Soon there will be talk of hope and inspiration, of the opportunity to run and be free, but before that Sir Kenny Dalglish wants to make a point.
It’s an important one, too. During a period of our lives in which there has been disruption, upset and frustration on a scale we could never have imagined, Dalglish has opened up the situation to firmly include the younger generations. He knows where sympathies should be channelled.
‘The concentration, maybe rightly so, has been on the adults — for them to get back to work, to get out socialising and everything else,’ says Dalglish. ‘But let’s have it right — let’s not forget about the kids. They have got a social life too.
Sir Kenny Dalglish helps McDonald’s deliver free football coaching sessions for kids
‘I’m getting videos sent to me of the grandkids playing out. It’s brilliant to see them enjoying it again. They love it! They’re six and four. That’s their social life.
‘It might just be a wee game of football, their leagues restarting or whatever sport they are involved in. They have got a life too. We need to take them into consideration. We are trying to get out of this pandemic when there has been no positivity.
‘The kids have been restricted with the opportunities to try and get out and about. They just want to go and kick a ball, don’t they? What about the development these kids have missed out on? The sports they are participating in and everything else. A year is a long time without football.’
Any parent whose child has seen their weekly routine turned upside down by the consequences of lockdowns and league seasons being aborted will understand the issue that Dalglish, one of the giants of British game, raises. All they want is the opportunity for some normality once more.
Dalglish hopes, in a way, he will be able to provide an answer to that this summer. In his role as an ambassador for McDonald’s, he will be central to a programme that will see hundreds of free sessions, delivered by fully qualified coaches in 700 locations across the nation.
The Scottish legend is well aware of the positive impact the game has on the nation
‘McDonald’s have been doing this, with grassroots football, for 20 years,’ says Dalglish, whose association with the company stretches back the same time. ‘In that period, it has mushroomed. The most important thing is, when the kids turn up, it is not about ability. It’s just about enjoyment.
‘All you want is for the kids to come along and enjoy themselves. Obviously, there will be some good footballers there, boys and girls. But I have never been at the gala days and seen anything other than the kids have a good time. There has not been a hint of a problem or a bit of trouble.
‘I think you might find in years to come that the young players might not be making their debuts in first teams as soon as they are now. They’ve missed a year and it’s going to be difficult to try and catch that up. Just give them some encouragement now: let them go and enjoy themselves.’
Ordinarily, this would have been a summer that would have spawned thousands and thousands of new fans. Major tournaments — particularly those that are played within a time friendly to school hours — tend to be recreated on parks and playgrounds by those looking to emulate their heroes.
Dalglish, 70, is wistful when he thinks how it could have been north of the border, especially, with Scotland making it back to the biggest stage for the first time since 1998 and exciting players such as Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour, John McGinn of Aston Villa and Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson in the team.
Players like Scotland’s Billy Gilmour and Mason Mount have been helped by grassroots
It should never be forgotten how much football can unite and inspire and Dalglish, a man who represented his country on 102 occasions and scored a record-breaking 30 goals, believes there will be a positive legacy from this European Championship for years to come.
‘The unfortunate thing is that the people would have loved to have shown their appreciation in far greater numbers than what they have been able to,’ says Dalglish, during an engaging 30-minute discussion over Zoom. ‘But life is more important than anything else.
‘The football gives you a bit of encouragement. Sport is something that has always been able to lift people’s spirits.
‘I know what its’s like with two teams in the one city. If they both win on the Saturday, the ‘go to work’ rate on a Monday was pretty high! If one lost, there would be half of them missing!
‘The point I’m making is you cannot say it doesn’t play a big part in people’s lives.
‘That applies to kids as well. For them to miss out on everything they have done is so hard. Not everyone has got a back garden, have they? You’ve got the safety and security aspect now. Before your mum and dad would say to you: “On you go!” and you’d be out.
‘You’d pick up the ball and you’d be out on the street or in the park. I don’t think too many families would be comfortable with that now. I think it’s all got to be organised now. The people who organise it, the ones who give up their time to make sure the kids have a chance to play, I think they are special people.’
Before he signs off, he makes another point and once again it carries weight.
‘Without the volunteers, remember, you haven’t got a Scotland-England game,’ Dalglish says. ‘Not one of those players in that game would be where they are now without grassroots, would they?’
Sir Kenny Dalglish is launching one million hours of free McDonald’s Fun Football sessions for children across the UK this summer. To find your nearest session, go to mcdonalds.co.uk/football