Decision on Macca will decide who runs Anfield

Friday, July 24 – 1998
Of all the transfer rumour, informed or otherwise, which inevitably has reached a frenzy in this limbo period between the World Cup and resumption of the domestic season the most significant story concerns Steve McManaman.

It has been widely reported that Newcastle are ready to make a £10 million bid to Liverpool for McManaman. On the face of it the tale might appear just another in a long procession of speculation which this week linked Manchester United with Patrick Kluivert, Arsenal with Alen Boksic and Tottenham with Dunga.

But the McManaman story is different. Quite apart from the fact that it#s an English international, rather than a foreign star, being courted by a Premiership club, it raises two crucial issues. One for Liverpool and another for the domestic game in general.

From Liverpool’s point of view it is the first test to see just how…