Nemanja Vidic has made the startling revelation that he almost signed for Liverpool before Manchester United swooped in to lure him to Old Trafford. The Serbian centre-back enjoyed a trophy-laden spell with the Red Devils, and would like to bring similar success to a club, albeit in a managerial role, which is his future ambition.
In 2006, the Serbian centre-back had already garnered a reputation for being one of the better defenders, being part of a national team backline that conceded only a single goal in FIFA World Cup qualification. Thus, Vidic was heavily scouted by Liverpool, with the Serb revealing how close he was to joining them, saying “Yes. Rafa Benitez called me and I nearly went there. I was interested in going but my English wasn't good and I was struggling to communicate.”
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Sir Alex Ferguson however was not to be denied, with Vidic outlining the role the Scot played in his signing, saying “Then Manchester United came. Fergie called me at my apartment and said: 'I watched you play for Serbia against France - I want you here.' United were decisive. Everything was done very quickly, within two days.”
Vidic reveals ambition to become a manager
Few would have predicted just how successful a player Vidic would go on to become when Manchester United paid Spartak Moscow £7 million for his services. The Serb ended his Old Trafford career in 2014, racking up 5 Premier League titles, 3 League Cups and a single UEFA Champions League trophy, while also being named the Premier League ‘Player of the Season’ twice.
Injuries cut short his career at Inter Milan, with Vidic announcing his retirement from football earlier this year. However, the Man United star still harbours managerial ambitions, as he went on to reveal, “I would like to be a manager, but only if I had the opportunity first to be a coach and learn from someone for maybe one or two years.”
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Given that Vidic was managed by the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, he has a fantastic role model to work with, with the Serb agreeing : “I would take the experiences I had of the managers I've worked under. Nemanja the manager won't be the same Nemanja that you saw on the pitch. They are two completely different roles.”
