, who helped Liverpool win the 1984 European Cup, said Dalglish was his choice to take the job.
``I think there is only one man for the job and that is Kenny Dalglish,'' Grobbelaar said Friday. ``I believe that, if he didn't have the appetite for the game, he wouldn't be at Anfield every week, week-in, week-out.
``I think maybe now is the time he can turn the tide and take the club, stabilize it, with the fans, make sure everything gets on track and take the club where it should be.''
Klinsmann was initially a 16-1 shot but Hills said Friday that strong interest in the German had led them to cut his odds to 10-1. Klinsmann was contacted by one of Liverpool's co-owners, Tom Hicks, amid speculation that Benitez might leave the club in January 2008.
Benitez, who had been at Liverpool for six years, led the club to a memorable triumph in the 2005 Champions League final.
But Liverpool's disappointing seventh-place finish in the Premier League meant it missed out on a Champions League spot for the first time since the 2003-04 season. The club has not won a major trophy for four years and, during its long wait for the league title, Manchester United has drawn level with its record of 18 with 11 triumphs during the same period.
The 50-year-old Benitez, who led Valencia to two Spanish league titles and the UEFA Cup before moving to Liverpool, is now a leading candidate to become Inter Milan's next coach.
Days after winning the Champions League, Inter lost Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid on Monday.
