▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁Since ▁his ▁ret irement , ▁he ▁has ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁football ▁p und it ▁for ▁Set anta ▁Sports , ▁ESP N ▁and ▁B T ▁Sport . ▁ ▁Club ▁career ▁ ▁Liverpool ▁ ▁Early ▁days ▁ ▁Mc Man aman ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Boot le , ▁Lanc ash ire . ▁He ▁grew ▁up ▁as ▁an ▁Ever ton ▁supp orter , ▁but ▁when ▁Ever ton ▁offered ▁the ▁player ▁a ▁one - year ▁contract ▁( after ▁Mc Man aman ▁had ▁made ▁a ▁name ▁for ▁himself ▁at ▁tournament s ▁for ▁school ▁and ▁around ▁Mer se ys ide ), ▁Mc Man aman ' s ▁father ▁rejected ▁it ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁a ▁school boy ▁contract ▁and ▁two - year ▁app rent ices hip ▁offer ▁from ▁Liverpool ▁( through ▁sc out ▁Jim ▁Asp in all ▁and ▁then ▁manager ▁Ken ny ▁Dal g lish ). ▁Mc Man aman ▁signed ▁as ▁a ▁ 1 6 - year - old ▁app rent ice ▁upon ▁leaving ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁As ▁an ▁app rent ice , ▁Mc Man aman ▁was ▁under ▁the ▁ment oring ▁of ▁John ▁Bar nes ▁– ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁players ▁Mc Man aman ▁was ▁gro omed ▁to ▁potentially ▁replace ▁in ▁the ▁long ▁run . ▁A ▁natural ▁ath lete ▁and ▁cross ▁country ▁champion ▁at ▁school ▁level , ▁he ▁developed ▁through ▁the ▁youth ▁scheme ▁at ▁Liverpool ▁and ▁signed ▁as ▁a ▁full ▁professional ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁in ▁what ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁Ken ny ▁Dal g lish '