On the 1st July 1999, after two years of transfer tugs of war, a thunder storm of newspaper articles and backlashes that struck like whiplashes from fans, Steve McManaman left a club in transition and entered a club in metamorphosis.
At Liverpool he had been the ‘Wizard of the Dribble’, winning a League Cup final virtually single handed, winning an FA Cup early on in his career too. The years were kind to Steve and he cemented his place in Liverpool history. Yet the controversy over his Bosman transfer drew eyes away from his achievements, towards the money that the Premier League had brought to players.
McManaman was the last signing of Guus Hiddink, who was later sacked in February 1999, due to comments about the board and finances and poor league performances. Steve knew the pressure would be immense, particularly as he was only the second Englishman to play for Real Madrid, but also due to the regime change at the club.
Real Madrid were going through one of the most turbulent periods in their history. A new manager brought a new philosophy, John Toshack, and several players were sold to try and combat the rising debt. Mijatovic, Suker, Seedorf and Panucci all made way to help streamline the clubs finances. This process of selling players made star man Raúl speak out, 'The dressing room is a cesspit of lies, treachery and whispers.....I feel sorry for new players like Steve McManaman.'
Whatever Steve was walking into, he was clearly a big deal in Madrid and was the highest profile player to move to Spain, from England, since Gary Lineker's move from Everton to Barcelona in 1986.
His first few games yielded three goals and several assists, Madridistas took him to their hearts straight away. Debuting against Mallorca, on 22nd August 1999 at the Son Moix stadium, he provided the vital assist for a late injury time winner scored by Fernando Morientes. His next game, on 29th August at home against Numancia, saw him score his first goal in the 4-1 demolition.
McManaman and his Madrid teammates took part in the first FIFA Club World Championship in 1999/2000 were he failed to score, eventually coming 4th. However, Steve managed to help Real Madrid make it all the way to the 2000 Champions League final in Paris. Vicente Del Bosque was now the Real Madrid manager, after Toshack was sacked in November of 1999. The build up rounds to the final saw McManaman receive several man of the match awards, based upon the partnership with Fernando Redondo.
Valencia were beaten 3-0 by Real Madrid in an all Spanish final. McManaman scored with a stunning volley from outside the box, many consider this final as his greatest game. Fellow Madrid player Ivan Helguera endorsed the English media's view of McManaman as the man of the match. This historic eighth European Cup win saw him become the first ever English player to win the competition with a foreign club.
Yet despite all the accolades and performances that Steve put in, he was to be sidelined for the rest of his Madrid career. In 2000, as the new Liga season began, Del Bosque was to warn him that he had 'little chance of playing this year'. Incoming President, Florentino Pérez, was followed to the club by football sensation Luís Figo, for a club record transfer fee. This transfer burdened the club with more debt and subsequently several players were sold. One of the players earmarked for sale was McManaman, yet he resisted every attempt to sell him. And there were many attempts to get rid of the Englishman.
Just to slap McManaman in the face with his threat of a non playing season, Del Bosque insisted he would not be issuing Steve with a squad number. The £37 million transfer of Figo led to the board wanting to offload McManaman's £4.5 million salary, however he had a water tight contract until 2004. He managed to resist all bids for him, including an £11 million bid from Middlesbrough which was accepted by Real Madrid and also a £12 million bid from Chelsea that included Tore André Flo. There were also bids from up to eight other clubs including Manchester United's contingent sent by Alex Ferguson.
McManaman wouldn't give up, was given a squad number and a place back in the starting eleven as a poll in El Mundo showed that 90% of Real Madrid fans wanted the club to keep him. Michel Salgado also rallied around him and complained to the management about his treatment after yet another transfer bid was accepted, £8 million from Lazio.
Del Bosque eventually warmed to McManaman, playing him, as a substitute, in the 3-3 draw against Málaga in September. By October Steve had won over Del Bosque and was rewarded with first team starts in the second half of the season. The 2000/2001 season ended with defeat to Bayern Munich in the semi final of the Champions League and victory, with their 28th La Liga title.
2001 saw McManaman's playing time reduced as the Galáctico policy went into overdrive, players like Zidane and Ronaldo arrived to be placed above him in the pecking order. His tenacity saw him earn respect from all his teammates, Spanish media and was twice voted as fans player of the year, by fans who liked to wave white handkerchiefs in tribute to his spectacular goal against Real Oviedo. This determination to impose himself on the starting eleven was given special mention by his golfing partners, Figo and Ronaldo. Through a combination of sheer hard work and a program of acclimatisation to the Spanish culture, McManaman became the darling of fans and a steady fondness radiated from the Spanish media.
The Galáctico policy was not remarked upon by McManaman whilst at the club, instead he waited until releasing his book El Macca. In the book he describes the policy as the 'Disneyfication of Madrid', this was something of a foretelling as Madrid have failed to live up to the successes of the period before that policy.
In his penultimate season at Real Madrid, McManaman enjoyed his warmest welcome from the board, Florentino Pérez said a "man like that would always have a place in my club". Cruyff also lauded McManaman as "everyone's best partner on the pitch". The club lavished him with an historic honour, making him the captain in a FIFA XI, the first Englishman to ever captain Real Madrid, the ultras lapped it up, applauding him enthusiastically. In addition to this he had a fantastic run in the Champions League, coming on as a substitute in the semi final El Clasico and scoring a late goal, he came on as another substitute in the final at Hampden Park, thus ensuring his dual winners medal.
His final season, 2002/2003 saw McManaman used mainly as a late substitute in the first half of the season, but after several assists to Ronaldo's goals, he was given more starts. One start came in the Champions League against AEK Athens were he scored twice, another Champions League start came against Manchester United at Old Trafford, which saw his side lose 4-3.
However, this season proved to be the one that confirmed his critics' opinions, after only 21 games, 9 starts and 15 La Liga appareances, the media started to question his ability and work rate. The English media were accused of selective amnesia after accusing McManaman of selling out to a big money contract and being content to sit on the bench rather than move on. Yet he still managed to win another La Liga medal and the Intercontinental Cup, adding to his expanding list of honours.
The writing was on the wall when Real Madrid signed David Beckham, Steve remained for the pre-season of 2003/2004 then was released by Los Blancos. Beckham, apparently, begged for the midfielder to remain at the club but it was all in vain as Del Bosque was sacked 24 hours after winning La Liga, Steve's support seeped away from the club and he made his journey back to England.
So after 157 appearances, 14 goals and 33 assists, McManaman limped back to the country that had been a thorn in his side since his big money transfer from Liverpool had started getting air time. Never appreciated at Liverpool by the board, never accepted at Real Madrid by the board or manager, constantly put up for transfer and sidelined as an outcast, McManaman showed everyone that his class was evident when on the pitch. A double Champions League winner, the first Englishman to win the competition with a foreign club, the first Englishman to captain a Real Madrid team and a scorer in El Clasico. No one can say that he didn't perform with flair, style and panache.
McManaman isn't my favourite Les Rosbif from Liverpool, that honour resides with Michael Owen, yet he is the most successful in terms of trophies won. I feel for Steve as he tried so hard to fit in, yet the fans never let him forget that they loved him and he took on the might of the Real Madrid politick machine and won, his release was simply a formality. As always, Steve McManaman operated on the wing and his performances allowed others to shine, pity his own career isn't characterised with the diamond quality it deserves.
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