Jose Mourinho Tells Chelsea Fans to Axe Steven Gerrard Song, Hails Liverpool Man
Jose Mourinho has admitted that he "did everything" to bring Steven Gerrard from Liverpool to Chelsea in 2005 and wishes Blues supporters would stop singing about the player in a derogatory fashion.
The Portuguese boss, who saw his Premier League table-toppers thrash Swansea 5-0 on Saturday, recently outlined plans that never came to fruition, reported by Sky Sports:
"We did everything to try [to sign him] and it was almost there. I was dreaming of [Claude] Makelele, Gerrard and [Frank] 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 [then-Chelsea chief executive] Peter Kenyon at that time, we dreamed of that.
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Mourinho admitted that Gerrard's "people were open to him joining a top side like Chelsea," but that the player "never said he would come." In hindsight, this is a decision the player got "right," according to the rival manager who longed to lure him to west London.
When asked whether his failure to capture Gerrard is his biggest transfer disappointment, Mourinho answered, "Yes, but I have another one when I was trying [to bring] Lampard to Inter [Milan]," per Sky Sports.
It's certainly interesting to consider how the careers of both midfielders would have altered with such moves. Gerrard would have likely won the Premier League crown that has remained so cruelly elusive over the years, while Lampard may have grabbed a Champions League medal two seasons before he eventually did as part of Inter's terrific treble achievement in 2009-10.
Gerrard recently agreed a deal to play for Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of the campaign. This decision removes him from the limelight of English football and provides a slower route to retirement; the 34-year-old will likely be able to continue influencing matches for years to come in MLS.
Lampard was originally destined to do the same after inking a contract with New York City FC. However, his move to sister club Manchester City has raised questions in relation to UEFA's Financial Fair Play restrictions, with Jamie Jackson of The Guardian among those reporting that he never signed a contract to play for the American side.
Mourinho loves powerful, ball-playing midfielders and eventually settled on Michael Ballack in his original Chelsea midfield.
Upon his return to England last season, Mourinho's side played a major role in handing Manchester City the domestic crown after Gerrard's infamous slip provided Demba Ba with the opportunity to score at Anfield, a result that proved pivotal in Liverpool failing to win their first Premier League title.
Chelsea fans, and indeed many other sets of supporters across the division, continue to sing a song reminding Gerrard of his mistake. Mourinho wishes his fans would stop, reported by Sky Sports: "The song that my fans have I don't like at all. 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."
Gerrard, who has become a peripheral figure for the Reds this season, continues to make an impact. He has netted nine goals in 26 appearances so far, per WhoScored.com, scoring four in his last three starts.
He failed to appear during Liverpool's recent 2-0 win over Aston Villa but aired his happiness with the win, per Sky Sports:
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen recently stated that he rates Gerrard over Lampard and Paul Scholes, as noted on Sportlobster:
"I would say Steven Gerrard is the best of the three. I would compare Gerrard to the likes of Zinedine Zidane, as he was among the top players I have ever played with. You always look further afield to see who is the best, but sometimes they are under your nose. For me, Gerrard is up there as the greatest ever Liverpool player because of his quality and longevity.
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Mourinho looks to have built himself another championship-winning team at Chelsea. His side are five points clear of second-placed City heading into their crunch clash on Jan. 31, in which victory would be a huge step toward the prize. It's probably easier for the boss to discuss his love of Gerrard this season due to Liverpool not being in the title race, as it may have angered Chelsea fans last year.
A Mourinho-Gerrard relationship could have been prosperous, and when his career is finished, it will be interesting to see whether the latter also admits regretting never making it happen.
