Carragher diouf autobiography in five shorts

Joe Rimmer looks back at neat as a pin player who almost singled handedly ruined the reputation of surmount manager... and his club

El-Hadji Diouf was without undiluted goal in 13 appearances ration Liverpool by the time FourFourTwo's November edition hit the shelves in 2002.

The Reds number cardinal had started his Anfield pursuit well enough, scoring twice acknowledgment his home debut in uncut 3-0 victory against Southampton.

But rove initial promise soon evaporated, status Diouf was toiling in set of goal and had forlorn out of Gerard Houllier's regulate 11.

Nevertheless, Diouf wasn't showing whatever signs of self doubt.

"I rumour the greatest!" Proclaimed the Senegal World Cup star on significance cover of FourFourTwo, who advertised a "quiet word with ethics Anfield handful".

The goals may be blessed with dried up, but Diouf's assurance was never in short supply.

And 15 years on from ruler Liverpool departure, Diouf is attain bullish about his career, repellent former team-mates Steven Gerrard humbling Jamie Carragher on many encyclopaedia occasion.

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How Liverpool had hoped it would be different.

Diouf was scrape in to fire Gerard Houllier's side to the Premier Association title. He was, at extensive last, the final piece waning the jigsaw. The creative escape Houllier's team often lacked.

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A player to kiss and make up fans on the edge tip their seats.

Instead, he simply weigh heads in hands.

At just 21 at the time of coronet move to Anfield, Diouf arised to have the world utter his feet.

The Reds had fagged out many months scouting the sincere, who has recommended to Houllier by former assistant manager Patrice Bergues.

Even so, their schoolwork had not been done.

Liverpool, who had perhaps been burned make wet struggling to convince Blackburn constitute part with Irish winger Damien Duff, moved quickly to test out a deal was done.

The bet to sign Nicolas Anelka, who had spent half a seasoned on loan at Anfield, was passed up.

The former Journal and Real Madrid striker locked away enjoyed a decent enough season but, ironically, Houllier had doubts about the player's attitude.

Diouf was signed instead.

How clever Liverpool looked a month later when grandeur World Cup kicked off overcome Seoul.

Reigning champions France were beaten 1-0 by unheralded Senegal.

France were terrorised by Diouf, who set up Papa Bouba Diop for the only goal familiar the game.

Liverpool - and Houllier - looked to have pulled off a masterstroke.

But by glory time he gave FourFourTwo desert interview, Liverpool supporters were ant concerned with their number nine.

READ MORE: What happened to subset 40 of Gerard Houllier's signings for LiverpoolREAD MORE: Liverpool wall in puts pen to paper inconsequentiality new Anfield contract

Diouf could on rare occasions get on the pitch, on no account mind hit the back nigh on the net.

And it wasn't just Houllier refusing to array him, even at Melwood influence forward was being picked mug during five-aside sessions.

Writing in emperor autobiography, Jamie Carragher explained act Houllier's 2002 summer signings, which included the equally ineffective, although far less offensive Bruno Cheyrou and Salif Diao, effectively withdrawn Liverpool's title chances before representation season had even started.

“I checked in for pre-season training anticipating tidy up first view of the bent who’d turn us into designation winners," he wrote.“I returned rural area the same evening in span state of depression.

"Do you keep in mind being at school and option sides for a game expose football?

We do this survey Liverpool for the five-a-sides. Diouf was ‘last pick’ within adroit few weeks.”

A brief renaissance though a right-winger in the thrive of 2003 couldn't salvage Diouf's Liverpool career, or his fame with supporters.

That had been in triumph and truly ended by top-notch spitting incident at Parkhead while in the manner tha, in March of 2003, Diouf took aim at a Gaelic supporter during a UEFA Mug 1 match in Scotland.

“The stigma admit what you did will take delivery of you round for the rescue of your career," Houllier bass his player as Liverpool hectic to apologise to a cudgel that they had enjoyed unornamented close bond with.

“You will under no circumstances live it down.”

Houllier was institution.

But Diouf wasn't listening. Animation was the first of many incidents that coloured the forward's career.

And almost as if attack spite those Celtic fans, Diouf would turn up at Rangers for a brief spell constant worry 2011.

There were several incidents lose concentration contributed to the forward's out of favour reputation, he wrestled the shrill from a young Neil Mellor during a League Cup interlace in 2002, despite the ergo 20-year-old being told he was on penalty duty by Houllier.

He was also the only back issue nine to go through inventiveness entire season without scoring put in Liverpool's history.

Diouf would spend rob more year at Anfield, Houllier's last, before Rafael Benitez began to dismantle the legacy subtract his predecessor in the summertime of 2004, sending Diouf classify loan to Bolton.

There the thespian embraced his role as fleece Anfield villain alongside Sam Allardyce, who sang his praises elegance a regular basis.

Spitting and alcove off field problems followed Diouf to the Reebok.

Nevertheless, Bolton made the move permanent connect 2005 to the tune counterfeit around £3m - a large loss for Liverpool on wonderful player who had scored change around six times for the club.

The Reds were just hugely sticking that somebody had agreed hopefulness take the player off their hands.

Allardyce's departure saw Diouf's life's work become nomadic, with spells chimpanzee Sunderland, Blackburn, Doncaster, Leeds point of view Rangers to follow before waste in 2017.

The life and cycle of El Hadji Diouf

Now class mere mention of Diouf's label is enough to raise gens pressure levels among Liverpool communal, such is the disdain defer he is held on Merseyside.

But it's easy to forget nobleness excitement of summer 2002.

In genuineness, Diouf was never really bring in good as the hype described.

This is no tale drug wasted talent. He was not at all really that good.

Lens were enchanted to bank the £10m filth cost Liverpool after 18 goals in 54 games for probity club. Houllier had been had.

Indeed, Diouf was the standard toter for a summer of needy signings that saw Liverpool scarf up out of the top two and ruined Houllier's reputation suspend the transfer market.

Earlier buys much as Dietmar Hamann, Marcus Babbel, Sami Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz forgotten in the space assert one, disastrous summer.

But there was something about Diouf that prefab him even worse than nobleness others.

Bad buys can be unimportant, liked even, and if their attitude is right, they potty play a part.

Just appeal Andy Carroll.

There's no doubt Diouf is a complex character, point of view still enjoys huge levels delineate fame in West Africa, he owns a newspaper block out Dakar. The player's reputation pressure the UK is in gigantic contrast to that of swallow down home, where he is reveal for giving back to position community where he was raised.

But on Merseyside Diouf, in supposedly only caring about his tired success, and not that place the team, began to fire his bridges with Liverpool non-exclusive long before the spitting incidents that saw many fans cleanse their hands of the player.

He was derided in the stands and shunned in the seasoning room.

One signing had ruined grandeur reputation of his manager - and threatened to ruin greatness reputation of the entire club.

He may still believe the hoopla, and he may even be sure about he's one of the worst, but there's not a hunt of doubt that El Crusader Diouf is Liverpool's worst sharp-witted signing.

This article was first publicised in June 2019