In Alex Ferguson and Kenny Dalgliesh the two red giants of the North West have two of the wiliest old foxes in world football. Between the two clubs, they have thirty-seven league titles. How many of those have been won because of cash-splashing on established foreign superstars? I can't think of a single instance.
Even Eric Cantona arrived at Manchester United relatively unproven. He left Old Trafford with a stash of medals and God-like status. The same could be said of Christiano Ronaldo.
Liverpool's titles were won in the era before big foreign stars were considered fundamental to success, and Manchester United have, in many ways, stuck to that old-fashioned ethos. Their success in the mid-nineties was built on British foundations: Bruce and Pallister; Ince and Robson; Hughes and McClair. The emergence of the golden generation of Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Butt and the Neville brothers was the catalyst for a further decade and a half at the very top of the English tree.
There have been foreign cameos in the United story, such as Cantona and Ronaldo, but those who have made the biggest impacts have been those who have proven themselves to be what the fans call 'United Players.' It may be an obvious label, but it is evocative.
Bobby Charlton was, is and always will be a United Player. So will Duncan Edwards, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. They are the ones who are synonymous with the club, and with Old Trafford. There is one shared identity between these figures: the fans, the stadium and the players and managers, past and present. On the other hand, the Cantonas, the Beckhams, the Ronaldos: they all became separate to that identity, and each of their United tenures was subsequently allowed a premature end.
If Phil Jones is to become the next United Player then £16m may prove to be a bargain. At 19, that could realistically equate to a million pounds per year of service. His initial wages are a fraction of what an established international star would expect and, if he doesn't work out, he will retain a resale value. There really is very little risk for exponentially high potential reward. At a club with the culture of United, he could become a great.
The idea of United's collective identity resonates for Liverpool too. They had it a generation ago, but have been wayward since parting with Roy Evans in the nineties. Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez brought continental ideas, but little success, with Benitez's Champions League win very much the exception rather than the norm. With Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard on the pitch and Sammy Lee in the back room, there has been lip-service to the old days. King Kenny's return could spark a full on return. The signings of Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson certainly seem to be a statement of intent.
The future for United and Liverpool will be built predominantly upon young, British talent, schooled in the history, identity and value of the red shirts they wear.
Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City could stand to learn from their rivals or, if they dont, there will be many more titles heading to the men in red.
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