Steven Gerrard: Ronnie Moran's advice was priceless to me
Steven Gerrard often stepped onto the pitch for Liverpool with the words of Ronnie Moran lodged at the forefront of his mind.
The paths of the two men – each iconic figures in Reds history – crossed fleetingly in the late 1990s as Gerrard emerged as a hugely exciting prospect and Moran neared the conclusion of 49 years’ service to the club.
But that did not stop the latter, a former captain, coach and caretaker manager who passed away at the age of 83 on Wednesday morning, from imparting wisdom to the midfielder as he set about creating a legacy of his own.
Moran visited Melwood regularly following his retirement in 1998 and on each occasion, Gerrard would dearly hope for the opportunity to chat with ‘Mr Liverpool’ for a few moments.
“If you knew that Ronnie was in doing his daily walk, you would always hope you would get a couple of minutes of his time, because he would always say one line to you or give you one bit of advice about the previous game or the game coming up that stuck in your head,” he said.
“There have been many times when I’ve gone out for Liverpool and I’ve thought about something he’s said to me.
“That advice is priceless because it’s coming from someone who has been there and done it, who has won leagues and European medals. That’s going to be sadly missed around the place.
“It’s devastating news for all our fans and everyone connected to the club, because Ronnie was part of the furniture, he has been around for many, many years and he’s a big part of the reason why this club is so successful and it’s got an incredible history.
“You think of iconic figures – Bill Shankly, [Bob] Paisley, [Joe] Fagan and [Kenny] Dalglish – and Ronnie Moran is up there with those names. It’s very sad.”
Watch: Gerrard's tribute to Ronnie Moran
Gerrard continued: “He had time for everyone. I wasn’t lucky enough to get the chance to work with him on a daily basis as a coach, but I listened to him an awful lot.
“I became full-time as an apprentice when he was first-team coach; even still now in my head I can hear his voice, shouting at the likes of John Barnes, Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler.
“What I loved about him was that he treated every single player the same – whether you were captain of the club or whether you had just started on £47.50 a week. He treated everyone exactly the same. And he went about his business in a way that was all about the club. It wasn’t about him or his ego, it was just about the club.
“He should be regarded up there with the legends of the football club.
“I mentioned Shankly and Paisley and all the successful managers, because those managers are not successful on their own – they need a team around them and people around them to help them be successful. And Ronnie was the best support act at the club.”