Former Liverpool chief exec Ricky Parry was ready to give the manager's job to Jose Mourinho in 2004, it has been revealed.
Liverpool were mulling over replacements for Gerard Houllier at the time.
The job would eventually go to Rafa Benitez, who would proceed to win them a historic fifth Champions League trophy in his first season in charge.
But the Independent say Mourinho would have been hired if he hadn't performed that infamous slide as Porto defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford.
It is said that Parry wanted someone in keeping with the club's noble traditions.
“One of our core values was respect," Parry is quoted as saying in Simon Hughes's book Ring of Fire.
“Seeing Mourinho celebrate like that reinforced my initial belief… was he really a Liverpool manager? Did he characterise the club's values?"