Liverpool’s Champions League victory in 2005 went down as some of the well-known comebacks in sporting historical past as Rafa Benitez guided his aspect to show round a 3-0 deficit towards AC Milan within the closing to be topped champions of Europe.
Virtually twenty years later, considered one of his gamers, a boyhood Liverpool fan, has shared that one of many best achievements within the membership’s historical past was additionally a bittersweet second, as his supervisor was neglected of the matchday squad on the final minute.
Bittersweet Victory
This participant was Stephen Warnock, who, regardless of stating he had huge respect for his supervisor, spoke his thoughts when he appeared on the Below the Cosh podcast.
After the Spaniard had named Warnock within the 18-man matchday crew, he referred to as his household and informed them to e book airplane tickets to Istanbul to observe him play within the Champions League closing.
An look that may have seen every of the 18 gamers obtain £200,000 in the event that they gained and £100,000 in the event that they misplaced. A match that Benitez and his Liverpool aspect went on to win and one which has gone down in historical past.
The elation was short-lived after Warnock acquired a cellphone name from his supervisor’s assistant, Pako Ayestaran, informing him that it was a “mistake” and he was now not included within the crew.
This was regardless of the left-back having been concerned in all the matchday squads within the competitors within the lead-up to the ultimate and having made 4 appearances through the event.
“I didn’t hate the crew. I hated Rafa”.
Warnock mentioned on the podcast that he additionally referred to as his ex-manager a “f****** coward” for not calling him up himself to inform him the unhealthy information and described the best way he was handled as an “absolute shame”.
From left-back to neglected
After the information, the Liverpool academy graduate was neglected of the crew, out of pocket and out of the celebrations too.
Warnock flew out to Turkey to observe his boyhood membership play within the closing of the largest competitors of all of them, to solely be pressured to observe his aspect play from the stands.
This was adopted by having to observe the trophy parade round his house metropolis at his house on his TV, dwell on Sky Sports activities.
‘I keep in mind that evening simply going to mattress and so they mentioned, “proper, the airplane leaves presently within the morning to go for the parade in Liverpool”. After which they modified it and mentioned, “all of the squad who have been concerned, the 18, and their wives or girlfriends.”
‘So that they put all them collectively, making an allowance for they’d been on our flight coming over, the wives and girlfriends, and we flew again individually. Missed the parade, I watched it on Sky Sports activities.
‘Our flight was late coming in. The lads actually landed at Liverpool Airport, acquired ferried to the buses after which simply began the parade. I simply bear in mind pondering “what a s***present”.’
Warnock made 67 appearances throughout all competitions for the Reds after Benitez gave him his debut in a 1-1 draw towards Tottenham in 2004.
He went on to play for the membership for 3 years, earlier than leaving in 2007 for Blackburn Rovers.
