Best Bill Shankly Quotes: 13 of the best quotes Liverpool's iconic Scottish boss on life, football and success
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Bill Shankly, the iconic Scottish football manager of Liverpool FC, is remembered not only for his footballing success but also for his memorable quotes on life, football, and success. Shankly famously emphasized the importance of football, stating, “Football is a matter of life and death? Listen, it's more important than that.” He believed in the power of teamwork, famously saying, “A football team is like a piano. You need eight men to carry it and three who can play the damn thing.”
His philosophy centered around the “holy trinity” of football clubs: the players, the manager, and the supporters, dismissing the directors as merely signing the cheques. Shankly's pride in Scottish players was clear as he once remarked, “If you’ve got three Scots in your side, you’ve got a chance of winning something. If you’ve got any more, you’re in trouble.”
He was known for his straightforward and humorous remarks, particularly about rivals such as Everton. For example, he quipped, “If Everton were playing at the bottom of the garden, I’d pull the curtains,” highlighting his competitive edge and wit. His passion for Liverpool came through in anecdotes like how he would have wanted to be at the 1971 FA Cup semi-final against Everton even if he were dead, saying, “If I’d been dead, I would have had them bring the casket to the ground, prop it up in the stands and cut a hole in the lid.”
Shankly also spoke about pressure in football, contrasting it with real-life struggles by saying, “Pressure is working down the pit… Pressure is not the European Cup or the Championship or the Cup Final. That’s the reward.” His socialism belief tied closely to football: “The socialism I believe in is everyone working for each other, everyone having a share of the rewards. It's the way I see football, the way I see life.”
His charismatic personality and profound impact on Liverpool FC are captured through his memorable expressions about players, tactics, and supporters, establishing his legacy as a beloved and transformative figure in football history.
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