Liverpool legend causes fan Rush

By Simon Hayes on September 5, 2008 10:59 AM |

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ALAN Curbishley may have gone but he got the backing of Liverpool legend Ian Rush when he visited Canary Wharf this week.

Rush had every sympathy with the plight endured by Curbishley towards the end of his reign at Upton Park, having endured a similar experience when in charge of Chester City in 2004/05.

"You get told what to do," he said. "The average span of managers now is getting less and less. Look at Alex Ferguson, it was five years before he won anything but there's no chance of that happening again.

"It's instant success that's needed, because that's the pressure they put on people now. You've got to be an instant success or you're out."

The 46-year-old drew a big crowd of football fans to Books, etc in Jubilee Place mall on Wednesday (September 3) where he was signing copies of his new autobiography.

And the Welshman thinks modern players could take a leaf out of the fans book when it comes to showing loyalty.

He said: "I think loyalty is going out of the game now. The likes of Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, John Terry - you're not going to get that many of them any more because people are leaving.

"Contracts don't seem to matter anymore because if they want to leave, they just seem to leave."

Rush spent 15 years at Anfield, where he starred during the Reds' greatest era of success. In 660 games he knocked in an incredible 346 goals, putting him at the top of Liverpool's all-time scorers list.

And he thinks clubs are now taking advantage of the loyalty of their fans, often without delivering the goods on the pitch.

"The supporters need to be looked after," he said. "They are the ones who come and watch it every week and they are what it's all about.

"It's seems to be be becoming more corporate and the normal fans can't afford to go to games.

"And they don't get to see the players now. The nearest supporters get are ex-players, that's the way it is.

"When we were playing, especially at Liverpool it was like a family club. It wasn't just the players but the likes of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley used to go out of their way to speak to the cleaning ladies and the supporters.

"You could go and chat to the supporters. And they were very knowledgeable, Liverpool supporters, but as time goes on that doesn't seem to happen."

That 1980s side included the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness. Despite having played alongside some of the greatest players to have graced the modern game Rush admitted he coudn't name a greatest XI.

"I couldn't, I'd be here all day. Kenny Dalglish was the best player I ever played with. He was an incredible player, probably the best Liverpool have ever had.

"Neville Southall was a great goalkeeper, even though I always managed to score against him, while in Italy Michael Laudrup was very skilful.

"When you are picking 11 you don't pick the 11 best individuals, I like to pick them as a team. They might not be as good as them but they fitted in well as a team.

"People like Ronnie Whelan, who's work would go unnoticed but if you were a player you'd realise how good he really was."

And his tip for this season's Premier League?

"My heart says Liverpool but I think it'll be Chelsea."

Read what Rush thinks about West Ham striker Craig Bellamy in next week's Wharf, out on Thursday.