Sammy Lee has described his motivations for signing with Everton in 2017.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, the former manager said that despite his prior commitment to the Toffees’ fierce rivals, he had “jumped” at the chance to join them.
Sammy Lee, a Liverpool native, spent eleven years with the Reds and made close to 300 appearances. Four league championships, four League Cups, and two European Cups were all won by the former midfielder.
When the 64-year-old teamed up with Sam Allardyce at Everton, he was ready to sacrifice his relationship with the Liverpool fans.
Although they had previously collaborated at a number of teams, many people were taken aback when he decided to join Allardyce’s coaching staff when Ronald Koeman was fired.
Although Lee was aware of the criticism he would face, he had no trouble joining Everton after the “passion” from his time at Anfield had faded.
“I seized the chance when he told me he was going and wanted to take me with him. I was aware of the impending issues. I anticipated the backlash that would occur.
“My family is my main passion, followed by football and the city, according to how I see it. I recently had the good fortune to play and coach for the team I adore, Liverpool Football team, while pursuing my passion.
“But you have to move on and go somewhere else when that passion is gone. Both Crystal Palace and Everton gave me an opportunity.
“One of my other hobbies is the city, and when we went to Everton, they were 16th in the standings, so I jumped at the chance to join them.
“But Sam, his support team, and the players came together, mixed, and bonded, and we advanced to the eighth place. I was quite happy of that because, in my humble view, the Premiership ought to include the two teams from the city.
Was Sammy Lee’s choice to join Everton the right one?
Sammy Lee and Sam Allardyce only lasted at Everton for six months, much to the latter’s chagrin as he later claimed he could have qualified for Europe had he stayed.
The signing of Sammy Lee by Everton came as a complete surprise.
Given that the 64-year-old grew up with the Reds and supported them as a young lad, his assertion that “the passion was gone” from Liverpool is difficult to fathom.
However, everyone to their own; if he wants to leave Anfield and ruin his name in order to move to Goodison Park, that is his prerogative. Although he probably did not plan for it to be so brief.
He must still be supporting the red team in this weekend’s Merseyside derby, you can only presume.