[lfc-news] Ian Rush column - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 16 Aug 2005
Home is where heart is
By Ian Rush, Liverpool Echo

PEOPLE often use the expression 'you should never go back'.

I heard it enough times when I was a Juventus player when there was a
lot of speculation about me returning to Liverpool.

After one year in Turin, I wanted to come home. For every person telling
me to go back to Anfield, someone else would be saying it would never be
the same.

I know I made the right decision. Kenny Dalglish made it clear he wanted
me so I turned down Roma, Rangers, Bayern Munich and Manchester United
to go back to Anfield.

The League championship, FA Cup and League Cup winners' medals I won
during my second spell ensure I have no regrets about the decision when
I look back at my career.

Michael Owen know finds himself in a similar position to me. It's
amazing how similar my and Michael's careers are.

We both grew up in North Wales and have a similar attitude. We're both
ambitious but value our home comforts as much as our football.

If Michael comes back to England, a lot of people will say, just like
they did to me, he didn't succeed abroad and will regret he left
Liverpool in the first place.

I beg to differ. Michael and I took opportunities we had to take at
similar stages of our career. If I hadn't joined Juventus, or Michael
gone to Madrid, we'd both have looked back years later thinking what
might have been. It was inevitable he'd test himself abroad eventually.

He'll come back to England a better all-round footballer.

Yes, leaving Liverpool does make you realise what you've left behind,
but that's all part of the experience of being a player. Like me, if
Michael returns he'll be hoping he spends the rest of the prime of his
career at the club.

Considering he's still only 25, the price of losing Michael for one
season may actually prove to have been a sacrifice worth paying
considering he'll now probably be at Liverpool until he's at least 30 if
he returns.

Like every Liverpool supporter, I'm hoping it happens.

I'd dread going to Anfield to see Michael playing in anything but a red
shirt. I just know he'd score against us.

He's also the one striker of his type Liverpool don't currently possess.
He could form a partner-ship with all the other forwards, particularly
Peter Crouch and Fernando Morientes.

Michael didn't leave the club on bad terms, he has a good relationship
with the fans and if the manager wants him I couldn't imagine him going
anywhere else.

Cisse could wing it for Rafa

IT'S CLEAR Liverpool are looking for a right midfielder, although
Djibril Cisse's performance on Saturday suggested he could be a
temporary solution.

Cisse has the pace to trouble full backs and some of the crosses he put
in would be ideal for Peter Crouch or Fernando Morientes.

Rafa Benitez seems to have plenty of options on the left, but there's
hardly anyone to play on the other flank at the moment.

I'm sure a lot of fans will be hoping for good things from Bolo Zenden,
and as a steady influence I think he'll be useful. Liverpool's great
sides always had what you might call a busy midfielder who didn't always
grab the limelight but worked hard and gave balance on the right, or
left, and often popped up with goals.

Zenden could be a similar quietly effective, if unspectacular, purchase.

United pose a threat

MY EXPECTATION is for a top four finish by Liverpool this season, but
I'm sure they'll be a lot closer to the top.

Chelsea are clearly going to be up there, as will Arsenal, although I
think they'll miss Patrick Vieira.

My own tip for the title is Manchester United. I've always been a huge
Ruud van Nistelrooy fan and if he's back to his best, they'll have a
formidable strikeforce with Rooney and Ronaldo.

My fear all summer has been them trying to add Michael Owen, which would
make them even greater.

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