Bob Paisley - The Genius and 4-4-2 That Changed Liverpool F.C Forever.
The great Bob Paisley, to this day, is the most successful manager to have managed Liverpool Football Club. During his nine years at the club (1974–1983), he won the Football League First Division 6 times, English League Cup 3 times, Community/Charity Shield on six different occasions, the UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and most famously winning the European Cup 3 times within four years (1977, 1978, 1981) averaging 2.2 trophies per season.
It all started under Bill Shankley, another Liverpool legend. Bob Paisley was his first-team coach and a well-respected staff member for his knowledge at Liverpool Football Club, having been there since 1939 for his tactical experience. But there was one match in particular, whilst Bill Shankley was in charge, that would change Liverpool Football Club. Forever.
THE GENIUS
After a 1973 European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade, Liverpool's boot room became intrigued by Red Stars' style of play. Bob Paisley had noticed how comfortable and effective their opponent's central defenders were on the ball, and this was at a time, especially in England, where central defenders were seen as hard men and not technical players. Bob Paisley knew he could change that at Liverpool and get the team to be more possession-based, but at the time, Liverpool never had the personnel to do so. Still, he had an idea, and that was to turn Phil Thompson, a midfielder, into a ball-playing-central defender, and immediately Liverpool started to build from the back, which was something new to the English leagues.