Jamie Carragher has commented on Liverpool’s prior interest in Jose Mourinho.
Liverpool decided to part ways with Gerard Houllier in 2004, and they faced a big decision when it came to replacing the Frenchman.
Two of the top coaches in Europe at the time were Valencia’s Rafael Benitez and Porto’s Jose Mourinho, having impressed in Spain and Portugal respectively.
Benitez had won the La Liga title with Valencia twice, whilst also winning the UEFA Cup in a superb spell of success that just hasn’t been replicated at the Mestalla.
Meanwhile, Mourinho had matched the two league titles and UEFA Cup, but also won the Champions League with Porto, leaving both in huge demand.
Liverpool went for Benitez, winning the Champions League just a year later, whilst Mourinho won six trophies at Chelsea, including back-to-back Premier League titles.
Both clubs will be pleased with their choices, and pundit Jamie Carragher has now opened up on Liverpool’s decision to go with Benitez rather than Mourinho.
Carragher, as quoted by The Mirror, suggested that Rick Parry informed the Liverpool players that Benitez and Mourinho were in the mix, but the feeling was that Mourinho ‘couldn’t be’ Liverpool boss because of his conduct.
Mourinho has always been outspoken and somewhat controversial, and that means he has often played the villain against Liverpool rather than becoming Reds boss 16 years ago.
“Gerard Houllier had lost his job, and (chief executive) Rick Parry had interviewed Rafa Benitez at some stage,” said Carragher. “He was just keeping the senior players informed about where they were up to, and he did mention Jose Mourinho. I knew much more about Rafa Benitez because of the Spanish football and what he’d done, and it looked that (appointing him) was quite far down the road anyway.”
“But I think the feeling was that Jose Mourinho couldn’t be a Liverpool manager, possibly because of the way he conducted himself at times,” he added.
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