Steven McManaman ( born 11 February 1972 ) is an english former football player who played as a winger for Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester City. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] McManaman is the most decorate english football player to have played for a club abroad and is regarded as one of the best players of his genesis, with the UEFA web site stating in 2012 that “ of all England ‘s footballing exports in the modern earned run average, none was deoxyadenosine monophosphate successful as McManaman ”. [ 5 ] [ 6 ] He is presently a co-commentator on ESPN and BT Sport ‘s football coverage and a La Liga ambassador. After nine years at Liverpool, during which time he won the FA Cup and League Cup, McManaman moved to Real Madrid in 1999. The transmit became one of the most high-profile Bosman rulings of all time. [ 7 ] He became the first English musician to win the UEFA Champions League with a non-English club in 2000, and two years belated became the first English player to win the Champions League twice. [ 8 ] He besides won La Liga doubly ahead moving to Manchester City in 2003. He retired from playing in 2005. Since his retirement, he has worked as a football initiate for Setanta Sports, ESPN and BT Sport.
Reading: Steve McManaman – Wikipedia
Club career [edit ]
liverpool [edit ]
early days [edit ]
McManaman at a memorial match for Liverpool in 2009 McManaman was born in Bootle, Lancashire. [ 1 ] He grew up as an Everton patron, [ 9 ] with his boyhood heroes in football being the Everton players Bob Latchford and Duncan McKenzie. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] But when Everton offered the player a annual condense ( after McManaman had made a name for himself at tournaments for school and around Merseyside ), McManaman ‘s forefather rejected it in favor of a schoolboy contract and biennial apprenticeship offer from Liverpool ( through scout Jim Aspinall and then coach Kenny Dalglish ). [ 9 ] [ 12 ] McManaman signed as a 16-year-old apprentice upon leaving school in 1988. [ 3 ] As an apprentice, McManaman was under the mentor of John Barnes —one of the players McManaman was groomed to potentially replace in the long tend. [ 13 ] A natural athlete and hybridization state champion at school floor, [ 14 ] McManaman developed through the youth dodge at Liverpool and signed as a entire master on 19 February 1990 in what was to be Kenny Dalglish ‘s final examination wax season as coach. [ 15 ] He made his liverpool debut under Dalglish as a utility for Peter Beardsley in the Football League First Division on 15 December 1990, in a 2–0 league winnings over Sheffield United at Anfield, [ 16 ] and made his full debut the follow season ( by which time Graeme Souness had become the new coach ) [ 13 ] in a 2–1 win over Oldham Athletic ; a game in which The Guardian newspaper reported that he “ ran his peg into the grind ” all day and assisted his mentor Barnes in scoring the recently winner by flicking on Mark Walters ‘ intersect. [ 17 ] He scored his first ever master goal with a diving header four days later on 21 August 1991 in the 2–1 defeat to Manchester City at Maine Road. The 19-year-old McManaman cursorily became a regular first team player in the 1991–92 season, making 51 appearances in total in merely his first full moon season—opportunities in the first team coming as a result of then director Souness ‘ decision to sell respective ageing players ; [ 18 ] [ 19 ] american samoa well as when John Barnes suffered a career threatening achilles tendon injury. [ 20 ] [ 21 ] McManaman was deployed as a left- or right-sided forward, backing the club ‘s new signing dean Saunders [ 22 ] —a act Saunders reluctantly accepted at inaugural, having realised that Souness “ had [ no choice but ] to bring kids like McManaman into the team before they were by rights ready. ” [ 23 ] Saunders began to change his mind as the season progressed—following McManaman ‘s ability to form an attacking partnership with him [ 24 ] —with McManaman managing to create [ 25 ] and score respective goals across the league and in the side ‘s ply to the Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Cup, [ 26 ] a well as in the FA Cup, [ 27 ] finally collecting a FA Cup achiever ‘s decoration. In that 1992 FA Cup Final where Liverpool triumphed 2–0 against Sunderland, McManaman was besides named the man of the match having set up the winner for Michael Thomas [ 15 ] despite being the youngest musician on the pitch. McManaman ‘s performances saw him described by Ian Rush as the most bright young player at Liverpool at the time. [ 15 ]
achiever and fame [edit ]
Although McManaman had a couple of quiet seasons with the advent of the Premier League, in which Liverpool initially struggled, he continued to develop a repute as one of English football ‘s two best emerging young wingers [ 28 ] aboard Ryan Giggs of Manchester United. [ 8 ] A BBC article described the copulate as able to “ embarrass defences with their labyrinthine runs, which besides often lack the eat up touch they deserve ”. [ 29 ] [ 30 ] In the 1993–94 temper, McManaman showed finely class with two goals against Swindon Town and some assists including a dramatic run and help against Tottenham Hotspur. however, this form faltered following a drop in assurance after an incident with Bruce Grobbelaar towards the end of a Merseyside bowler hat, when the players exchanged blows after Grobelaar lambasted McManaman for a poor clearance [ 31 ] which led to a finish being conceded ( an incident late named as one of the clear five bust-ups between team-mates in Premier League history ). [ 32 ] In 1994–95, McManaman signed a fresh million-pound contract, and was given a central, detached character [ 33 ] by modern director Roy Evans, who wanted to utilise McManaman ‘s natural hunt and dribbling ability [ 34 ] to drift all over the park. It proved a successful decisiveness as McManaman began mesmerising defences with runs that were subsequently to become hallmarks of the Liverpool side of the 1990s. [ 36 ] The 1994–95 season besides proved to be a flex period for Liverpool after the miss of success during the former two seasons. That temper, he collected a League Cup winner ‘s decoration after scoring doubly in his side ‘s 2–1 win over Bolton Wanderers ; such was his performance that fans named it “ The McManaman Final ”. [ 37 ] For his moment Wembley final appearance in sequence he was awarded man of the match, earning the Alan Hardaker Trophy and a tribute from guest of honor, celebrated veteran winger Sir Stanley Matthews, [ 38 ] who had a personal discussion with McManaman before the final, saying : “ I like the way you drivel, ” [ 39 ] adding [ to the press ] after the concluding, “ He reminds me of me when I was playing … [ 40 ] I wish there are more dribblers like him. ” [ 41 ] By the end of 1995–96, McManaman was top of the Premier League goal assists chart with 25 assists over the season ( 15 in the Premier League ), [ 42 ] including assists and top ratings in a match against Newcastle voted the best of the decade in the Premier League 10 Seasons Awards. [ 43 ] [ 44 ] By now, McManaman was ranked as one of the finest midfielders in England and had developed a strong repute on the european stage following UEFA Euro 1996, [ 45 ] earning praise from many at the clock including Kevin Keegan, who said “ there are few all right sights in world football than the sight of Steve McManaman running down the length of the lurch ”. [ 46 ] McManaman had besides been noted for his versatility in his free character, switching from correct to leftover wings, and his ability to play in central midfield, behind the battlefront pair, or as a ahead. McManaman was credited for making the complimentary function that director Evans gave him study, [ 47 ] with the result being that Liverpool were playing some of the most aesthetically pleasing attacking football at the fourth dimension in England. [ 48 ] McManaman was besides said to have been one of merely a handful of alleged “ talismanic ” players along with Eric Cantona [ 49 ] and Gianfranco Zola in the league at the time believed to have the charisma to lift supporters from their seats each time they got the ball. [ 50 ] From 1996 through 1998, McManaman systematically won respective ‘Man of the Match ‘ awards, [ 51 ] [ 52 ] and Premier League managers were forced to deploy a man-marker specifically to follow him for an entire game. [ 53 ] [ 54 ] The then Middlesbrough director, Bryan Robson, was quoted as saying that “ everyone in the Premiership knows that if you stop McManaman, you stop Liverpool ”. [ 55 ] [ 56 ] [ 57 ] According to interviews on an ITV documentary titled The Alex Ferguson Story ( 1998 ), Peter Schmeichel stated that Sir Alex Ferguson was besides tactically fixated on stopping McManaman each fourth dimension Manchester United played Liverpool, [ 58 ] [ 59 ] with Schmeichel adding Ferguson was so implicated about stopping McManaman dictating the play ; it became “ Groundhog Team lecture ” : “ We ‘ve heard it every fourth dimension we ‘re playing Liverpool—McManaman ‘s doing this … We know that, ” said Schmeichel, while Ferguson himself told his players : “ We lost the league ( deed in 1994–95 ) at Anfield by not listening to instructions about McManaman … ” [ 58 ] [ 60 ]
however, things started to turn sour for McManaman and some of his team-mates. As their fame increased, yellow journalism newspaper stories of cub culture excesses emerged and this, fused with underachievement on the lurch, brought criticism in the media. Defeat to Sir Alex Ferguson ‘s Manchester United in three claim races ( from 1995–96 through 1996–97 ) including the 1996 FA Cup concluding, a game where the Liverpool team arrived to inspect the flip wearing cream coloured Armani suits intensified the criticism. [ 61 ] McManaman and early team-mates were reported to have cashed in on their newfound fame as stars of the nascent Premier League, to live a eminent life involving groupies, clubbing and other “ high jinks ”. Modelling contracts and deals with fashion labels like Top Man, Hugo Boss and Armani culminated in their corporate nickname, the “ Spice Boys “. [ 62 ] The site was far aggravated by stories of McManaman and best friend Robbie Fowler ‘s lifestyles off the pitch following an interview with the magazine Loaded, which depicted the duet as hedonists [ 63 ] and ‘scally ‘ characters, ampere well as stories about McManaman and Fowler ‘s miss of decorum and disruptive influence in the dress room. [ 48 ] McManaman responded by joining The Times to write a hebdomadally column, becoming the first football player of his generation to do then. [ 64 ] McManaman ‘s column were known for articulating opinions on matters from a player ‘s perspective, [ 65 ] and in one especial column, discussed the issue of how the Bosman rule impacted the future of the english game with “ bargain-priced imports ” that threatened local anesthetic development, while besides proposing the increase of odds for smaller team to beat boastful clubs by having the League Cup reduced to a individual leg matter, therefore enabling players to be better rested deoxyadenosine monophosphate well. [ 66 ] By 1998, following the success of his well-regarded column, he besides began writing monthly pieces for Esquire magazine. [ 67 ] Notwithstanding, McManaman was chiefly criticised for scoring excessively few goals, although he did make up for this with a formidable rate of assists for the likes of Fowler ( with whom he was described as having an about ‘telepathic ‘ understanding with [ 68 ] ) and, by and by, Michael Owen, with Owen saying that “ Liverpool at the clock time was built around McManaman ” [ 69 ] and was an average team whenever McManaman was not on shape. [ 70 ] Additionally, McManaman ‘s role as the playmaking linchpin in the side meant that scoring statistics alone would not measure his contributions, because flush in games where he would not get a goal or an assist, he would frequently have started the travel or delivered the key pass or two in the run up. [ 71 ] The few goals that McManaman did score besides tended to be dramatic or memorable—most notably an injury-time solo goal against Celtic in the UEFA Cup, when McManaman scored after a 75-yard drip. other outstanding goals during his Liverpool career included goals against Aston Villa, Newcastle United and scoring the winner in a match against Arsenal with a sandbag volley, after which he won a PFA Player of the Month award in December 1997. [ 72 ]
contract wrangles [edit ]
In August 1997, Liverpool, having been ineffective to agree a fresh narrow with McManaman and fearing that the actor might leave on a Bosman absolve transfer, ultimately accepted a £12 million bid for the player from Barcelona ; [ 73 ] [ 74 ] Barcelona had previously tried ( and failed ) to sign McManaman twice before ( after the 1996 FA Cup Final and after Euro 96 ). [ 75 ] The deal subsequently fell apart amidst recriminations about the player ‘s wage demands and Barcelona ‘s motives for the wish, being in negotiation with brazilian ace Rivaldo at the lapp time and snubbing McManaman when he travelled to Spain to meet them. [ 73 ] By the end of the saga, Barcelona signed Rivaldo after Sir Bobby Robson changed his mind ( he had earlier told LFC vice-chairman Peter Robinson that he wanted the player ) [ 75 ] and intervened and told Louis van Gaal that he decided McManaman was “ a cosmetic player who would not score 18 goals a season for Barcelona ”, [ 76 ] while McManaman himself, while expressing that he was surprised Liverpool were bequeath to sell him in the first place, stated that he had no desire to leave Liverpool and with two years left on his condense was simply not in any rush to sign a new one. [ 77 ] A subsequent offer of £11 million from Juventus [ 78 ] in November of the lapp year was rejected by both cabaret and player. [ 79 ] In early 1998, Barcelona returned with another wish for McManaman, [ 80 ] and erstwhile Deportivo La Coruna president Augusto César Lendoiro late added that Barcelona did not want to sign his former player Rivaldo and that they wanted McManaman, and put it down to a “ concurrence ” that they pulled out and opted for Rivaldo alternatively, [ 81 ] with it being noteworthy that the fact Barcelona came back again in 1998 ( after having already signed Rivaldo five months early ) had stood as evidence of that point. Nonetheless, McManaman and Liverpool turned them down once and for all for the final time. [ 82 ] McManaman had been named Liverpool stand-in captain at the startle of the 1997–98 season, [ 3 ] [ 13 ] but contract negotiations continued to flounder as the club could not match the sums available to McManaman if he left as a unblock agentive role at the end of the follow crusade. [ 83 ] Having been overlooked by Glenn Hoddle for the 1998 FIFA World Cup starting lineup, denounced in the english media as being greedy and bolstered by advice from the likes of chap professionals Paul Ince, Paul Gascoigne, David Platt and Chris Waddle, [ 84 ] McManaman publicly announced his desire to play abroad, [ 85 ] explain : “ I have always said I would love the opportunity to play abroad and now that casual has come along. When you have a find to join clubs who are involved in the Champions ‘ League every season, you have to consider it … I ‘m certain everyone must see the logic in that. ” [ 86 ] numerous european clubs circled the soon-to-be free agentive role, with Juventus [ 87 ] again back in the affray amid huge media meditation, but Real Madrid soon emerged in November through December 1998 as his most likely finish. [ 88 ] In January 1999, it was reported that McManaman was talking to Real with the musician reportedly offered £60,000 a workweek and closely £2 million as a signing-on fee. [ 89 ] On 30 January, McManaman passed a checkup and signed an official pre-contract with the club which would make him the best-paid british football player to date. [ 90 ] [ 91 ] He declined to pose in a real Madrid shirt at the narrow signing event, out of obedience for Liverpool ‘s fans. [ 92 ] McManaman ‘s image of being a contract rebel and mercantile at the time was besides exacerbated by his participation in a year-long quarrel between 1997 and 1998 with Umbro, his football boot sponsor. Umbro sued him for transgress of condense for wittingly wearing Reebok branded boots in dispute of the deal, and measuredly “ blacking out ” their logo on his boots in protest. [ 93 ] McManaman argued that his condense was unenforceable and an improper restraint of trade. [ 94 ] McManaman said that he was being exploited. McManaman ‘s agentive role during the 1990s, Simon Fuller and 19 Management [ 95 ] —of which McManaman was his first football node [ 96 ] —helped him negotiate a colony. [ 97 ] The court initially ordered McManaman to fulfil his compress, plus an undertaking to pay Umbro ‘s legal costs for launching contempt of court proceedings against him in 1997, which McManaman accepted and apologised for. [ 98 ] A year on, however, McManaman continued to dishonour the deal. [ 99 ] He last won an out-of-court village in October 1998, freeing him to negotiate with other companies for what he regarded as remuneration appropriate to his status. [ 100 ]
departure [edit ]
Having signed the pre-contract with Real Madrid, McManaman still had five months left on his contract at Liverpool. [ 101 ] New director Gérard Houllier, who had replaced Evans as broad passenger car following the failure of their joint-managerial character that very season, [ 102 ] was widely believed to want to get rid of the “ Spice Boys ” mentality [ 103 ] and cavalier attitudes at the club, [ 104 ] having told many players they were excess to requirements ( including Jason McAteer, Phil Babb, Rob Jones, Stig Bjornebye, David James and Paul Ince ), and where there were exits for seventeen other players who would leave the club in the future year ahead. [ 105 ] While stating that he would have preferred that the player stayed, he said that the cabaret had to respect McManaman ‘s decision to exercise his right to leave at the end of his contract and conceded that he would have to replace the player, [ 106 ] ultimately stating that McManaman ‘s departure was inevitable and the only chance of keeping him would be if he ( McManaman ) decided to sign a 12-month contract annex having failed to secure a move to the club of his choice, saying : “ If I was the director of Real Madrid—or Barcelona or any lead club—I would want to have Steve McManaman in my side, ” he said. [ 107 ] Reports besides emerged at the time stating that McManaman ‘s decisiveness make action was significantly shaped by Roy Evans ‘ complete departure from the cabaret in mid-november 1998, [ 108 ] as Liverpool would be commencing on a modern earned run average and tactical style under Houllier and it dovetailed with McManaman ‘s hope to time his be active that class, quite than to sign an extension and move a year former. Jamie Carragher defended McManaman in his autobiography, stating that at the time : “ Despite being accused of avarice, Macca besides lost money to secure the move. He was one of the lowest earners at Anfield ( for years ), despite being the top player, because he ‘d refused to sign a new contract. financially he took a large hazard, putting his career before money. I respect him for that. ” [ 109 ] [ 110 ] McManaman besides stated that his decision to move abroad was something he had wanted to do for a retentive time and not for fiscal reasons alone, [ 111 ] telling the magazine 90 Minutes that it was about the tempt of real Madrid and Alfredo DiStefano, Ferenc Puskas and Madrid ‘s bequest, angstrom well as the desire to test himself in the Champions League. [ 112 ] In 2021, McManaman finally shed new lightly on his decision to leave Liverpool back in 1999, stating that a combination of factors at the time – including being underappreciated at Liverpool ( having not been offered the right contractual hand ) ; and that the club were poor in communicating and handling his matters ( and selling him to FC Barcelona without consulting him ) – were behind his decision back then ; details which he had never personally revealed publicly prior. [ 113 ] In McManaman ‘s final games for the club in the 1998–99 temper, he began turning in interracial performances, with the media accusing him of playing out his final season in a “ desultory manner ”. [ 114 ] His form dipped at times, largely due to a combination of injuries ( his first perennial achilles injuries for over five years having set in after years of playing constantly [ 115 ] ) —where he had already missed an integral calendar month from mid-november, lone to return and reluctantly limp off the pitch ( as Captain ) [ 116 ] following a undertake by future Liverpool player Dietmar Hamann on his restitution game on Boxing Day ( another compound injury that sidelined him for another month ). early factors for his loss of form included his late being restricted to substitute appearances ( as Houllier wanted to cut the side ‘s addiction on his gameplay and replace him, [ 4 ] ) equally well as suffering a loss of confidence in certain games where flush the home fans turned against him over the compress debacle, with some labelling him a “ double-crosser ” and a Judas figure. [ 117 ] however, Houllier besides avoided dropping McManaman wholly from the team and gave him the opportunity to play. Houllier stated : “ Macca had decided to leave, that ‘s why he did n’t sign the year earlier. When I arrived it was his final year and I did n’t want to punish him in any manner for that, although I might have done with another musician. It was not my fault Macca left. You never want your peak players to leave the club. He went on a detached under a new rule at the time and you have to live with that sometimes. I would have tried hard to sign him before he was able to leave, that ‘s why I was fair to him. I was n’t going to prejudice the count by not playing him ; he played until the end of the temper and I asked the fans to give him a great send off in the concluding game against Wimbledon. ” [ 118 ] McManaman himself besides credited Houllier for his forgivingness during what ultimately was a unmanageable time period, [ 119 ] adding : “ … it was a difficult situation for the pair of us, so I ‘ve got nothing but regard for the means he acted. ” [ 120 ] The Guardian newspaper reported on how divided the Liverpool fans were about McManaman ‘s passing : “ At the senesce of 27 McManaman is articulated adequate to appeal to his populace ‘s elders, reasonably enough to disrupt the think patterns of the girls and good adequate at his occupation to be regarded as a character model for the lads … on the confront of it his crime is simply to be young, successful, in demand and wise enough to have surrounded himself with advisers who in full appreciate his true value. Before and during Saturday ‘s plot at Anfield he was subjected to some atrocious abuse, accused by supporters of both teams of being a “ avid bogus ” … It is wholly dependant upon your point of view as to whether McManaman is a sporting trail-blazer enjoying the benefits of a release marketplace or the identical personification of the avarice which many would argue has devalued football in late times. ” [ 121 ] McManaman told the media after one such game where he became a victim of the “ boo boys ”, saying, “ That ‘s apprehensible, when I came off the other day I knew the reaction there was going to be. But I think if they put themselves in the like predicament, and the fact that I have been at Liverpool for 12 years and that I would like to test myself in a extraneous state, that ‘s apprehensible. ” [ 122 ] At the time, McManaman besides suffered personal tragedy when his mother Irene, passed away aged 50 after a long battle against cancer. [ 123 ] The combination of all these factors meant McManaman suffered a passing of form ; however, McManaman managed to rally and pick up his play right at the end of that last campaign. McManaman scored a all-important goal away at Blackburn Rovers, set up a dramatic injury-time equalizer with a through-ball for Paul Ince to score in front of the Kop against Manchester United, [ 124 ] and scored the achiever with a “ sear drive ” [ 125 ] to complete the full change by reversal around result against Tottenham Hotspur after trailing 2–0 at half-time. [ 126 ] In what was the concluding catch of the season, and what would be McManaman ‘s final examination match and final contribution on the pitch for the clubhouse, McManaman assisted Karl-Heinz Riedle with a goal at the Kop with a trademark rightist run and pull back as Liverpool won 3–0 against Wimbledon, enabling McManaman to end his career at the club to a standing ovation, a lap of honor at Anfield, [ 127 ] and a two-row squad farewell at the capture of the players ‘ burrow. [ 128 ]
Achievements [edit ]
Despite the side alone winning two trophies during his nine seasons in the Liverpool first team, McManaman ‘s achievements at the club were exceptional for a player in a side frequently labelled negatively. [ 129 ] McManaman finished aboard Nick Barmby as joint stolon up to Ryan Giggs in the PFA Young Player of the year awards in 1993, [ 130 ] was named in the PFA Team of the class for 1996–97 [ 131 ] and besides made the five-man short list for PFA Player of the year for three seasons from 1995–96 to 1997–98, with the PFA web site describing him as one of the most endow players of his genesis. [ 8 ] For a meter, McManaman held the record for most consecutive Premier League appearances as an ever-present at Liverpool for four seasons including a club record for most appearances, and at the clock of leaving the Premiership had the second highest ratio of Premier League assists per game, with 112 assists in 272 appearances, [ 132 ] with a total of 142 assists for the club ; [ 133 ] [ 134 ] an average of one aid per two-and-a-half games. Until 2011, McManaman held the record for greatest number of assists in Liverpool history, ahead of Steven Gerrard, who has since overtaken him. [ 135 ] McManaman is besides ranked fifth on the Premier League all-time assists charts for number of games it took to hit 100 assists, and besides in terms of being the fifth-youngest player to hit 100 assists in Premier League history, with only Thierry Henry, Cesc Fàbregas, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham above him on the number. [ 136 ] On 5 September 2006, Steve McManaman was named # 22 in the official Liverpool web site ‘s “ 100 Players Who Shook The Kop ” list, [ 137 ] in which Jamie Carragher described McManaman as “ the best midfield actor in the state for three or four years ” running. [ 13 ] Both Rob Jones [ 138 ] [ 139 ] and Robbie Fowler gave two interviews in 2012–13 in which they stated McManaman was the greatest player they ever played aboard, [ 140 ] with Fowler saying, “ I ‘ve played with many, many capital players. Paul Gascoigne was fantastic and I could sit here all day and talk about Liverpool players—John Barnes, Ian Rush, Jan Molby, Ronnie Whelan and Steven Gerrard, who is an improbable player. He would probably be my number two. The best musician I ‘ve always played with is Steve McManaman … he very was that good. ” [ 141 ] In 2013, McManaman was named # 20 in the official Liverpool web site ‘s second “ 100 Players Who Shook the Kop ” list, rising by two positions. When Mark Lawrenson and Jim Beglin named McManaman in their team of the 1990s, they said that most managers in the league used the like tactic of marking McManaman to stop Liverpool and whilst it was a frightful compliment to McManaman, [ 142 ] the opposition could stop Liverpool because the tactical system of 3–5–2 or 3–4–1–2 was besides dependent on McManaman and would fail if McManaman was off kind, or if the team was not complemented by a quality defense ( players who could play both wingback and center half to cope with onslaughts ), or the presence of a steely defensive midfielder, which was what happened with the team of that time. however, McManaman was voted in on the official Liverpool FC web site as the club ‘s midfielder of the 1990s, [ 143 ] was named by Ruud Gullit as one of his peak two players from the stallion Premier League era, [ 144 ] and despite Liverpool fans ‘ disappointment over the nature of how McManaman conducted his departure, it is believed that many fans still regard McManaman ( along with Fowler ) as the two players who carried Liverpool through the 1990s. [ 145 ] [ 146 ] In 2018, Sky Sports named McManaman and Fowler the third greatest goals-assists partnership in the Premier League era, good behind Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, Teddy Sheringham and Darren Anderton and equitable ahead of Robert Pires and Henry. [ 147 ] In 2020, Sky Sports placed McManaman at number 25 on a list of the “ acme 50 players to have never won a Premier League deed ”, [ 148 ] while FourFourTwo magazine listed McManaman at number 22 on a list of the Premier League ‘s 25 best players of the 1990s. [ 149 ] In 2012, as contribution of the FA Premier League 20 Seasons Awards, Steve McManaman was named on the short list for the prize of best right midfielder, [ 150 ] which was finally won by Cristiano Ronaldo. [ 151 ]
real Madrid [edit ]
early success [edit ]
On 1 July 1999, after 364 appearances and 66 goals for Liverpool, McManaman transferred to Real Madrid as Guus Hiddink ‘s last bless ( before being sacked, and while the club was under president of the united states Lorenzo Sanz ). [ 152 ] Before McManaman arrived, the club was described as undergoing a management and debt crisis and Raúl told the press, “ The dress room is a cesspool of lies, treachery and whispers … I feel good-for-nothing for new players like Steve McManaman coming into the club. If McManaman thinks he is coming to one of the world ‘s top clubs then he has made a big err. ” [ 153 ] According to The Independent, “ as Steve McManaman was unveiled at a compress conference at the Bernabeu stadium, a nautical mile up the road Clarence Seedorf was explaining his part in a dressing-room affray with Fernando Hierro … The Madrid newspapers had carried a word-by-word and blow-by-blow explanation of the clap that dawn. Pitched unwittingly into the havoc, McManaman must feel as if he has left the Spice Boys for Oasis. ” [ 154 ] The club had appointed John Toshack as its new coach and had already been forced to sell winder players like Predrag Mijatović, Davor Šuker and Christian Panucci due to mounting debt, while Seedorf was former released soon after McManaman arrived. [ 155 ] McManaman ‘s arrival saw him become only the irregular English actor to always play for the club, after Laurie Cunningham had played for them in the 1980s. He became the first-ever player from the Premier League to move to play for Madrid [ 156 ] and was besides the most high-profile english football player to move to Spanish football since Gary Lineker had moved to Barcelona from Everton in 1986. When McManaman first arrived, he admitted an initial struggle with aloneness, [ 157 ] and talk at the time of retire erstwhile Liverpool player Michael Robinson being his mentor [ 158 ] [ 159 ] [ 160 ] ( having besides moved to Spain to play football followed by a media career there ). [ 161 ] Following a successful pre-season with the Madrid team in Switzerland [ 162 ] and Italy, McManaman and the team then returned to Spain and he proved an clamant shoot with the fans at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium after scoring three times and creating several goals in his first few games for Los Merengues. [ 163 ] McManaman made his debut for Madrid on 22 August 1999 in the 2–1 La Liga win over Mallorca at the Son Moix stadium, Mallorca, where he assisted Fernando Morientes in scoring an injury time equalizer, [ 164 ] enabling Madrid to go on to win 2–1 with seconds remaining. He scored his beginning goal for the club a week by and by on his home plate debut on 29 August in a 4–1 thud of Numancia at the Santiago Bernabéu. In December 1999 to January 2000, McManaman and the Madrid team took part in the controversial inaugural address FIFA Club World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, where McManaman missed an wound time gamble to win the game, and then the penalty kick against Necaxa that would have sent Madrid into third rate. [ 165 ] McManaman and the team then returned to Spain and established themselves as the side that went all the way to the 2000 Champions League final under newly coach Vicente del Bosque, who had replaced John Toshack in November. McManaman ‘s form in the buildup saw him receive respective man of the catch awards, [ 166 ] forming a strong midfield partnership with Fernando Redondo, [ 167 ] as Madrid beat holders Manchester United [ 168 ] and Bayern Munich to reach the final. [ 169 ] It was at this Champions League final ( played at the Stade de France, Paris ) that McManaman experienced his finest hour as a player, scoring a dramatic fusillade in a 3–0 victory over Valencia. His performance on this greatest of club football stages saw him hailed the serviceman of the match by the English iron, [ 170 ] [ 171 ] a position endorsed by his Madrid team-mate Iván Helguera, [ 172 ] and Sir Alex Ferguson, who added : “ I thought McManaman was excellent … there is no interview he was homo of the match … He was a threat all night and gave Real bang-up penetration from midfield. The son has constantly been blessed with fantastic stamina and he has the confidence to go past players. ” [ 173 ] McManaman ‘s part in Madrid ‘s eighth european Cup succeed besides saw him become the first English musician always to win Europe ‘s chancellor club rival with a alien clubhouse. [ 174 ]
2000–01 season [edit ]
Despite the Champions League concluding performance and having established himself as a valuable player in his first year in Madrid ( including being listed aboard Redondo in Real Madrid ‘s technical director Jose Martinez/ Pirri ‘s goal of season official report as one of the two “ untouchables ” around whom the team should be built for the coming crusade ), [ 175 ] the arrival of a new club president in Florentino Pérez, closely followed by former Barcelona ace midfielder Luís Figo in a club-record remove, saw the club forced to sell several samara players to reduce debt. Fernando Redondo, Nicolas Anelka, Christian Karembeu and McManaman were on the spur of the moment told they were excess to requirements before the start of the 2000–01 season and were sold. [ 176 ] When McManaman refused to leave unlike the others, coach Vicente del Bosque told McManaman that he had “ little find of playing this year ”, [ 177 ] and in case he did not understand his side, the club besides declined to give him a police squad issue for the approaching temper. [ 178 ] With the club already in debt, and having merely spent another £37 million on Figo, the board were keen to cash in on McManaman [ 179 ] and remove his $ 4.5 million wage from the wage bill. [ 178 ] McManaman, however, with an iron-clad contract until 2004, declined to leave [ 180 ] and alternatively stated his determination to win back his put in the team. [ 172 ] real number Madrid subsequently accepted beginning an £ 11 million bid from Middlesbrough and then a £12 million bid for McManaman from Chelsea [ 181 ] that included the change of Tore André Flo, in the summer of 2000, both of which the actor rejected. A Sky Sports report in August 2000 besides stated that eight other clubs were vying for his touch at the time, including Manchester United, Parma and Fiorentina. [ 182 ] Sir Alex Ferguson declared his admiration for McManaman by arranging a contingent to convince him to sign. [ 183 ] McManaman, however, said he wanted to succeed in Spain. His stance was rewarded when Real relented after a spanish poll in El Mundo showed 90 % of the fans wanted the club to keep McManaman, while Míchel Salgado complained to the management about the manner McManaman was treated after McManaman turned down again another transfer try, this clock to Lazio, who came in with an £8 million offer. [ 184 ] [ 185 ] In September of that year, several Real Madrid first-team stars were reported as having taken up a dress room disgust jointly for McManaman and went to speak to Del Bosque directly. The Guardian reported that a Marca article had one outstanding player submit : “ We can not stand by while this is happening. What happened to Redondo happened—well in the end Fernando had a good offer—but McManaman, what has Macca done to deserve the discussion he is getting from the coach ? … [ McManaman has been ] treated with disrespect and is being humiliated—for no reason at all. ” [ 186 ] An El País report in early September 2000 reported Del Bosque as being sympathetic ( albeit the fact that his hands were tied ) concerning McManaman with Del Bosque saying : “ I expected the audience to be affectionate with McManaman because he is a musician very dear hera. We will try to unite real Madrid through the crippled although there are sectors that think more about those who are not. ” [ 187 ] McManaman interim was adamant that tied if the position to get him to leave was created around him, no one from the golf club ‘s hierarchy ever told him to leave to his confront, [ 188 ] with the spanish press even expressing the strange paradox of the unharmed site by revealing that Del Bosque had actually rated McManaman highly and was quoted as saying : “ Steve east elevation que entiende mejor cómo quiero que juguemos ” ( “ Steve is the player in the team who best understands how I want us to play ” ). [ 189 ] [ 190 ] real Madrid ‘s hierarchy ‘s change toward McManaman began when Del Bosque gave him his first appearance of the 2000–01 season as a substitute in a 3–3 draw against Málaga in mid-September. [ 191 ] McManaman reportedly won over the director by October and managed to feature in two-thirds of the baseball club ‘s matches, becoming a first-team regular for the remainder of the campaign—holding the unique differentiation of being described as the alone top-class football player from England playing overseas at the clock. [ 192 ] McManaman was besides primarily deployed as a collectivist in this season ( with Figo on the justly ), with the press noting that “ the ‘telepathy ‘ McManaman and Roberto Carlos displayed down Madrid ‘s forget flank flummoxed about every team they played. ” [ 193 ] McManaman fall in this second temper as Madrid advanced to the semi-finals of the Champions League ( lone to lose to eventual winners Bayern Munich ), and won their 28th La Liga crown by a seven-point margin over the previous season ‘s champions, Deportivo de La Coruña ; the club ‘s first La Liga claim in four years, [ 163 ] with McManaman making 42 appearances in all competitions that year despite missing the foremost two months of the season. [ 194 ]
Galácticos policy [edit ]
McManaman increasingly saw his acting time reduced each class, as the club initiated their alleged Galáctico policy, with new high-profile players like Luís Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo arriving each class and standing above him in the pick at order. At the time, however, McManaman was known for his dogged decision to stay positive for the club ‘s cause, even if it meant he had less bet time. [ 195 ] In 2002, McManaman besides turned down a transfer to Internazionale at the meter when he was made available for substitution as region of Ronaldo ‘s sign. [ 196 ] It was widely reported in the spanish media that McManaman ‘s resilience to the team won the respect of his colleague professionals like Raúl, Zidane, Guti, Iván Helguera and his two best friends at the club, Figo and Ronaldo, [ 197 ] who backed him publicly on several occasions in press interviews. [ 198 ] McManaman was besides twice voted as the Real Madrid supporters ‘ favorite player [ 199 ] [ 200 ] at the club during his tenure. [ 201 ] The spanish media covered his sleep together of the Madrid life style, his willingness to learn the terminology [ 202 ] and immerse into their culture, [ 203 ] his home in La Moraleja, [ 204 ] and noted a supposed androgynous resemblance to Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman, [ 205 ] [ 206 ] all of which bolstered his amiable picture. According to El País, in 2001, fans saluted him with their ‘white handkerchiefs ‘ ( as a terrace favorite ) after he scored a long-range senior high school volley from a Roberto Carlos crossbreed against Real Oviedo that year. [ 207 ] [ 208 ] McManaman besides forced himself to reinvent his crippled, and transform himself with a versatility that enabled him to play utility roles in the side, thus helping him shake off a nickname he was initially given by the spanish imperativeness, “ El Cartero ” ( “ the mailman ” ), suggesting that his delivery was unpredictable. [ 209 ] It was widely regarded as a credit to McManaman that he managed to constantly reinvent himself to be effective and utilitarian in a team that was widely regarded at the time as the “ best team in the earth ” under the Galácticos policy. [ 210 ] [ 211 ] Yet the policy had its detractors, and according to certain critics in the spanish press, McManaman and several other players became “ victims ” as the policy was based more on marketing and gross generation, and sometimes entail players were picked not according to imprint, but because of their money-making electric potential off the pitch. McManaman never spoke ill of the Galáctico policy ‘s effects on him during his tenure, alone critiquing the policy and ultimately describing it in his autobiography El Macca ( a work that was shortlisted as one of the Sunday Times Books of the Year [ 212 ] [ better source needed ] and William Hill Sports Book of the year ), [ 213 ] in 2004 as the “ Disneyfication of Real Madrid ” upon his deviation from the baseball club .
second gear Champions League [edit ]
finally, the Board, including Florentino Pérez, relented, declaring that a “ serviceman like that would constantly have a space in my club ”, adding that “ McManaman is in now in the team because his behavior has been in accord with the true values of the golf club ”. [ 214 ] Towards the end of the 2001–02 season, former Madrid striker Emilio Butragueño besides added : “ McManaman is a gentleman, an excellent player and very popular. ” [ 215 ] Johan Cruyff, interim, described McManaman at the time as the most utilitarian actor in the Galácticos because he was “ El socio del todos ” [ 216 ] [ 217 ] or “ everyone ‘s best partner on the gear ”. [ 218 ] McManaman ‘s partnership character functioned as one of a “ ceaseless gesture manner ( that ) moved defenders out of situation and allowed the ( Galatico ) superstars to flourish ”. [ 219 ] A foster honor was besides extended on the pitch by the club in December 2002, whereas part of Madrid ‘s Centenary Celebrations, McManaman was made the first base Englishman to captain real Madrid in a game against a FIFA World XI, to the applause of the ultras, [ 220 ] with whom he had always been a cult darling, [ 221 ] [ 222 ] [ 223 ] and where the group is sometimes besides known as the Ultra South ( or “ Ultrasurs ” ). [ 224 ] Another capital here and now in the white of Madrid took place in the 2002 UEFA Champions League semi-final against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on 23 April 2002. In this match of huge proportions, due to El Clásico being a massive bet on in its own right, but besides the fact that it was a Champions League semi-final, McManaman appeared as a second-half substitute to score a critical goal in second-half injury prison term to secure a 2–0 first-leg advantage, chipping over goalkeeper Roberto Bonano after being played in by Flávio Conceição, after Zidane had scored the first goal on 55 minutes. After the plot Jorge Valdano added : “ McManaman ? McManaman is connected to everybody. A football peer is a bet on of little societies and McManaman is a penis of them all. ” [ 225 ] This celebrated victory, Real ‘s first at the Camp Nou since 1993, helped secure their identify in the final of the 2002 Champions League at Hampden Park, Glasgow, where he came on as a successor for Figo on the hour mark– and thereby ensuring his irregular Champions League winners ‘ decoration, after Madrid secured a 2–1 victory over german team Bayer Leverkusen. [ 163 ]
Final temper [edit ]
McManaman was used as a late alternate for games at the start of the campaign and after scoring a goal and assisting in a copulate of new signing Ronaldo ‘s goals [ 226 ] he was given surprise starts. In one of his starts, he scored a brace against AEK Athens in the Champions League. McManaman besides started in a game in 2003 in which Madrid were beaten 4–3 at Old Trafford against Manchester United in the Champions ‘ League, even as Ronaldo hit a hat-trick. [ 227 ] Nonetheless, after only playing 21 games of which he started lone nine times, and making a meager 15 appearances in La Liga, questions constantly arose throughout the season about McManaman ‘s ability and reasons for staying in Spain considering his belittled character, miss of first-team legal action and external attention. Suggestions that McManaman had “ sold out ” for money and had grown indifferent and dreamy to his football were rampant in the british Press, though the media were besides described [ by whom? ] as suffer from “ a selective media amnesia over McManaman ‘s time in Spain ”. [ 228 ] Nonetheless, McManaman managed to pick up a second La Liga decoration for the class and was in the team that won the Intercontinental Cup in Japan. At the get down of the 2003–04 pre-season, the bless of companion Englishman David Beckham proved the last straw in finally forcing McManaman down the nag order at Real Madrid. McManaman remained with the clubhouse for its full pre-season, even after passenger car Vicente del Bosque was given a shock sacking 24 hours after having won the clubhouse ‘s latest La Liga claim, [ 229 ] but in the near season, and the arrival of Carlos Queiroz as new coach, McManaman was released by the club after helping Beckham with the language and to settle in, [ 230 ] despite Beckham ‘s pleas with the management for McManaman to remain. [ 231 ] [ 232 ]
bequest at Madrid [edit ]
Having won eight trophies and having played in 11 cup finals in four years ampere well as systematically making the semi-finals of the Champions League in each of his four years at the club, McManaman became the most successful english football export to always play oversea ( not just in Spain ) in terms of trophies. [ 233 ] In addition to honours, according to Forbes magazine in 2001, McManaman was listed as one-sixth on the list of the highest-earning footballers in the earth, [ 234 ] and is believed to have pocketed anywhere between an estimated €15 million ( just under £10.25 million ) to £14 million in his four years with Madrid. [ 235 ] In a tribute to McManaman, four years after he left the baseball club, ex-coach Vicente del Bosque told spanish newspaper AS Marca, that McManaman and Geremi were the two most important players in his squad, because “ together they kept the whole team united ”. [ 236 ] Del Bosque added, “ I was very felicitous with Macca. He was a caballero, a valet, a colossal guy ; he always had a smile, he never complained, he was capital, a drawing card. He related to everyone very well ; he united people. He had a badly time [ towards the end ] with achilles pain, but every day he trained with the lapp attitude. He was exemplary … and a good football player besides, identical well. A antic player in every smell. ” [ 237 ] McManaman is besides listed as a club caption [ 238 ] on the official Real Madrid web site, with his bequest being that of being fondly remembered as “ The versatile Englishman ”, and described as one who “ in alone four seasons, won the hearts of Madrid ‘s followers. The mixture of his gentlemanlike nature both on and off the sales talk, combined with teamwork and timbre made certain that this Englishman was one of the most love players by the fans … McManaman ‘s natural position was on the right, but during his prison term at real Madrid he played in every midfield situation. His ability to change side made him a very versatile actor. ” [ 239 ] McManaman besides paved the way and influenced other british players to join Madrid in the ensuing years, with players such as Michael Owen saying they asked him for advice before signing with Madrid, [ 240 ] and late encouraged Gareth Bale to sign for Madrid a decade later. [ 241 ] When Bale signed, McManaman gave Bale advice on how to succeed at Madrid. [ 242 ] Bale former became the beginning player to emulate McManaman when he ended up winning the Champions League with Madrid in his first temper. [ 243 ] McManaman was besides listed in Spanish-based british sports reporter Sid Lowe ‘s Real Madrid Team of the Decade for the 2000s. [ 244 ]
Manchester City [edit ]
In 2003–04, along with team-mates Claude Makélélé ( where McManaman was initially included in the exchange as depart of Madrid ‘s batch with Chelsea ), [ 245 ] Fernando Hierro ( who signed for Bolton Wanderers like Ivan Campo [ 246 ] did- both based on McManaman ‘s advice [ 247 ] [ 248 ] [ 249 ] ) and later Fernando Morientes ( who claimed McManaman was implemental in selling Liverpool F.C. to him [ 250 ] ), McManaman headed second to the Premier League. initially reported to be joining Arsenal [ 251 ] or Everton, [ 252 ] McManaman finally decided to join long-time admirer Kevin Keegan on 30 August at Manchester City, [ 253 ] resulting in a reunion with several ex-colleagues including Robbie Fowler, Nicolas Anelka, and belated, David James, prompting the media to state that Keegan was “ reuniting the Spice Boys ”. [ 254 ] McManaman made his introduction on 14 September 2003 in a 4–1 winnings over Aston Villa at the City of Manchester Stadium, and quickly showed good early shape [ 255 ] with the club starting with a run of wins [ 256 ] and build up in the UEFA Cup, with McManaman hailed by Keegan to great hype, but by Christmas that year, results had fallen, the team languished [ 257 ] and ended the season, well out of european contention, and McManaman injured again. By 2004–05, McManaman ‘s time at City was ultimately deemed a disappointment and he was increasingly vilified by City fans, [ 258 ] who later jeered him off the pitch [ 259 ] following a guide with Norwich City. [ 260 ]
On the pitch, a combination of niggling injuries ( including a long-run achilles problem not dissipating [ 261 ] ) and the advance of an in-form and energetic Shaun Wright-Phillips saw him lose his prefer right midfield position. When McManaman did play, he failed to rediscover his honest-to-god shape and rush, only occasionally demonstrating the ability he had shown in his earlier career. [ 262 ] Part of the problem stemmed from the fact that to find a function at Madrid he had changed his play style, [ 263 ] cutting down on the flare shimmer ( as Madrid had a repletion of flare players ) and rather focusing on being a holding actor and making short, dim-witted passes of the ball in central midfield, where he was known for his one-touch extremely and ability to never give the testis away. [ 163 ] Youngsters Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton, Stephen Ireland and Lee Croft cited McManaman as a major motivating influence on them. [ 264 ] In February 2004, McManaman was criticised by Sir Alex Ferguson after an FA Cup Manchester bowler hat at Old Trafford for “ intimidating Gary Neville “ to get him sent off in a headbutt incident, adding a derogative gossip that he had no theme what other function McManaman had in the crippled [ and possibly for Manchester City ]. [ 265 ] Off the field at City, Fowler and McManaman were caught up in a sexual activity scandal [ 266 ] that appeared in the News of the World following a fail attempt by the match to gain an injunction to prevent publication, costing them £50,000 in addition to making the sheath look like an constant admission of guilt. [ 267 ] The court subject came fast on the heels of football ‘s “ roasting “ and rape allegations at Chelsea early that year [ 268 ] and served alone to exacerbate their situations and affected their reputations off and on the gear at the club, while an incident involving Fowler and McManaman and three other players measuredly missing the team bus at Leicester besides did not go down well with the fans, coach and media. [ 269 ] In 2004, McManaman was linked to the MetroStars, who confirmed that the baseball club were interested in him. however, they finally decided to relinquish their bid stating that “ MLS clubs were acute to lose the reputation that top stars only arrive to play in America for a concluding swansong in their careers ”. [ 270 ] McManaman played for City for only two seasons and following Kevin Keegan ‘s resignation in March 2005, never played another game for the club. Keegan ‘s replacement, Stuart Pearce, released McManaman on a free transportation on 20 May. [ 271 ] In 2021, McManaman was classed as one of Manchester City ‘s five worst free transportation signings of all time. [ 272 ] Nonetheless, though McManaman failed to score a unmarried goal for City, his earlier successes enabled him to end his career across all his three clubs with a sum of 566 appearances, scoring 80 goals, [ 273 ] and with 182 assists, 142 of those coming in his time at Liverpool. [ 274 ] [ 275 ]
International career [edit ]
For England, McManaman would forever remain an riddle at the international level. England coaches, except for Venables and Keegan, utilised McManaman ‘s talents meagerly. McManaman was capped 37 times for England, scoring three goals, and with the side only losing three times in the games that he played ; [ 276 ] these included the UEFA Euro 1996 penalty gunfight frustration to Germany at Wembley in 1996, and the opening day defeat against Portugal at Euro 2000. euro 2000, held in the Netherlands and Belgium, was McManaman ‘s last major tournament for England, despite backing from the press, fans and team-mates, including Zinedine Zidane. [ 277 ]
England U21 [edit ]
McManaman made history by becoming the first player without first-team experience to play for the England under-21 team, being handed a debut call-up by Lawrie McMenemy against Wales at Tranmere in October 1990, two months before he debuted for the Liverpool first-team. McMenemy commented that he had seen “ more fat on a chip ” referring to McManaman ‘s skinny human body. [ 8 ] In February 1993, McManaman captained the under-21 team for the beginning time against San Marino and scored the last goal in a convincing 6–0 acquire .
Terry Venables and Euro 96 [edit ]
Terry Venables gave McManaman his full debut on 16 November 1994 in an international friendly with Nigeria at Wembley, McManaman coming on as a replacement for Newcastle United ‘s Robert Lee. By 1995, McManaman was accused of struggling to repeat his fine club form with his country, drawing comparisons to his mentor at Liverpool, John Barnes. however, he managed to string together a serial of match acquire performances for his area at Euro 96, earning praise from Pelé, who according to the BBC touted him as the tournament ‘s best player [ 278 ] and said he was the actor he “ was most print ” by [ 279 ] going on to say that he was “ one of the best players in Europe ” and could be the “ best in the worldly concern ” [ 276 ] [ 280 ] at the time. [ 281 ] When the tournament kicked off proper, after a solid starting signal on the wings ( swapping interchangeably with Darren Anderton ) where McManaman created “ all kinds of problems on the leave ” [ 282 ] against the swiss, McManaman and Sheringham ( and late Gascoigne ) were then substituted [ 283 ] by Venables while England were leading 1–0 with 15 minutes remaining ( to save them for the adjacent game ) to a chorus of jeers from the Wembley herd ( at the decision ). England then switched to a defensive 4–5–1 formation [ 284 ] which saw them concede a late penalty and end up drawing the game 1–1. [ 285 ] McManaman was noted by pundits for his “ mesmerising dribbling skills ” and willingness to take players on [ 286 ] and Gary McAllister claimed in the BBC ‘s post-match analysis of England ‘s adjacent bet on ( against Scotland ) that it was Venables ‘ change of England ‘s tactics at half-time to switch to a 5-man midfield [ 287 ] and introduce Redknapp into the midfield, that allowed McManaman the exemption to open the scots defense up and this changed the game ; with Redknapp and McManaman unlocking the openings which led to Gary Neville ‘s crabbed for Alan Shearer ‘s headed undoer ( in the 2–0 gain ). Against the Netherlands in the future game, despite having a quieten first half, McManaman was involved in all of England ‘s first three goals against the Dutch—leading the counter-attack and supplying the inside cut final examination pass for Ince ( who was brought down in the area for a penalty which Shearer scored from ) ; [ 288 ] leading another counter-attack from which his cross to Anderton was deflected for a corner recoil which Sheringham headed the second gear goal from ; deoxyadenosine monophosphate well as a immediate one-two with Gascoigne which led to England ‘s third base [ 289 ] and Shearer ‘s second in that 4–1 win—a landmark leave at the clock. Man-marked in the quarter-final against Spain, McManaman burst back into the latter contribution of the semi-final against Germany and in the final moments of extra-time about assist Darren Anderton in scoring a late achiever, but Anderton ‘s shoot from McManaman ‘s crossbreed hit the post and the ball bounced back into the hands of the goalkeeper. [ 290 ] together with team-mates David Seaman, Paul Gascoigne and Alan Shearer, McManaman was besides listed in the official team of the Tournament, a well as shortlisted behind eventual achiever, Jürgen Klinsmann, for the Most Valuable Player award. [ 291 ]
Glenn Hoddle and 1998 World Cup [edit ]
McManaman, however, failed to win over newly England coach Glenn Hoddle despite being in excellent clubhouse form in the years Hoddle was in charge, [ 292 ] raising questions about either his effort, his attitude, or his relationship with the director, with some sections of the british press even lobbying Hoddle to pick McManaman. McManaman ‘s bus ( at the time ) Roy Evans besides voiced his opinion regarding McManaman ‘s England situation to The Independent newspaper before the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, saying : “ There is not a player like him in England. I think he ‘s fantastic, he ‘s surely a great asset from our point of view … We do n’t pick the England team but I see him as the arrant linkboy in the international team. But that ‘s alone our impression. We believe he is top, circus tent quality. ” [ 115 ] Hoddle stated in interviews that he wanted McManaman to take up that very license to be the bridge between David Beckham and Paul Gascoigne, [ 293 ] and frequently spoke highly of McManaman ‘s ability, but noted that McManaman ‘s best military position was “ floating ” perilously and it was hard to fit him into a organization to suit the team [ 294 ] and indeed he often selected Paul Merson and the rising Beckham rather. When McManaman ( and Fowler ) opted out of Le Tournoi in 1997 to choose to undergo non-urgent aesculapian operations ahead of international duty, it was noted that this reportedly lost them their team spots as Hoddle though angered at losing them, found a winning team in their absence, and this made it even harder for McManaman to regain his put late. [ 295 ] McManaman ( and Fowler ) were besides reported at the clock time to have been marginalised by Hoddle for not embracing Hoddle ‘s use of a “ faith therapist ” and mystic named Eileen Drewery, who had been brought in by Hoddle to do psychiatric, undefined spiritual or psychological interactions with the players because Hoddle had said she helped him in his career in the past. [ 296 ] McManaman and Fowler allegedly poked playfulness at the dame by asking her “ if she knew the winner of the 3.15 at Wincanton so they could put a stake on ”, while McManaman was reported as saying that ‘Hoddle ‘s train camps were “ like joining the Moonies. ” ‘ [ 297 ] McManaman ‘s England colleague, Gary Neville conceded Hoddle ‘s methods were regarded as bizarre [ 298 ] and included other devices such as ‘heart touching ‘, getting staff to walk around the slope anti-clockwise to create ‘positive energy ‘ and the use of legal dissipated injections, [ 299 ] with McManaman and Fowler allegedly not the entirely ones who were unable to accept or fit in with Hoddle ‘s training system, and McManaman accusing Hoddle of running things like a cult ; favouring those players who were will to acquiesce to him. [ 300 ] McManaman made a sum of four starts in seven appearances under Hoddle, [ 301 ] and only one appearance at the 1998 World Cup against Colombia, as a stand-in for Paul Scholes. Despite merely playing 17 minutes, the press described McManaman ‘s operation : “ In 17 minutes did adequate to demonstrate that his dainty trickle could so far be influential against mean defences. still gives ball away besides much. ” [ 302 ] Before McManaman ‘s joining Madrid, spanish media outlets like El País, tidal bore to make sense of why Madrid were insisting on signing McManaman when he had not even featured much in the last World Cup, concluded that the only rationale to explain McManaman ‘s non-selection by Hoddle must have been because McManaman was known as a free role-playing playmaker, and was “ difficult to classify. He needs the point of exemption … not provided in the English team ” and that he was consequently by implication, difficult to place into Hoddle ‘s system. [ 303 ] When interviewed by FourFourTwo magazine, McManaman stated, “ I think I probably least delight my time when Glenn Hoddle was the coach. But I would n’t say he was inevitably the worst. He had his ways of educate and ways of acting and all managers have different ways of doing things ; it ‘s the same with cabaret managers. sometimes when you join up with England and you do n’t play arsenic often as you did under a certain other manager—then you ‘ll think it ‘s atrocious. I loved going to play with England. For example, I did get to go to the World Cup even though I entirely played for 17 minutes. That kind of know leaves an indelible mark on your mind. So I do n’t actually think of it in terms of “ worst ” ; but going to the World Cup and not playing much was a big thing for me, very, and that was under Glenn, of course. ” [ 304 ] Hoddle besides arranged for McManaman to meet a disable fan ( and frankincense fulfil his lifelong wish of meeting McManaman ) while the fan was on the scepter of death, in 1997, [ citation needed ] though the narrative only broke a year after Hoddle had been sacked from the England subcontract for alleged disparage comments about disable people. [ 305 ]
Kevin Keegan and Euro 2000 [edit ]
After Kevin Keegan was appointed as England director, he promptly reinstated McManaman to the England starting batting order, [ 306 ] further adding that he thought McManaman was one of the best midfielders in Europe. [ 307 ] John Barnes spoke about McManaman in his autobiography in 1999 as “ credibly the greatest individual endowment in English football and has to be presented the right way ”, [ 308 ] and Keegan gave respective interviews in 1999 backing up that bespeak ; adding that he was finding out how best to utilise McManaman. Keegan finally decided on deploying McManaman on the leftist on several occasions in 1999 [ 309 ] and under Keegan, McManaman ultimately broke his external goal scoring duck when he scored doubly on 4 September 1999 in the 6–0 Euro 2000 qualifier victory over Luxembourg, again, at Wembley. Keegan took McManaman ‘s raw career at Madrid as a footing to reinstate his confidence in him, and handed him a coveted absolve role ahead of Euro 2000, [ 310 ] stating that “ in the past we compromised him … but [ following McManaman ‘s UEFA Champions League success ], we said ‘we ‘ll fit in with you, you ‘ve earned that gamble ‘. [ 311 ] At the time, even erstwhile coach Glenn Hoddle chimed in with support for this decision, adding that though he feared teams would not give McManaman ( and the team ) the space he thrived on at the tournament, he believed that finding a way to deploy McManaman efficaciously in a special system was difficult “ but it can be done. ” [ 312 ] McManaman ‘s free function for England was shortlived as he played only once in Euro 2000, scoring the last of his three England goals in the open crippled against Portugal, where he put England 2–0 ahead after entirely 18 minutes, but got injured early in the moment half whilst making a undertake on Rui Costa in midfield, [ 313 ] forcing a tactical switch. [ 314 ] England ended up losing the game 3–2, [ 315 ] and McManaman would remain hurt and miss the perch of the tournament as England exited at the group phase. McManaman never played for Keegan again as he was ruled out with wound [ 316 ] for Keegan ‘s last couple of games before Keegan ‘s traumatize resignation [ 317 ] from the England job in October 2000 .
Post-2001 omission [edit ]
The last of McManaman ‘s caps came in 2001 when new coach Sven-Göran Eriksson utilised him for England ‘s first few games in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers—including a bet on back at Anfield against Finland ( where McManaman admitted before the game that he had however to achieve meaning success with England and was hungry to prove himself [ 318 ] ) and where McManaman would go on to set up David Beckham ‘s winner. [ 319 ] By late 2001, however, after coming on as a utility when England beat Germany 5–1 in the Olympiastadion, McManaman put in a display against Albania of “ such apathy ” according to The Guardian that the paradox of McManaman was stated as follows : “ If McManaman is thought of at all in England now, it is as a world for whom exclusion beckons. Given his status at Real, England ‘s World Cup team should be comfortably within his compass but McManaman, befitting person who patrols the flanks, is drifting towards the periphery of Sven-Goran Eriksson ‘s radar. The question is not whether McManaman, 30 a month ago, has the ability to force his means back into the center of Eriksson ‘s considerations but whether he has the will. In England ‘s World Cup qualifier against Albania at St James ‘ Park last September, four days after Munich, he made a fleeting appearance of such apparent apathy that even he was taken aback, never mind Eriksson. ” [ 225 ] That performance saw McManaman banished from Eriksson ‘s team, [ 320 ] as that was his penultimate game ; making fair one substitute appearance after that in the critical modifier against Greece in 2001. McManaman stated in his biography that he was struggling at the time working out if Eriksson rated him, saying that although he could see reasons why the bus dropped him ( Eriksson picked Emile Heskey ahead of McManaman to start the Greece plot [ 321 ] and entirely brought McManaman on when England were however 2–1 down with 15 minutes to go ), he ( McManaman ) wondered : “ [ I did n’t understand it ] ; if he did n’t rate me, why would he bring me on against Greece [ when we were losing ] ? ” This prompted some media commentators such as Brian Reade to suggest that it was McManaman ‘s attitude, mentality or pride [ 322 ] that Eriksson did not like and was the reason for his drop. [ 323 ] [ 324 ] later that year, McManaman “ chose not to play ” in the game against Sweden by calling the FA to have himself dropped from the team, [ 325 ] before assistant bus at the time, Tord Grip said : “ McManaman has never actually played well for England ”. [ 326 ] [ 327 ] Following that, McManaman was not selected for another England team. By early 2002, Eriksson obviously left a message on McManaman ‘s answering car to inform him that he was not going to be in the concluding World Cup team. [ 328 ] Despite the pleas of McManaman ‘s real number madrid team-mates Zidane, Raul [ 329 ] and Fernando Hierro for McManaman ‘s case, McManaman said he never heard from or met Eriksson again. Zidane went on to department of state England had made a mistake and identify McManaman as one of the highest timbre players he always played with. [ 330 ] [ 331 ] Support for McManaman besides came before the 2002 World Cup in the british media, after Sky Sports published an article based on OPTA statistics, revealing that despite a poor goalscoring record, McManaman had, in fact, an 88 % dribbling completion rate ( having embarked on a rivulet every 17 minutes ), and an 84 % pass completion rate, all three of which were higher by over 15 % than any english midfield Premiership actor at the time. [ 332 ]
Critics ‘ and fans ‘ analysis [edit ]
McManaman was once described as “ England ‘s forget man ” [ 333 ] but was besides accused of being apathetic and having a laidback attitude and having a reputation for being a troublemaker, which began after an incident before Euro 96, [ 334 ] where along with Teddy Sheringham and Gascoigne, McManaman was photographed drink in in Hong Kong, and subsequently accused of causing thousands of pounds ‘ worth of wrong to a Cathay Pacific excellent flight cabin, [ 335 ] although this was late reported to have not been caused by McManaman or Fowler as the wholly England team took corporate province for Gascoigne ‘s antics on the trajectory, while the party in Hong Kong was a team party. [ 336 ] McManaman ‘s repute was besides not aided by the fact that he was besides known for being a serial prankster [ 337 ] with Fowler, [ 338 ] which did nothing to help modern coaches ‘ negative opinions [ 337 ] [ 339 ] about him, [ 340 ] with the Spice Boys ‘ trope besides making it worse, although, colleague Gareth Southgate did say McManaman ‘s and Fowler ‘s antics, though “ airheaded ”, helped foster team spirit. [ citation needed ] In 2004, certain journalists tied called for McManaman to be included in the Euro 2004 police squad, arguing that McManaman ‘s know would have been worth his inclusion in the side alone, [ 256 ] but to no avail as McManaman himself decided to retire concisely after. In 2020, 90 Minutes magazine named McManaman as one of their 10 most overlook England players of all time. [ 341 ]
dash of play [edit ]
A hard-working, versatile and technically gifted player, McManaman was normally deployed as a winger, or occasionally as a cardinal midfielder. His favored position, however, was that of a more offensive and creative attack midfielder, [ 342 ] an uncommon military position in the Premier League throughout his career. McManaman was a promptly, hard, creative, and energetic player, with a fantastic dribble ability, american samoa well as accurate passing and crossing ability with either foot, which allowed him to create chances and provide assists for team-mates. He was frequently criticised, however, for his inability to score many goals, although he would late improve upon this element of his bet on during the acme of his career. [ 343 ] [ 344 ] In October 2016, McManaman was nominated for the award of England ‘s best dribbler of all time, an award finally won by Sir Stanley Matthews. [ 345 ]
Post-playing career [edit ]
McManaman retired from his playing career after being released by Manchester City in 2005. [ 346 ] In early 2006, McManaman about came out of retirement to sign for the Hong Kong Rangers, a club owned by an admirer of his football, Carson Yeung, but the conduct fell through due to McManaman ‘s perennial injuries which scuppered his fitness quiz. [ 347 ]
Film and charity appearances ; UEFA/FIFA ambassador [edit ]
In October 2006, McManaman played in a charity match for Liverpool Legends against Celtic Legends. [ 348 ] In deep 2006, McManaman joined production for the film, Goal II: Living the Dream, the sequel to Goal! By the fourth dimension of release in 2007, McManaman had besides become an associate producer of the film, [ 349 ] and appears in the film as one of the coaching staff for Kuno Becker ‘s spark advance quality. McManaman was besides active in promoting the film with star Anna Friel at its premiere. [ 350 ] In June 2008, McManaman participated in Steve Nash and Claudio Reyna ‘s Showdown in Chinatown, an 8-on-8 charity soccer game at Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Nash scored two goals in his team ‘s 8–5 victory, which included McManaman scoring one goal and making five of the goals in a team including Thierry Henry, Robbie Fowler, Jason Kidd, Baron Davis, and Phoenix Suns team-mates Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa. [ 351 ] In 2010, McManaman became an ambassador for UEFA aboard Christian Karembeu in its Champions League Trophy World Tour, american samoa well as at the Madrid Festival leading up to the 2010 Champions League final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. [ 352 ] McManaman, has besides been taking separate in several “ legends ” squads for testimonial matches and fundraisers, most notably, at domestic flat with the likes of ex-Liverpool players, but besides for the European Association of Former Players ( EFPA ) along with a host of retired stars like Hristo Stoichkov, Enzo Scifo and Lothar Matthaus. [ 353 ] In May 2010, McManaman played for the Real Madrid Veteranos against Milan ‘s Glorie team for charity known as the Corazon Classic, in front of a crowd of 80,000 at the Santiago Bernabéu, and in an all-star game featuring Emilio Butragueño, Luís Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Chendo, Alfonso, Paolo Maldini, Cafu, Rui Costa and other first football stars. [ citation needed ] In 2011, McManaman joined several former star players including Diego Maradona and early team-mates Luís Figo and Robbie Fowler in a blue-ribbon World eleven to play against Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov and his choice XI in a couple to mark the unfold of the new national stadium in the war pluck nation ‘s das kapital of Grozny. [ citation needed ] The pit drew criticism from some commentators and human rights groups due to Kadyrov ‘s alleged human rights abuses. [ 354 ] McManaman commented “ This is not a piece of propaganda for us … We are not here politically. We are just here to play football. ” [ 355 ] In December 2011, McManaman was besides invited to be a separate of the United Nations Development Programme Football Squad by ex-team-mates Zidane and Ronaldo ( ambassadors of the UNDP ), to take part in a serial of friendly matches to raise funds known as Match Against Poverty. [ citation needed ] In 2012, McManaman was formally declared as UEFA ‘s sole ambassador for the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final to be held at Wembley. [ 6 ] In 2015, McManaman was nominated by erstwhile team checkmate Raul as one of his three nominees [ 356 ] to participate in the ‘Shoot for Love Challenge ” fundraiser. [ 357 ] In 2017, McManaman joined the Liverpool Masters team on their “ Battle of the Masters Asia Tour ” ( along with the Arsenal Masters team ), and played and scored his stopping point finish for the Masters team in Singapore. [ 358 ] In 2018, McManaman was formally named a La Liga ambassador. [ 359 ] McManaman spent a calendar month in 2018 travelling around Europe, the US and Asia, promoting the rival. [ 360 ] In 2018, McManaman was function of Children in Need ‘s fundraising special episode of the game testify Celebrity Mastermind, and with the remainder of the charity team, raised £34 million in under three hours. [ 361 ] In 2019, McManaman joined La Liga ‘s Managing Director Ivan Codina as representatives to Asia to be present for the ink of La Liga ‘s partnership with Asian cryptocurrency commute, GCOX, to build its partnership with businesses in Asia and the Middle East. [ 362 ] In 2019, McManaman was besides named as being part of UEFA ‘s Euro 2020 official 48-man all-star ambassador police squad from 12 nations, aboard ex-team-mates Figo, Owen, Gascoigne and Shearer. [ 363 ] besides in 2019, McManaman commenced his role as a FIFA ambassador, and began with a visit to Cambodia. [ 364 ]
corporate work [edit ]
In July 2007, McManaman was named executive director of Carson Yeung ‘s Hong Kong- listed company Grandtop International Holdings Ltd, which subsequently took a 29.9 % stake in Premier League slope Birmingham City. In August 2009, Yeung confirmed that once his proposed takeover of Birmingham City went through, a character at St Andrew ‘s would be given to McManaman, although he did not specify what character that would be. [ 365 ] By 2010, McManaman was appointed as a board conductor at Birmingham City, with boyfriend conductor Peter Pannu citing McManaman as being present when some critical board decisions were made—a claim which McManaman denied. [ 366 ] On 4 June 2012, it was announced that McManaman had resigned as an executive film director of Birmingham International Holdings, the company that owned Birmingham City. [ 367 ] [ 368 ] On 19 September 2012, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange criticised McManaman “ … for failing to use best endeavours to procure Birmingham City International Holdings ‘ submission with the Exchange Listing Rules ”. [ 369 ] The commute said the caller failed to disclose a boastfully deposit it had to make as it was preparing to buy the English football baseball club Birmingham City in 2009. The central besides said the purchase of the clubhouse should have been put to the company ‘s shareholders for their approval, which it was not. By 2014, Yeung was convicted of money wash and Birmingham International was alleged to have been running out of money, leading to its suspension. [ 370 ] McManaman maintained throughout that ‘he had agreed to be on the board of BIHL for a function which was “ more of a PR exercise ”. He said he had no affair in any fiscal dealings, and “ stepped away ” after June 2011 when Yeung was arrested in Hong Kong and charged with money launder offences. ‘ [ 366 ] In 2007–08, McManaman besides got involved with corporate dealings in Hong Kong with companies like Sure Trace Inc, which was set up by another pornography baron and banal market and IT entrepreneur, James MacKay, who transferred two-thirds of the company to him. [ 371 ] The company made news for faulty reasons as sure Trace had made several major shrink announcements which had not become actual, revenue-generating contracts and was delisted by the US Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC ). The company then set up true Product ID as a company to conduct engineering joint ventures in China and the company was transferred to McManaman. To protect investors, the SEC suspended certain Trace Security in August 2005, citing the accuracy of populace information regarding its technology sales. [ 372 ]
management intentions and coaching [edit ]
In January 2009, McManaman gave a press interview where he stated his intention to go into management. “ I ‘m even thinking of getting back into the game and hopefully I will do my coach badges at some point this year … It is going to be arduous, though. There seems to be far less jobs available for the younger guys. Paul Ince, Roy Keane, Tony Adams—it seems as if people have got it in for them. It ‘s becoming a morsel less attractive … If I do get back in, I do n’t want to be a coach … I want to be a coach, but that ‘s easier said than done … I want to be able to pick the team, make the decisions and everything that goes with it. That said, I ca n’t do anything without my badges ”, he told the Liverpool Echo. [ 373 ] In October 2013, it was announced by Brendan Rodgers that McManaman would be taking up a coach role with Liverpool at the academy to help nurture the baseball club ‘s future talents. McManaman would continue this function at the academy under Jürgen Klopp. [ 374 ]
Media career [edit ]
McManaman first got a taste for media work in 2005 after he became active as a freelance media commentator and initiate, providing analysis to ITV for the 2005 Champions League concluding, in which he provided the analysis as his old club Liverpool won the trophy. McManaman then went on to take up opportunities for Asia ‘s largest football broadcasters, ESPN Star, in Singapore in 2006, where he worked aboard observer John Dykes and ex-players such as chap ex-Liverpool ace Steve McMahon. [ 375 ] By 2007, McManaman became a full-time media initiate, having joined Setanta Sports as a football analyst and, for the 2007–08 season, he was given his own television receiver show— Macca’s Monday Night —reflecting on life in the Barclays Premier League. [ 376 ] He hosted the express and was joined by Neil Warnock, James Richardson, Emmanuel Petit, Tim Sherwood and Les Ferdinand. The show was ultimately cancelled in privilege of “ football Matters ”, a live late-Monday-night discussion show hosted by James Richardson and Rebecca Lowe. Renowned for his direct comments, in one of McManaman ‘s broadcasts in February 2008, McManaman found himself criticised in the Liverpool iron and by former Liverpool fans when his comments for Setanta after a Merseyside bowler hat, on the possession issue concerning debt involving Tom Hicks and George N. Gillett Jr. at Anfield went down ill with the supporters. [ 377 ] Since July 2010, having joined observer Ian Darke and early Germany bus Jürgen Klinsmann adenine well as Dutch International Ruud Gullit on the ESPN coverage team as a comment analyst for the 2010 World Cup, McManaman then signed on with the net to be an in-game analyst for Major League Soccer and MLS Cup 2010, [ 378 ] the Premier League and even the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup, and had become a permanent co-commentator aboard Ian Darke for the tournament. In recently November 2010 and in May 2011, McManaman was the halftime in-studio analyst alongside Gary Lineker and Trevor Francis for La Liga ‘s El Clásico broadcast on Al Jazeera Sports +3. McManaman and Darke were the main ESPN comment team for Euro 2012, [ 379 ] while McManaman was besides a guest on daily empanel appearance, ESPN PressPass ( immediately re-branded as ESPN FC ), aboard Steve Nicol, Robbie Mustoe, Shaka Hislop, Robbie Earle and Gabriele Marcotti. [ 380 ] From the 2013–14 temper, McManaman joined BT Sport as one of its lead co-commentators for its newly Premier League coverage, [ 381 ] In 2014, McManaman and Darke partnered each other for one final time as co-commentators entirely for the USA ‘s ESPN coverage of FIFA World Cup 2014, in which Darke and McManaman commentated on the Brazil 1 Germany 7 plot ; and got plaudits for their incredulous statements, reactions [ 382 ] and colorful comments during the game. [ 383 ] From the 2014–15 season ahead, McManaman then returned home plate to be permanently based in England and besides could be regularly seen as a guest on BT Sport ‘s Champions League coverage, and on shows like “ Premier League Tonight ”. [ 384 ] In 2016, McManaman served as a co-commentator for Euro 2016 on ESPN aboard Ian Darke for England games arsenic well as a initiate in the studio. In 2018, McManaman returned to ESPNFC as a initiate for the first clock since 2012, and on 29 June became the entirely initiate to correctly bode 12 out of the end 14 in the hard stages of FIFA World Cup 2018 [ 385 ] [ 386 ] including getting the semi-finals, final, and ultimate winner precisely correct. [ 387 ] He worked Euro 2020 in the studio for ESPN largely aboard Alessandro Del Piero, Craig Burley, and Rece Davis. In 2021, McManaman became ABC and ESPN ‘s lead La Liga co-commentator aboard long prison term partner, Ian Darke .
personal life [edit ]
together with Robbie Fowler, McManaman has invested in respective racehorses through a company named The Macca and Growler Partnership, their most fecund cavalry being Seebald—trained by Martin Pipe and raced by jockey Tony McCoy —winner of 2003 Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Celebration Chase. [ 388 ] In 2013, McCoy named his sawhorse for the Chepstow races, “ El Macca ” in citation to McManaman. [ 389 ] “ El Macca ” is five years old as of 2018 and is owned by JP McManus. [ 390 ] McManaman ‘s grandfather was a bookmaker and his father ( in the printing and publish business ) described the family as having “ horseracing in their blood ”. [ 391 ] From November 2019, McManaman began writing an exclusive bi-monthly op-ed column for british Horse Racing web site, Horseracing.net. [ 392 ] [ 393 ] McManaman married his longtime girlfriend, Victoria Edwards, a barrister and jurisprudence lecturer ( who taught at the Complutense University of Madrid [ 394 ] during her clock time in Madrid with McManaman ), on 6 June 2002, in Mallorca ‘s Palma Cathedral. [ 395 ] Victoria gave birth to their daughters Ella in 2006 and Lara in 2009, and son Lucas James in 2012. The family divides its time between homes in Bay of Palma, London and Cheshire. [ 396 ] His brother-in-law is his ex-Liverpool team-mate, Jason McAteer, who married Victoria Edwards ‘ younger baby, Lucy, in 2013. [ 397 ] McManaman has besides described being a Roman Catholic and how real Madrid in 2002 sought out the blessing of Pope John Paul II, saying : “ I am a Catholic and what with all the spanish, portuguese and Brazilians, we are predominantly a Catholic team … ” [ 398 ] McManaman ‘s darling bands are the Beatles, [ 399 ] Radiohead and Echo & the Bunnymen, while according to an interview in 2003 his favored television shows were Cheers, Frasier, The Simpsons and The Office. [ 400 ] In summation to his native English, McManaman speaks Spanish, which he learnt during his prison term playing for Real Madrid. [ 401 ]
career statistics [edit ]
club [edit ]
- Source:Steve McManaman at the English National Football Archive ( subscription required )
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Liverpool | 1990–91 | First Division | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1991–92 | First Division | 30 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 8[b] | 0 | — | 51 | 11 | ||
| 1992–93 | Premier League | 31 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3[c] | 1 | — | 40 | 7 | ||
| 1993–94 | Premier League | 30 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 2 | |||
| 1994–95 | Premier League | 40 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 2 | — | — | 55 | 9 | |||
| 1995–96 | Premier League | 38 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4[b] | 1 | — | 53 | 10 | ||
| 1996–97 | Premier League | 37 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 8[c] | 1 | — | 51 | 10 | ||
| 1997–98 | Premier League | 36 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4[b] | 1 | — | 46 | 12 | ||
| 1998–99 | Premier League | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 1 | — | 31 | 5 | ||
| Total | 272 | 46 | 29 | 5 | 33 | 10 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 364 | 66 | ||
| Real Madrid | 1999–2000 | La Liga | 28 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | 13[d] | 1 | 4[e] | 0 | 50 | 4 | |
| 2000–01 | La Liga | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 11[d] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 40 | 2 | ||
| 2001–02 | La Liga | 23 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 13[d] | 2 | 1[g] | 0 | 41 | 4 | ||
| 2002–03 | La Liga | 15 | 1 | 6 | 1 | — | 6[d] | 2 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 4 | ||
| Total | 94 | 8 | 15 | 1 | — | 43 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 158 | 14 | |||
| Manchester City | 2003–04 | Premier League | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | Premier League | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| Total | 35 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 44 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 401 | 54 | 48 | 6 | 34 | 10 | 77 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 566 | 80 | ||
International [edit ]
| England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 | 6 | 0 |
| 1996 | 9 | 0 |
| 1997 | 3 | 0 |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 |
| 1999 | 4 | 2 |
| 2000 | 5 | 1 |
| 2001 | 6 | 0 |
| Total | 37 | 3 |
England score listed first, score column indicates score after each McManaman goal.
Honours [edit ]
Liverpool
Real Madrid
Individual
promote read [edit ]
References [edit ]
Read more: Ex on the Beach (British series 6)