King Kenny's first casualty - Damien Comolli

First head to roll at Liverpool.

Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli has left the club by mutual consent, the Reds have announced.

Comolli was appointed by club co-owners John W. Henry and Tom Werner following their takeover of the club in September 2010.

He oversaw a major spending spree which included the signings of Andy Carroll for £35m and Luis Suarez for £22.7m.

Comolli said: "I am am happy to move on from the club and go back to France for family reasons."

He added: "I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to work at Liverpool. I wish the club all the best for the future."

The announcement was made as Liverpool prepare for their FA Cup semi-final against Everton at Wembley on Saturday.

Liverpool chairman Werner said: "The club needs to move forward and we now have a huge game on Saturday. It is important that everyone joins us in supporting the manager and gets behind Kenny [Dalglish] and the team and focuses on a strong finish to the season."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17687524

I found this quite unbelievable when you consider that on November 10, 2011 John Henry said, ' Damien has been terrific. No one has worked harder over the past year. His accomplishments thus far have been extremely important. He has organised so much, so quickly and so well.'

Liverpool have also sacked their sports medicine chief Peter Brukner even though Liverpool are at the top of the tree for injury avoidance.

I always thought that the buck stopped with the manager? Anyone would be fooled into thinking it was Comolli who selected and paid for the current crop of Liverpool players who have under-achieved.

You're right, Comolli is nothing but a scapegoat. Management has obviously realised its all gone tits up, but the thought of sacking the the real problem, 'King Kenny' obviously couldn't be considered at this time. If they have a bad start to next year, I think he might come to an 'agreement'. I personally thnk he's done a lot of damage to the team, ruining a potentially top player, (for £35m), is but one.

Gloswhite, I always had serious doubts about Kenny going back to Liverpool after 12 years away from the game. Nothing he has done since he took over at Liverpool has altered my opinion.

Strangely enough, their downfall started at the Reebok when we beat them 3-1. Kevin Keegan and John Barnes were the ESPN pundits and they said Liverpool had never played so badly! They ignored the fact that we outplayed them and were worthy winners. Of course there was no Ex Bolton player working as a pundit to give our side of the story!

You've touched on a topic that really gets my goat. It seems that whenever we play a so-called top team, the pundits always refer to how good or bad the opposition is and never how well we play. Drives me nuts.

Me too. Credit where it's due though because after the Newcastle game both Hansen and Lawro agreed that we were unlucky not to have come away with something from Newcastle.

I have decided I am never going to Newcastle again after Bank holiday Monday. The away fans are so high up and away from the action on the pitch whereas the Geordies have home support on all four lower levels of the ground. You need binoculars to see what is happening from the away upper tier.

Those steps are a bloody nightmare as well. By the team you get to your seat you are out of breath and light headed. Great stadium for home fans but shoite for away supporters.