Kenny's Downing update
Kenny Dalglish was today quizzed on the news Liverpool have agreed a fee with Aston Villa for the transfer of Stewart Downing.
News broke on Liverpoolfc.tv late on Wednesday night announcing the Reds had been given permission to speak to the England international winger and arrange a medical after reaching an agreement with Villa.
In front of a mass of TV crews, journalists and fans in Malaysia, Dalglish was joined by Daniel Agger, Dirk Kuyt and Managing Director Ian Ayre for a press conference at the One World hotel.
And with everyone eager to know the latest on Downing, Dalglish said: "We have been given permission to speak to the player.
"We will now try to agree personal terms with him, but it will all depend on the medical. It is a work in progress and we will see what happens and keep you informed."
Liverpool touched down in Malaysia just hours after getting their pre-season fixture schedule up and running with a 4-3 victory over Guangdong Sunray Cave in China.
Dalglish opted to give 23 players a run out in Guangzhou and believes the game, which was played in intense heat and humidity, will prove hugely beneficial in helping his squad ready themselves for 2011-12.
"It was a good training exercise for us," the boss reflected. "Everyone who came with us got a game. That's important as this is just a continuation of pre-season training. It's very important players get time on the pitch.
"In pre-season players will make mistakes and we did make a few but we will accept that and move on. The lads all worked very hard."
Click on the play button below to watch Kenny speak to the Malaysian press
The travelling Liverpool party were afforded a heroes welcome when they arrived in Kuala Lumpar in the early hours of Thursday morning, local time.
The horde of Kopites gathered outside the team hotel all appeared to be in optimistic mood ahead of 2011-12 - and local journalists were keen to ask Dalglish how he felt about Liverpool's chances of securing a return to the Champions League this season.
He replied: "We'd much rather be in the Champions League than out of it and this is the first year for many years we've not been in Europe, but maybe that will be an advantage to us because we will have less games to play and players will have a chance to get more rest.
"All we can say is we'll give our best for the football club.
"The more games we win the more successful we'll be. We can promise everyone we will give everything for the football club.
"All we can do is give our best and if we get results we'll be successful."
With those great scenes following on from the incredible reception received in China, Dalglish was asked by reporters whether he and his players were feeling a burden of expectation ahead of the new campaign.
"It's more of an honour than a burden to manage this club," said the Scot.
"The expectations are there but we have to manage them and the supporters have to manage them.
"We know our fans have respect for us and commitment to the football club and we hope to get results for them."
