Jose Mourinho Wishes He Signed Steven Gerrard
Jun 19, 2014; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL; England midfielder Steven Gerrard (4) against Uruguay during the 2014 World Cup at Arena Corinthians. Uruguay defeated England 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
After hundreds of transfers at numerous clubs it was the failure of signing Steven Gerrard that remains the greatest transfer disappointment of Jose Mourinho’s career.
In 2005 Chelsea were very close to getting the former England captain – close enough that Gerrard was said to have even handed a transfer request to leave Liverpool.
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Former reds chief executive Rick Parry at the time also conceded that the club had lost Gerrard, saying, “Now we have to move on. We have done our best, but he has made it clear he wants to go and I think it looks pretty final.”
The very next day, Liverpool’s number 8 had a change of heart and signed a new four-year deal at Anfield.
Mourinho, Roman Abramovich and former chief executive Peter Kenyon were united in the campaign to sign Gerrard but failed in the end. He was the missing piece to their ‘dream’ midfield to move the team forward.
“We did everything to try (to sign him) and it was almost there. I was dreaming of Makelele, Gerrard and Lampard in midfield.
“We were playing in a proper triangle without a number 10 and playing Maka in front of the defenders. Me, Mr Abramovich and Peter Kenyon at that time, we dreamed of that.
“His people were open to him joining a top side like Chelsea. But to me personally he never said he would come. Never.
“He (Gerrard) was always a red and I think the decision was right.”
“We did everything to try and it was almost there”-Mourinho”
With Gerrard departing Anfield for Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of the season the reds will be desperate to send their captain off with a trophy.
Liverpool remains in great contention to win the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup – with the finale of the latter to be played on Gerrard’s birthday.
The blues face Liverpool midweek in the first-leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final and Mourinho urged the Chelsea faithful to show the departing captain some respect.
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“The song that my fans have I don’t like at all,” Mourinho said.
“A couple of times it is good fun but to go and go and go, especially with a player like him who deserves respect, I don’t think you don’t need that”.
The song of course refers to Steven Gerrard’s famous slip against Chelsea last season in which Demba Ba took advantage by scoring that ultimately ended Liverpool’s run at the title.