[lfc-news] Fagan's achievements up there with the best - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 23 May 2005
Fagan's achievements up there with the best
Ronnie Moran Talks To Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

WHO was the last English-born manager to win the European Cup? On
Merseyside, such a question would be dismissed as an insult to football
intelligence.

Venture beyond our boundaries and the blank looks following a seemingly
obvious enquiry provoke varying degrees of astonishment and annoyance.

Joe Fagan remains the Liverpool manager time treated carelessly.

An Anfield legend whose unprecedented achievements are still
overshadowed by those who went before and, to some extent, by the tragic
manner he bowed out.

Twenty years on from his retirement, it's left to those who knew him
best to deliver necessary eulogies.

Former assistant boss Ronnie Moran can't disguise his sense of regret at
how Fagan remains a forgotten hero when the lists of great managers are
compiled.

"People talk about Jose Mourinho this year, but Joe did exactly the same
in his first season and went one better. The title, the League Cup and
the European Cup. He did the treble," says Moran.

"Then he took us to the European Cup final in his second season. Joe
never got the credit he deserved for his achievement. Even now, you'll
never hear anyone talking about him. He's too easily over-looked. People
still don't realise how good he was. His knowledge of the game was as
great as anyone I've ever known.

"Joe was the man I'd say I learned from most when I was starting as a coach.

"To some extent, I even think Bob Paisley's success is underplayed. Who
wins the European Cup three times?

"I've a lot of respect for Sir Alex Ferguson, but when he retires you
can bet everyone will be talking about him as the greatest manager of
all time. All I can say to that is look at Bob's record. There are three
European Cups there. You won't find anyone else in English football with
an achievement like that.

"The thing about Bob and Joe is, even if they were alive today, you'd
never hear them blowing their own trumpet. They were modest men who'd
never seek credit for themselves and always behaved in the right way.
You'd never hear them making an excuse if we lost either. You hear a lot
of managers talking about injuries or referees all the time now.

"Whenever we got a bad decision, Joe used to say the same thing: 'We got
a bad one today, but we'll get a good one later in the season.'"

Moran was a pivotal member of the backroom team during all five European
Cup finals, although it comes as no surprise which meant most to him and
the club.

"The first one always feels the best," says Moran.

"We beat a great side in 1977 and that gave us the platform to repeat it
three more times. The next three were all tight games, but I always say
the match in 1984 should never have gone to penalties. Technically, we
won the match on away goals!

"We had great characters in our side the last time we won it. There was
a spirit in the team which helped us through a difficult match."

Although Moran retired seven years ago, his presence is still felt at
Liverpool's training ground.

He's cast his eye over Rafa Benitez's coaching sessions and has seen
enough to believe the greats of the past are voicing their approval from
above.

"I still go down to Melwood twice a week and I really like what I see
with Rafa Benitez," says Moran.

"I like the fact he's a coach who gets on the training pitch and
organises everything for himself. He's like Joe in that way. I also
think the style of football he wants is the same as we demanded.

"When we've played well this year, it's been very much in the
traditional Liverpool style. Our philosophy was always the same. You
attack in numbers and defend in numbers. You always wanted everyone to
join in, which is why you always used to see our fullbacks get forward
so much. I remember telling Phil Neal once we never wanted to see anyone
standing still on the pitch. Everyone had to be moving all the time.

"Obviously Benitez needs time to get the players into the club to play
exactly how he wants, but you can see the shape of the team he's trying
to create. He's trying to organise the side in the same way it used to be.

"Against Juventus at home and away you could understand why people were
reminded of our European games of the past. We attacked and defended
well. There was no 'secret' behind our success. We always knew what we
wanted, the hard part was getting the right players into the club to do
it. That's what the manager will be doing before pre-season, I'm sure."

For Moran, a European Cup Final is as much about courage as skill. He's
convinced Liverpool can beat AC Milan, but recognises, much like their
last triumph, they'll need every player at the top of their game to do so.

"I'm not a gambling man, but I do think all the pressure is on AC
Milan," says Moran.

"I want to see our lads settling down quickly, getting a few good passes
going early in the game, and being brave enough to pass the ball well in
their half. If we get off to a good start, I'm confident we can do it."

As the last Liverpool manager to land at Speke airport clutching the
finest piece of silver of all, Fagan secured his place as an Anfield
icon, even if the rest of the world has remained ignorant of his
contributions.

Should Rafa Benitez repeat the feat on Thursday afternoon, there's no
prospect of his triumph being downplayed in the same way as his
illustrious predecessor.

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