Report: Ex-Liverpool Midfielder Steve McManaman On Masters Football Return

Originally posted on FanNation LFC Transfer Room
By Joe Dixon | Last updated 7/6/22

Masters Football will return on Friday, July 8 after an 11 year absence, with club legends from Liverpool, Manchester United, Celtic and Rangers set to go head to head to fight for the 360 Sports TV Masters Cup.

The classic six-a-side tournaments matches will be eight minutes each way, and the top two will face off in the final.

Ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman is one of the oldest members of the Reds squad at 50, and is joined by the likes of Jamie Carragher and Stewart Downing.

Speaking to SPORTbible, McManaman said: "It’s great. I wasn’t involved when it was on initially because I was probably still playing.

"The fact that it's back on and it's back on in this country - I believe there's been a lot of interest for it – is great really.

"I think as long as people are sensible, and we take it for what it is all about, should be it should be an enjoyable night.

"I think sometimes five-a-side or six-a-side football is little bit sharper. Nowadays, when you play 11-a-side on a big pitch, it becomes a little bit slow and a lot harder to watch because of course it's not the pace of a normal of a normal game. The five-a-side stuff should be quite quicker."

Steve Westerveld, Stephen Warnock, David Thompson, Luis Garcia and Jermaine Pennat complete the Reds roster for the competition.

"When you start these games you always want to win, don’t you? You don't want to be ridiculed for losing by three, four, five goals," he added.

"I think ex-players have this mantra where if you're going to take part and play in a game you might as well win it. That's always with you all the time. You always will make a tackle or you always will try and score the goal and try to win.

"And you're more than happy if you win the trophy at the end - even if it's spraying a bottle of champagne, you'd rather be doing that than finishing last of four. There's still that competitive edge."