where are they now? ronnie rosenthal

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? RONNY ROSENTHAL
Steve Hunter 21 June 2009

In our latest edition of 'Where Are They Now' we catch up with a popular Israeli striker who played a major part in our last title triumph.
Mention the name Ronny Rosenthal and non-Liverpool supporters will talk about his famous 'miss' at Aston Villa... but Kopites best remember the popular Israeli as the man who played a major role in landing our last League Championship 19 years ago.

He was initially picked up on loan by Kenny Dalglish from Belgian outfit Standard Liege and became an instant Kop hero.

Kopites saw him net his first goal for the reserves during a win over Manchester United at Anfield and it wasn't long before Dalglish handed him a first team chance.

He made his Liverpool debut on March 31st 1990 as a 70th minute substitute for Steve McMahon in the 3-2 home victory over Southampton, and on a boiling hot day the Kop instantly warmed to his direct style.

With the team 2-1 down and in need of inspiration, Rosenthal made an instant impact and helped Liverpool to come back and clinch a crucial victory.

A hat-trick then followed on his full debut - a night he will never forget against Charlton Athletic at Selhurst Park.

With Peter Beardsley struggling with injury Rosenthal became a key figure during the title run-in.

Dalglish said: "Ronny gave us momentum. He had five starts, three appearances as sub and seven goals. That was a very good return which helped us to win the championship."

Despite never quite matching those heights in his later years at the club, Rosenthal was a popular figure at Anfield and the Kop took him to their hearts.

As a season ticket holder in the Paddock he was a hero of mine and I even have a mug with 'Rocket Ronny' which takes pride of place on the mantelpiece at home - which he will later sign with a look of astonishment, amusement and pride etched on his face.

So when this LFC.tv scribe got the opportunity to meet a Reds hero from the past he was excited to say the least.

Now there is an old saying that goes never meet your heroes because sometimes they don't quite match your expectations. Well you couldn't wish to meet a nicer down to earth bloke than Ronny.

After taking the London Underground to West Hampstead tube station, Ronny's instructions were to look out for a black Mercedes with dark windows parked down the hill.

The passenger door opens and a smiling face greets me.

"I bet you don't recognise me with no hair," laughs Ronny.

"I remember when Liverpool played away at Arsenal last season and we went down to the team hotel because my son wanted Steven Gerrard's autograph.

"There were a lot of supporters about and we waited for the team to come out of the hotel onto the bus.

"I was lucky that Steven recognised me. I didn't expect him to because I have a shaven head these days! He came over to me and signed for my son and we had a nice little chat. He is a wonderful player."

Talk then turns to the fortunes of the current Liverpool team.

"I believe Liverpool will win the title under Rafa Benitez - with Gerrard and Fernando Torres in the team they are match for anyone," he beams.

"It's time for the league now for Liverpool. It's hard to believe they haven't won it since I was part of the squad which is too long for Liverpool. Those magnificent supporters deserve it.

"I'm proud to see my fellow countryman Yossi Benayoun making such a great impact. He's a great player and he loves it at Liverpool."

He is also proud to have been voted in at number 76 in our highly acclaimed '100 Players Who Shook The Kop feature’ which he regards as "A big honour because it was voted for by the fans."

Rosenthal lives with his family in London but Liverpool will never leave his heart as his first son was born in the city. His other son is an aspiring footballer earning his trade with Watford.

"Dean, who is now 15, was born in Liverpool and I'm proud of that," he said. "Tom, who is 12, was born in London. Tom has followed in my footsteps and plays for Watford's Academy. I go to watch him play and he is doing quite well. He is an offensive midfielder."

Ronny is now classed as a Football Consultant and it's a scouting role that certainly means his time is precious.

Indeed he only just got back in time for this interview after a scouting mission in Belgium and he acknowledges that watching football for a living is the next best thing to playing.

"I finished my playing days at Watford under Graham Taylor in 1999 which was very enjoyable because we went from the old Second Division right through to the Premier League in consecutive years," he said.

"During my time at Vicarage Road I recommended a couple of players to Graham. I realised I had a talent for identifying players and started as a Football Consultant in 2000, and enjoy it very much because it keeps me involved in the game.

"A typical day for me would be watching some DVD's that arrive at my desk of players from around the world. I then talk with the clubs and see if they are interested in a player I think might be useful for them.

"It's great to work with the players and help guide them and give them advice on different things.

"One of the players I recommended to Chelsea was the right back Jose Bosingwa. I discovered him at the age of 19 and he is a good player.

"I also recommended Gilberto Silva and Lauren to Arsene Wenger and they did very well for Arsenal."

The move to Anfield wouldn't have come about had Rosenthal fulfilled an ambition a year earlier in 1989 when he very nearly signed for Italian side Udinese.

"I had scored 20 goals in a season for Standard Liege and I had signed a contract with Udinese," he revealed.

"At that time every player in the world wanted to play in Italy. Rushie had a spell with Juventus. I actually signed for Udinese but there were problems and it didn't go through. They said I failed a medical but I think that was an excuse so I came back to Standard Liege.

"I never thought I would end up playing in England because there was also some interest from Spain. Moving to Liverpool was the best thing that ever happened to me."

A funny moment that Rosenthal will never forget is the day he met Dalglish for the first time.

"I remember being picked up at Manchester Airport by Ron Yeats who was the Chief Scout then," he recalls.

"He was a very nice man and he spoke clearly so I could easily understand him. I remember him being so tall. I later realised why the Kop called him the Colossus! He took me to Melwood to meet Mr Dalglish.

"Kenny started talking to me and I said to Ron, 'Excuse me Mr Yeats, what language is Mr Dalglish speaking in?' Kenny found this really funny and we were laughing. Consequently I asked Ron to translate which he did. That was very funny.

"I have a lot of respect for Kenny. He was a great manager and was someone you could relate to as a player. He understood you and we knew what he expected from us.

"Life was great in England. We used to meet up at Anfield back then and get the coach to Melwood. It was nice to get up every morning and go to Anfield and Melwood to train.

"I have great respect for people like Roy Evans and Ronnie Moran. I learned a lot of things from them and I learned you have to work hard to succeed in football."

A new thing for Rosenthal to get used to was the drinking culture at Anfield and enjoying a 'pint' with the lads in the local.

"Away from football I did from time to time join the players for a drink," he said.

"I've never been a drinker because it's a different culture from what I was used to, but I tried to fit in and the team spirit at Liverpool under Kenny was great.

"We won the League Championship which was fantastic. Then we went on a summer tour in Norway and I got told it was a tradition that a new player on his first tour with Liverpool had to make a speech to the rest of the team!

"It was an awkward moment but it was funny. I certainly needed a few drinks before I made the speech I can tell you! I can't remember what I said it must have been pretty memorable because all the lads were crying with laughter!"

While life was great for Rosenthal on and off the pitch settling into a new country was less easier for his wife.

"I met my wife Nancy when I was playing for Standard Liege and we got married in Belgium just before we came to Liverpool," he said.

"The funny thing is when Nancy came with me to Liverpool she couldn't speak English at first, never mind understanding the Scouse accent!

"We were living in the old Moat House Hotel in Paradise Street. When I was away with the team it was quite funny when it came to Nancy ordering room service. The only English words she knew were Coca Cola and Omelette so she lived on that!"

On the pitch he has so many memories from his time at Anfield with one particular moment standing out above everything else.


"My first start for Liverpool when I scored the hat-trick at Charlton would be the highlight of my career in England," he said.

"It was something that really boosted my career because I came here as an unknown. That was a special night for me.

"The winner in the Merseyside derby is also up there. That was a fantastic moment and a really good day.

"I loved scoring goals in front of the Kop and to do it in a Merseyside derby was a very special memory. I also remember after the game in the dressing room and everyone was really happy and all the players were singing my name in the bath!

"Another one of my favourite memories is when I set up a goal for Rushie against Manchester United at Old Trafford. It was a special goal because he became Liverpool's record goalscorer when he overtook Roger Hunt. I beat a couple of defenders down the left wing and crossed it and Rushie put it away in typical style.

"I wasn't a very prolific goalscorer but I loved setting up goals. I got a lot of satisfaction of setting up other players like Rushie to score.

"I was a player who loved to run at defenders but you don’t see many players who do that these days. I had pace."

Ronny was widely recognised by many as a 'super-sub' in the David Fairclough mould - a tag he didn't mind at all.

"I was an impact player," he added. "I had pace and could run at defenders. I could make a real difference coming on in the final 30 minutes of a game or one half and give everything I could for the team."

Another memory which brings a smile to his face is a late winner against QPR at Loftus Road in 1992. It was a brilliant goal but it's not the quality of the strike that he remembers...

"I had scored twice against Middlesbrough in the previous game and this match which was special for me because this was to be the first Liverpool game to be shown live back in my home country Israel.

"This was our first away win in the league for 11 months which is quite incredible for a club like Liverpool.

"After the game I phoned my brother back in Israel and he told me he never saw my goal! Just as I was about to score having made contact with the ball the live feed went down, so he didn't see it!

"I couldn't believe it. My brother and my family were so upset. The picture eventually came back on after I had spoken to him so in the end they saw the goal."

"Right, I suppose we'd better mention THAT MISS then," Ronny says with a smile.

"Well, people always talk about it all of the time but it was just one of them things unfortunately - I call it a freak moment. I did score in the game later on but everyone remembers the one that hit the bar."

Rosenthal also played alongside some of the greats at Anfield like John Barnes and Ian Rush and he admitted it was a real honour.

"I learned so much as a player at Liverpool and it was privilege to pay alongside some fantastic players," he said.

"John Barnes was just a top, top player and a great guy. Peter Beardsley was sheer quality and Rushie too. Jan Molby was fantastic and what a passer of the ball he was.

"I also rated Mike Marsh. He had very good technical ability and was a fantastic player. We had a very good understanding when we played in the reserves.

"I also played with Robbie Fowler in the reserve team when he was coming through and you could just tell how special he was."

Rosenthal's spell at Anfield was ended in 1994 when Graeme Souness sold him to Tottenham Hotspur - just before Roy Evans took the helm at Anfield.

"The low points were when Souness left me out like the 1992 FA Cup final," he added.

"I was in the squad but didn't make the bench which was a sad moment, but I didn't leave Liverpool on bad terms. Maybe I would have got another chance had Roy been manager earlier but it wasn't to be.

"I will never forget coming back to Anfield with Spurs in the FA Cup. Spurs won 2-1 and the Kop gave me a fantastic reception. I'll never forget that."

pas mal comme jouer et son style et les chose qu'il a fait a lfc ete tres similaire a florent sinama pnogole !