It has been eleven years since former defender Dominic Matteo left Anfield, and to this day, he still feels sadness over the way Gerard Houllier 'got rid' of him.
The arrival of Christian Ziege in 2000 was the beginning of the end for Matteo's Liverpool career; the Scot saw his first-team chances severely restricted, and he left for Leeds soon after.
In his recently released autobiography, Matteo spoke of his 'shock' at being pushed out:
"I felt that me and Gerard got on fine but I couldn't help feeling that when he got rid of me it was the wrong decision.
"I had just signed a new five year contract a few days earlier, so for him to then tell me he was happy for me to leave was quite a shock to the system for a young player".
Matteo also argued that signing Ziege was the wrong decision:
"Personally, I just didn't think Christian Ziege was any better than I was, and Liverpool were paying a lot of money for him, and probably a lot more in wages.
"I always look at that and think the club might have made a mistake there. To this day, I still believe that.
In hindsight, Matteo is probably right; the German lasted only one season at Anfield after seemingly having trouble adjusting to life at a big club.
Matteo went on to captain Leeds United, but he'll always feel a little sad about his time at Liverpool:
"My main memories of Liverpool and me is that I always look back with a little bit of regret that I didn't get more opportunities in the same position, week in, week out"
Matteo played in the fabulous Roy Evans team of 1995-97, so I personally will always have fond memories of his time at Liverpool.
Jaimie Kanwar
The arrival of Christian Ziege in 2000 was the beginning of the end for Matteo's Liverpool career; the Scot saw his first-team chances severely restricted, and he left for Leeds soon after.
In his recently released autobiography, Matteo spoke of his 'shock' at being pushed out:
"I felt that me and Gerard got on fine but I couldn't help feeling that when he got rid of me it was the wrong decision.
"I had just signed a new five year contract a few days earlier, so for him to then tell me he was happy for me to leave was quite a shock to the system for a young player".
Matteo also argued that signing Ziege was the wrong decision:
"Personally, I just didn't think Christian Ziege was any better than I was, and Liverpool were paying a lot of money for him, and probably a lot more in wages.
"I always look at that and think the club might have made a mistake there. To this day, I still believe that.
In hindsight, Matteo is probably right; the German lasted only one season at Anfield after seemingly having trouble adjusting to life at a big club.
Matteo went on to captain Leeds United, but he'll always feel a little sad about his time at Liverpool:
"My main memories of Liverpool and me is that I always look back with a little bit of regret that I didn't get more opportunities in the same position, week in, week out"
Matteo played in the fabulous Roy Evans team of 1995-97, so I personally will always have fond memories of his time at Liverpool.
Jaimie Kanwar
Look before you leap!
ReplyDeleteLeap?..... He was fucking pushed. Idiot
ReplyDeleteJamie you a poes!
ReplyDeleteI think Ziege could have been brilliant but for legal/injury problems.
ReplyDeleteI can though, with hindsight of course, how Matteo could come to his conclusion.
Ziege trouble adjusting to playing for a big club , Yes youre probably right ... Because he only played for tiny clubs like Bayern Munich , and Inter Milan ,,, They dont come any smaller than those two clubs do they...
ReplyDeleteYou Muppet.