Sander Westerveld’s Reds regret
The Dutch goalkeeper enjoyed great success with Liverpool... before later moving to Everton
Is it true that Edwin van der Sar had a role in your move to Liverpool?
Yes, Edwin played his part in the transfer. Liverpool had a few goalkeepers in mind to replace David James in 1999, and Edwin was their first choice. They came to Amsterdam to watch him play for Ajax against my team, Vitesse. We beat Ajax 1- 0 and I had a good game. Liverpool still enquired about Van der Sar, but he chose Juventus, so Gerard Houllier came to my apartment in Arnhem and asked if I wanted to play for Liverpool. I said yes. I’d already been a fan of Liverpool as a young boy, and signed my contract at the airport in Amsterdam. The next morning, I went with the Dutch national team to Brazil and made my international debut against the Selecao. It was the perfect week for me. Van der Sar made a joke while we were with the national team that I had him to thank for my move to Liverpool. When we won five trophies in 2001 and he didn’t win anything at Juventus and eventually signed for Fulham, I joked to him, “No regrets, Edwin?”
What was it like to be on the Liverpool training ground with top strikers such as Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler?
Well, it wasn’t always fun. Robbie Fowler was unstoppable inside the penalty area. He was always cool and clinical with finishing in the box. He mostly shot using the inside of his foot. I don’t think Michael Owen has missed a one- on- one with a goalkeeper. He either passed me, tapped the ball through my legs or chipped the ball over me. He used to drive me crazy. For my own self- confidence, it was better to train with the other guys. [ Laughs]
It must have felt special in 2001 when the club lifted the League Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Cup, Charity Shield and UEFA Super Cup...
My second year at Liverpool was perfect. Gary Mcallister provided the missing link from the previous year. We had a balanced team, with a strong defence including Sami Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz, a midfield with the vast experience of Mcallister and energy of Stevie Gerrard, and great strikers with Owen, Fowler and Emile Heskey. We wrote history that year. The UEFA Cup final against Alaves was the most bizarre final I ever played in. We should have been 5- 0 up at half- time, but we went into extra time at 4- 4. When they scored an own goal in extra time and we were 5- 4 up, I turned to the Liverpool fans behind me and thought, ‘ I’m going to do everything it takes to keep the lead until the final whistle’. Then I turned around again and my team- mates were already celebrating together. [ Laughs]
I’d forgotten it was a Golden Goal!
You played a heroic role in the League Cup final against Birmingham, with Liverpool winning on penalties. How did that feel?
It’s fantastic to be able to distinguish yourself as a goalkeeper during a penalty shootout. I remember how nervous Andy Johnson was before that decisive kick; I knew his favourite angle and he stuck to it. I went crazy after saving the penalty. We won five trophies that year and laid the foundation in Cardiff. We were also a little lucky, though, both against Birmingham and against Arsenal in the FA Cup final. We were really overpowered from minutes 1 to 85, then Owen scored twice out of nowhere in the final moments. We were almost embarrassed when we passed the Arsenal players with the trophy in our hands, but undeserved victories are often the best.
You were sent off in your first Merseyside derby, after a ruck with Francis Jeffers...
Yes, it was a frustrating game and we were 1- 0 down. I’d already had words with Jeffers earlier in the match – I called him a German after he’d dived. In the second half we ended up in a handbag fight and each got a red card. Not long ago, I did an Everton podcast with Jeffers and we reminisced about that game. He said he was happy the referee sent him off first – Francis feared I’d fly into him, and quickly locked his changing room door! We could laugh about it then. The day after that game, I was called into Houllier’s office. I thought, ‘ He’s probably going to fine me or something’, but he said, “Sander, it’s great, what you did. I want to see that passion in my players.” I walked out with a huge smile.
What was it like to hear from Houllier in September 2001 that you weren’t needed, as Jerzy Dudek and Chris Kirkland arrived?
We’d just won the Charity Shield by beating Manchester United, and the UEFA Super Cup by beating Bayern Munich. Houllier told me, “Sander, you’re going to be one of the three best goalkeepers in the world, but a young goalie or experienced back- up will be joining us.” Then came the first league game, against Bolton. I made an error just before full- time and we lost 2- 1. In the dressing room Houllier said, “I don’t want anyone to blame Sander for this. He has already won many points for us and will continue to do so.” Then I went on international duty and heard Liverpool had bought Chris Kirkland and Jerzy Dudek. Marc Overmars and Van der Sar joked to me about it, saying, “Now, don’t get nervous, Sander...” When I got back, I went to see Houllier. He said Dudek would be his first choice, Kirkland second and me third. I just couldn’t believe it. I said I’d played more than a hundred games for Liverpool and won five trophies in a year. Houllier said he wanted a keeper who made no mistakes. “You’ll never find one,” I said.
How did it go after that?
That period was the darkest of my career. The transfer window had just closed, too. I was in the stands for home games and not allowed to travel to Champions League games. I later found out why both Dudek and Kirkland had joined the club at the same time: it turned out that Liverpool only wanted to sign Dudek, but something went wrong with the medical examination. Liverpool wanted to cancel the transfer and signed Kirkland from Coventry, but Feyenoord kept Liverpool to their deal. Still, I don’t understand why I didn’t get the opportunity to fight for my position. Instead, Houllier ruthlessly kicked me out. I thought about quitting football. Finally, I was able to go to Real Sociedad. I ran into Houllier several years later at a charity game with Liverpool Legends. He hugged me deeply and kissed my cheek, as if nothing had ever happened. I really disliked him for a long period, but my wife said, “Be grateful to him for bringing you to your dream club – you were at Liverpool thanks to him.” I just hold on to that thought.
How did your moves to Portsmouth and Everton happen, after four years in Spain?
In 2005 I was sitting on Portsmouth’s bench, because Harry Redknapp threw out most of his predecessor’s purchases [ Westerveld was signed by Alain Perrin]. I was in a taxi on my way to see Chelsea play Barcelona, and David Moyes phoned me. Two of his keepers were suspended and one was injured. Moyes asked me to help out for a month. I said I would, but when I hung up I thought, ‘ Oh s** t, I’m going to Everton’. I didn’t have any problems with the Liverpool fans, though, as they knew I hadn’t left Anfield voluntarily.