Andrea Dossena had a spell at Liverpool which lasted over a year, but the former Italy international could easily have been at Tottenham Hotspur instead.
The Reds signed the fullback from Udinese back in 2008. Despite glimpses of his quality, Dossena didn’t last long at Anfield, departing for Napoli in the middle of the 2009/10 campaign.
Later, he also had stints at Sunderland, Palermo, and played a role in taking Napoli back to the Champions League.
Dossena spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport on Monday and looked back on his career. That’s when Tottenham came into the conversation.
No regret over Liverpool choice
The 44-year-old, who is currently manager at Novara, specifically revealed details about his exit from Udinese.
He made it clear that a rejection for Tottenham led to the switch to Liverpool in 2008.
Dossena said: “I was doing very well; in January of that year, Tottenham wanted me. But President Pozzo turned it down. Juventus also came forward, but in the end, Liverpool won.
“I approached that adventure with the carefree attitude of a 25-year-old; I was disoriented. Now I’d enjoy everything with greater awareness.”
He was also asked whether the time at Liverpool was the best of his career.
The defender recalled: “Liverpool-Real Madrid, Champions League Round of 16 second leg 2008/09. We won 1-0 at the Bernabeu, but the return leg ended 4-0 to us. I’ve scored very little in my career, about ten goals.
“[I scored] One against Casillas in that match at Anfield. Four days later, I also found the net against United, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney, and Tevez.”
Our take: Liverpool wasn’t Dossena’s best
While the Italian would say otherwise, Andrea Dossena’s best didn’t come at Liverpool. He did play at the highest level and against some famous teams, but he probably achieved most at Napoli.
Apart from taking them back into the Champions League, he also helped them win the Coppa Italia in 2012. This sparked Napoli’s revival at the highest level, as they became regulars in the Champions League.
That indirectly also laid down the foundation for them to become Italian giants again. He also played 107 times in all competitions for the Naples side, assisting seven times.