Sir Alex Ferguson Named 1 Liverpool Icon He Wished He Coached

There aren’t many managers in football whose legacy is more remarkable than Sir Alex Ferguson. The former Manchester United head coach has won more trophies than any head coach and enjoyed enormous success in European football throughout his 27-year reign at Old Trafford.

Many of his former players — as well as those who competed against him — have spoken highly of his accomplishments. ‘Fergie’ had the opportunity to work with some truly elite talents, including Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney.

However, every manager has players from opposing teams they admire, and the United legend was no exception. In 2015, Ferguson revealed three players he wished he had coached during his managerial career, including an icon from United’s fierce rivals Liverpool — but notably not Steven Gerrard.

Ferguson Reveals Three Players He Wishes He Managed

Speaking to Sky Sports in 2015, via ESPN, Ferguson named three players he would have liked to manage. First on the list was former Arsenal captain Tony Adams, with the Scottish manager stating that he would have been “absolutely perfect” for his United side at the time.

He subsequently named Jamie Carragher. The former United boss left Gerrard out of his selections, having previously claimed that he didn’t believe the Liverpool midfielder to be “a top player,” while arguing that his Liverpool and England teammate demonstrated how determination and hard work could take a player to the highest level.

Both Adams and Carragher enjoyed lengthy spells on English soil, with both regarded as two of the finest one-club men to have played the game. They came up against Ferguson on numerous occasions, although United recorded more victories than defeats against both Arsenal and Liverpool.

However, Ferguson’s final choice was someone who spent considerably less time in the Premier League – Gianfranco Zola. The Italian moved to Chelsea from Parma in 1996 and spent almost seven years in west London before eventually leaving for Cagliari.

While he managed just three victories in his career against United, Zola still scored three times against the Red Devils and provided two assists. His ability and close control made him a standout talent, although Ferguson admitted that the diminutive magician could frustrate him.

“Now, that little Zola, he annoyed me,” Ferguson said. “He was one of those players who was unperturbed about who he was playing against. He always seemed to have a smile on his face and that annoyed me. I said, ‘How can he be enjoying himself playing against United? Nobody else does’.

“He was fantastic. Talented. Beautiful balance. Brave. I remember we played Chelsea in the FA Cup a couple of years ago in the treble. We got them in the early rounds and we drew 0-0 at Old Trafford and I man-marked him. That’s how much respect I had for him.”