Football Scouting: Bob Paisley, the glory of the coach

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When Bill Shankly decided to retire the fans of Liverpool FC panicked. Shankly is underway! What do we do now? Who will take the reins? British press soon start advertising a carousel of possible substitutes, all renowned coaches. But Liverpool directive Shankly decided to heed a final recommendation: the best person for the job was already home.

In the summer of 1974 Bob Paisley became the team manager. Very few supported that decision. Yes, Paisley was the confidant of Shankly, but for most it was not much more than a physical therapist who had also been serving as assistant coach. The start of the season, linking several draws and defeats, not helped increase confidence in Paisley.

Comparisons with Shankley were continuous. How has run trainer as manager? Shanks did know football, not Paisley. But how will you handle a locker and a guy like Bob, who barely speaks ... Until one day got fed up and gave Paisley a press conference in which everyone put the record straight and only asked for a few things elementary: a little patience and confidence.

Paisley kept the style, along with Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett (with ensuing counting), had helped build orders Shankly in the now legendary Boot Room of Anfield Road. However, the first season could only finish second, after the Derby County. Of course, the 1974-75 season would be the only one that did not come to any trophy cabinets The Reds.

In the 1975-76 season Liverpool achieved a major Paisley double with the Premier League (with a single point ahead of the QPR ) And the UEFA Cup (winning the final against Bruges). That team was full of players that time has become legendary: the great goalkeeper Ray Clemence (14 years at the club), a defense that mixed veteran Tommy Smith and Emelyn Hughes with youthful illusion of Alan Hansen and Phil Thompson; the talented Steve Heighway in the midfield and up, a couple who got scared: John Benjamin Toschak and Kevin Keegan.

paisley2 As seen Pailey player cut his career to participate in the Second World War as part of 73 Regiment Royal Artillery (anti-unit tanks).

The farthest that came in a championship went to the final of the FA Cup loss to Arsenal in 1950. Interestingly not played a single minute of that final despite having been one of the scorers in the 2-0 Liverpool Everton eliminated in the semifinals.

But as a coach is going to become a legend on Merseyside. After the first double in the 1976-77 campaign was to achieve a feat with which surpassed his predecessor and mentor, Bill Shankly. That year, in addition to repeating the league title, the guys from Paisley won the first European Cup in the history of Liverpool, beating Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-1 at the Olimpico in Rome. And touched the triplet, because he reached the final of the FA Cup, losing to Manchester United.

However, that summer was very busy in Merseyside. His big star, Keavin Keagan went to SV Hamburg for 500,000 pounds (a high sum for the time). But Paisley showed a great eye and replacing Keagan opted for a young Scottish striker, a certain Kenny Dalglish. The play went well Paisley: Dalglish ended up becoming a legend at Anfield, not in vain, to this day, in the pubs of Liverpool is called King Kenny. But the matter did not end there. Sunderland coach also took delivery of another Scottish player would end up being a great British football: the excellent midfielder Graeme Souness.

With this great team in the 1977-78 season Liverpool managed to keep their continental title winning his second European Cup in a row, this time against the Witches (1-0). Yes, the Premier League is led Nottingham Forest by Brian Clough, who also would win the Cup in the match replay, initiating one of the greatest rivalries in English football history.

In the summer of 78 they lost two important players (Smith and Callaghan), but Paisley again hit full seducing Alan Kennedy, which would give the club two European Cups with two late goals in paths. In the 78-79 season Liverpool will snatch the league title at Forest, but instead those of Brian Cloguh (discussed shortly) that this would be the year to take home the European Cup (a title he repeated a year later ).

In season 80-81, The Reds were fifth in the league, the worst position with Paisley on the bench, but the season was a success because it managed to lift his third Orejona, with a goal of Kennedy with which lay on the final Del Bosque's Real Madrid, Camacho, Santillana ... After the new continental conquest, another summer of changes. And Paisley, of course, hit again by signing a very young Welshman named Ian Rush. And the legendary goalkeeper Ray Clemence, was replaced by another historic: Bruce Grobelaar.

Paisley's latest campaign on the bench at Anfield was 82-83, in which he said goodbye in style with a triplet: League, League Cup and Charity Shield. His replacement was Joe Fagan, one of the founders of the Boot Room of Shankley. With it would remain the same line of play and success, as soon Liverpool win their fourth European Cup in seven years. paisley3

Bob Paisley was everything in Liverpool during the 44 years he spent at the club: player, coach, assistant coach, trainer and manager. Even after his retirement remained bound to the club as a consultant until the alzheimer withdrew from public life. Initially almost nobody trusted him. Nobody thought we could keep up the great Bill Shankely. But not only equaled but far exceeded it.

He died on Valentine's Day 1996 as a myth for Liverpool FC. The fans will never forget network. Among other things because to enter the mythical tier of The Kop is mandatory to go through the Paisley Gateway, a brilliant fusion of door and monuments with outstanding images of the three European Cups Paisley took Merseyside.

In his nine years as head coach of Liverpool (1974-1983) won six league titles, three European Cups, one Cup UEFA , 1 European Super Cup, 3 Leauge Cup and six FA Charity Shield.

Also, to top it all you got, Paisley left us another legacy: before looking outside, you have to trust what you already have at home. And the ordinal "second coach" often hides someone who is destined for great things. And yes, when a few days ago I decided to write this series of two articles on two major technical Liverpool did Tito Vilanova thinking. The news yesterday tempted me to change the focus or delay publication of this post. Finally I decided not to do any of those things. I hope you have liked to know this story.

PS. One of the sound bites that initially had been assigned to Bill Shankly's actually Bob Paisley. For me it is one of the best football axioms of history: