Dalglish: Success would not have been possible without Ronnie
Kenny Dalglish has offered a touching tribute to Ronnie Moran – without whom success 'would not have been possible' – after the Liverpool legend passed away on Wednesday morning.
During 49 years of service to the club in a variety of roles, including captain, coach and caretaker manager, Moran made an immeasurable contribution to the Reds reaching the highest heights at home and abroad.
Dalglish learned from the man known as ‘Mr Liverpool’ as a player after arriving at Anfield in 1977 and worked alongside him upon taking the managerial reins eight years later.
And, in marking the passing of Moran at the age of 83, the Scot explained why the glory achieved by the club across those five decades was founded on the kind of diligence and dedication he demanded.
“There are many ways to measure Ronnie Moran’s contribution to Liverpool Football Club but none greater than the esteem in which he is held by all who were fortunate enough to work with him,” said Dalglish.
“Over 49 years as player, coach, physiotherapist, assistant manager and caretaker manager he performed so many roles and he devoted himself to each of them in a way that set an example to everyone who came into contact with him.
“The success we enjoyed during that period is something that we are all able to look back on with immense fondness and pride but it should never be forgotten that without people like Ronnie it would not have been possible for us to achieve as much as we did. In fact, even after he left the club right up until the present day, the club have continued to feel the benefits of the groundwork he laid though his sheer talent and passion.
“My respect and my admiration for him are absolute and there are countless others who feel the same way. I can say without fear of contradiction that those sentiments are not held only by Ronnie’s former colleagues at Liverpool, they are shared throughout the game by many who represented other clubs.
“The reason for that is simple – no matter what he accomplished, Ronnie remained the same down-to-earth bloke throughout the entirety of his career. His approach to football was very uncomplicated and that was one of the things that made him stand out.
“Like many others, I am deeply saddened by his passing but along with the grief there is also a profound sense of privilege of having worked alongside someone who devoted his entire working life to Liverpool and who will always be remembered as a great club servant who was never affected by the enormous success that he enjoyed.”