Jose Mourinho has revealed his secret plan that would have made Steven Gerrard a Chelsea star.
Blues are headed for a League Cup showdown with Gerrard's Liverpool on Tuesday night. Mourinho says he, Roman Abramovich, and then chief executive Peter Kenyon dreamt up how they would incorporate the ex-England captain into the Stamford Bridge midfield.
“Yes I was dreaming of playing him with Claude Makelele and Frank Lampard,” said Mourinho of the moment in 2005 when he came so close to signing Gerrard for a fee close to £32m.
“We would play in an open triangle without a number 10 - we would play (Claude) Makelele in front of the defenders.
“Me and Mr Abramovich, and at that time Peter Kenyon, we dreamt of that. We did everything to try (to get him) it was almost there but it was his decision (to stay) for me it was proven right, (he is) a Red forever so it was proven right.”
Meanwhile, Mourinho, fresh from a great 5-0 victory over Swansea, is less than enamoured with the song fans aim at Gerrard for the slip against Chelsea that ultimately lost Liverpool the Premier League title last season.
Fans all over the country have since let rip: 'Steve Gerrard Gerrard, he fell on his (backside), and gave it to Demba Ba, Steve Gerrard Gerard'.
Mourinho said: “He is a historical player for Liverpool, for the Premier League, an opponent I always admired and respected.
“That song that my fans have - I don't like. I don't like at all.
“A couple of times, it's good fun, but to go on and on an on, especially for a player like him, he deserves respect and we don't need that song, we have so many other ones.
And, perhaps taking a dig at another name from that dreamland midfield three, the Blues' boss said: “I love his quote that he would never score a goal against Liverpool.
"I love these words. I understand why he was almost, almost coming to Chelsea, and he didn't and I respect that.”
