Jurgen Klopp leaves Liverpool having served up some truly wonderful football over the years.
For younger Reds supporters, Klopp and his team will have undoubtedly been the best they’ve ever seen.
Certainly, it’s been a long old time since Liverpool were competing for every trophy year in, year out. The former manager brought success – real success – back to Anfield.
For fans of an older vintage though, this will have been nothing new. In fact, those who lived through the 1980’s will have seen the greatest period in the club’s history.
Liverpool had some team under Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and then Sir Kenny Dalglish. In the 11 seasons between 1979/80 and 1989/90, the Reds won seven league titles. The Liverpool squad of that era wanted for nothing really, but after an admission on Wednesday, it’s clear that it could have been even better.
Paul Gascoigne reveals Kenny Dalglish phone call
So many Liverpool legends were born and cemented during the 80’s. There will never be another period like it.
Away from Anfield though, there were other great players coming to the fore as the game changed dramatically.
One of the best up and comers of the late 80’s was then Newcastle attacking midfielder Paul Gascoigne. Having come through the youth ranks at Newcastle, Gascoigne was ready for a move in 1988.
READ MORE: Liverpool’s best seven European nights of all-time at Anfield
Just 21 at the time, ‘Gazza’ had his pick of the best teams in the country. And speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, the 57-year-old shared the story of a phone call with Dalglish, who had just won another title with Liverpool.
“I was sitting with my Dad and the phone went and it was Kenny Dalglish first,” Gascoigne explained. “I said Dad it’s Kenny Dalglish and he said I want you to sign for Liverpool. So I spoke to him for half an hour and I put the phone down and I said Dad to be honest I did not understand a word he said!
“Then Sir Alex called us, and said look we want to sign you,” he adds. “I said okay I’ll sign when I come back from holiday. So I told my Dad I’m going to Old Trafford, Man United and then two days later the phone went and it was to sign for Tottenham.
“I went ‘look I’m going to sign for Man United’. I said Dad it’s Tottenham and he said tell them to f off you’re going to sign for Man United. So I said my Dad says f off, I’m going to Man United. He then went tell your Dad we’ll give him £120,000. He went what are you waiting for then, son?”
Where did Paul Gascoigne sign instead?
It seems remarkable that Gascoigne turned down both Liverpool and Man United to join Tottenham.
The Reds had just won the league and been beaten in the FA Cup final, United had finished second and were building under Ferguson.
Spurs meanwhile had finished in 13th place, below even Newcastle, who Gascoigne was leaving. Nevertheless, Gazza did indeed move to North London.
In football terms, it was surely a mistake from the Geordie. His medal haul totalled a single FA Cup at Spurs in 1991.
From Tottenham Gascoigne then moved on to Lazio in Italy, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton. Not the most distinguished career.
Although Gazza was hugely celebrated for England, you can’t help but feel that had he taken up Dalglish – or Ferguson – on their offers, his legacy would be more about what he’d done on the pitch rather than off it.