I was unfortunate enough to miss Molby in what many older fans would consider his prime for Liverpool shortly after joining in 1984. It was during his ‘second coming’ that I saw him play. Much like Barnes he was on the wane at this point but (like Barnes) still managed to produce some moments of absolute class that just left you simply applauding.
Luckily enough we have one of the most richly documented histories, which makes it easy to go and grab a few games from the past and watch them. It lets you appreciate players in a way that perhaps you never saw them. I can’t say there was an instant affinity with Jan. Like any new fan just joining the match crowd, there were other infatuations of more ‘exciting’ players to gorge on. As time has gone on I have matured in my tastes and type of football, I’m now better placed to make a decision with conviction on what player I really liked, with a deeper appreciation of their style of play. This won’t degrade my fondness for players like Berger, Harkness, Fowler and Wright but there is more depth to my appreciation of Jan, as a player.
I always liked Molby though. I was never fast or powerful – my strength was in passing and shooting from 18-25 yards. I didn’t quite have the build to be as effective as holding up the ball, but becoming any type of footballer was just a pipe dream for me anyway. He was someone who delivered consistently and effortlessly. It was all the more amazing when you consider his strengths and the culture of English football when he first arrived.
The football was very direct and the pitches were not the billiard tables Premier League clubs are now obliged to provide. He, like most Liverpool players was bought for a very specific role. It was very much a team of specialists – not so much in position or assigned playing role but in terms of skillset. We saw quite a lot of conversion in players because of this. Despite what we would like to believe, there were a handful of other clubs as well who did try and play football on the deck. But as a club and individually with Molby we were unparalleled. At such a tender age he was to become the playmaker, penalty taker (what a record!) and midfield maestro at Liverpool FC.
He’s always referred to as ‘big Jan’ which I feel is a little unfair. It wasn’t a sudden transformation that the likes of Barnes or Ronaldo underwent - where he suddenly went from quite a powerful, athletic build to a more squat and heavy frame. He was much more of a powerhouse, a rugby player build if you will and that was his frame. I think what led to the moniker was a combination of things. He needed games to keep his fitness and stamina up for sure. When he had been out through injury or manager preference for a prolonged spell he always struggled to get back to his ‘prime’. He also played next to players like McDonald and McMahon who were much more in the style of Gattuso and Mascherano. Hurrying and harrying the opposition whereas Jan was often much more disciplined in the centre, sitting
‘somewhat like a feeding duck’. Having said that, any ball that was poorly cleared into his area, under pressure or not would be seized upon, controlled and released back with such devastating accuracy, it would often slice right through the opponents who were responding to Carragher-esque shouts of ‘GET OUT!! PUSH UP!!’
In 1986 we played Everton in the FA Cup Final. If 1974 was termed the Liverpool final simply because of the way we dominated Newcastle in a complete team display, this one had Molby’s name stamped all over it. Single-handedly stretching the Everton team across the pitch with his beautiful passing range he managed to have a hand in all three Liverpool goals that day. He didn't fulfil his individual goal of being the first Danish player in an FA Cup Final (Jesper Olsen had earned this accolade a season earlier), but he remains the only Danish player to have a final named after him, which is still a great achievement.
Dalglish took over shortly after Jan arrived and he played him as a sweeper, slowly moving more into midfield as the game wore on. When asked about this decision, the answer was simple.
“Kenny didn’t play me [Jan Molby] there because he thought I had great defensive qualities, he played me there to start and define the attacking play.”And it worked, Molby scoring 21 times in that season. With his attacking talents given room to breathe, he shone and was part of the great Danish team of 1986 at the World Cup. Unfortunately for Molby his role was much more defined in the national team and it was not built ‘around him’ in the same way Liverpool was. Whilst the '86 Danish team is remembered with great fondness Molby’s part in it as an individual is somewhat shadowed. It is one thing that does irk him now in his retirement.
“I will always be remembered first as a Liverpool player. People won't remember me as a great Danish player for the National team. I'm sure now if you asked some Danish fans who I was they won't even remember the name”1986 probably was the best Liverpool saw from Molby. The following season was light on accolades as we won nothing. The year after, in 1988, Molby was sentenced to three months in jail for drink driving. In a different era, a player who liked a flutter every now and again and who had done some time was taken to the bosom of the fans even stronger. In hindsight, when Barcelona came calling in 1990 it possibly would have been for the best if he had taken the opportunity. We as a club felt some loyalty to Jan, and he returned the loyalty although he never got near his imperious best.
The talent was still there in his latter years at the club. And the highlight compilation probably picks out a lot of what he was about as a player as well as some of his finer moments.
Lastly, until a few seasons ago there was much talk about his goal against Manchester United that was not televised due to a dispute. It was eventually found and released and probably somewhat killed a lot of the hyperbole and myth surrounding it. It was still a great goal mind. In this era it would probably lead to thoughts along the lines of ‘it was pretty decent but was it worth all the fuss?’ The answer undoubtedly is ‘Yes’ and the same goes for Molby as a player as well.
Perhaps most of all though, it was not what he did achieve that endears him the most. It's the fact he was still so good, when he was what many would term a wasted, and injury prone precocious talent. I never saw the best of Jan, and even those who watched him from ‘84-‘87 would probably say the same, but that is what adds to his aura. Like most stars that burn so bright, for so brief a time it is not what you remember, more what you imagine you missed that defines his legend.