Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says failing to sign Liverpool's Steven Gerrard remains one of his greatest transfer disappointments. Mourinho was close to signing the midfielder in his first spell as Chelsea manager in 2005 before Gerrard chose to stay at Anfield. "We did everything to try [to sign him] and it was almost there," said Mourinho. "I was dreaming of Claude Makelele, Gerrard and Frank Lampard in midfield." Mourinho added: "We were playing in a proper triangle without a number 10 and playing Maka in front of the defenders. Me, Mr Abramovich and [former Chelsea chief executive] Peter Kenyon at that time, we dreamed of that. "His people were open to him joining a top side like Chelsea. But to me personally he never said he would come. Never. "He [Gerrard] was always a red and I think the decision was right." Gerrard will come up against Mourinho at Anfield on Tuesday in the first leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final in one of the last meetings before the former England captain ends his 17-year career in the Liverpool first team this summer when he joins Los Angeles Galaxy. But Mourinho, who describes Gerrard as an opponent he has always admired and respected, says he does not like Chelsea fans to poke fun at the player following his slip at Anfield last year in a match which saw Liverpool's title chances disappear. "The song that my fans have I don't like at all," Mourinho said. "A couple of times it is good fun but to go and go and go, especially with a player like him who deserves respect, I don't think you don't need that. "We have so many other songs, you don't need that one. "I love this quote when he was saying in his life he would never score a goal against Liverpool. I love these words. "I understand why he was - almost, almost, almost - coming to Chelsea. But he didn't and I respect that a lot." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30871704
I don't know if he's being genuine or not but he knows full well that mentioning it just before we play will only encourage the behaviour.
Nice to see that Gerrard himself never said yes to the transfer. I do feel this is all gearing towards this sentence "I love this quote when he was saying in his life he would never score a goal against Liverpool. I love these words" Just to have a pop at Lamps
I think i agree with the having a go at lampard sentiment here. I feel in general is a fluff piece that mourinho can easily bullshit about and avoid any questions abuot his conspiracy theory this week... by the time the fa cup rolls round the press will have moved on. mourinho never says anything out of the goodness of his heart.
The Chelsea fans can sing what they want, this is a semi-final at Anfield you won't hear anything but our fans.
After the usual big flag waving and rendition of YAWN you'll revert to your usual silence and Slippy G's anthem will be heard loud and clear #prediction
Who cares about them singing? If players were crushed by rival fans having a go it'd be five-a-side by now.
my favorite jose moment was when he stood up at 2-0 down at anfield and we sung bye bye moruinho to the chelsea fans own song and he quickly sat down. As i recall their plastics had a small banner in the anfield road end they unfurrelled... upside down.
