Had Graeme Souness pulled the trigger on either of these potential transfers, Liverpool could now be on 25 or 26 league titles.
Regrets. Everybody has them.
Souness certainly has had his fair share but he’s stoic enough about them.
For a man that had heart surgery twice in the last 20 years, he tries not to let the details – big or small – gnaw at him too much.
There are a few moments in his football career, though, that give him pause. A good few of them revolve around Manchester United. For a guy that never managed the club, he had a massive role in shaping their destiny.
First up, the fact that he was nailed on to replace Alex Ferguson had Michael Knighton been successful with his takeover bid for United in 1989. Souness was racking up trophies as Glasgow Rangers manager and tells The Daily Mail he would have jumped at the chance.
As we now know, Knighton’s bid fell through and Ferguson led United to an FA Cup win that saved his career at Old Trafford. Souness did not have to wait too long for a chance to manage in England. Kenny Dalglish finished up with Liverpool in 1991 and his Scottish compatriot was asked to take over.
Twice in his first year at Liverpool, Souness had the opportunity to buy players that would go on to become United icons – Eric Cantona and Peter Schmeichel. He revealed:
“Schmeichel wrote to me when I was at Liverpool in the early 1990s. Ron Yeats came into my office and told me there was a young Danish goalkeeper who was a Liverpool fan and was willing to pay his own travel and hotel in exchange for some time with us.
“But at the time I was trying to ease Brucey Grobbelaar out and that was proving a hassle. And I think I had just signed David James. So I thought I could do without it.”
It was similar with Cantona, Souness continued:
“We had played Auxerre at home [in November 1991] and Michel Platini came to see me.
“He said he had a player – a problem boy but a proper player. Cantona. I said the last thing I needed was another problem player. I had 30-pluses that I was trying to get out so I didn’t need more hassle. I said I was looking for something else. I said no thanks.”
Were Souness said ‘No’, Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson said ‘Yes’ and ‘Please’. Ferguson somehow coddled Cantona off him the following season.
Both Cantona and Schmeichel fast became United legends and sparked an unprecedented run of success under Ferguson. Between them, the striker and goalkeeper claimed nine league titles, five FA Cup wins and a European Cup.
Liverpool have not won a league title since 1990. It could have all bee so different.
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