HENRIK LARSSON has revealed he was not interested in picking up an extra HALF-A-MILLION QUID a year – because he enjoyed playing for Celtic so much.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was reported to have made two enquiries for the Swedish superstar during his goal-laden career at the Hoops.
However, laidback Larsson was more than content to remain at Parkhead and perform in front of his legions of fans.
The elegant frontman, who joined Celtic in a bargain £650,000 switch from Feyenoord in 1997, did play seven league games for Sir Alex on loan from Barcelona in 2007.
In a conversation with the Daily Mail the 48-year-old icon he opened up on his happy days with the Bhoys..
Asked why he didn’t go to United at that time, Larsson answered: “I felt good (at Celtic). We were in Europe, playing in the biggest competitions. I was playing for Sweden at World Cups.
“To go and maybe make £10,000 more per week, but leave something I enjoyed doing behind? No.
“But I should have stayed in Manchester after that season.”
Larrson left Parkhead after seven years’ service at the end of his contract in 2004 and joined the Spanish giants. Two months later, he was back in Glasgow playing in a Champions League encounter.
He netted once as the visitors triumphed 3-1 and was asked if he had any misgivings about scoring against his old club.
Larsson answered: “No. I didn’t feel guilty, but I didn’t want to celebrate. The fans started singing in a cheeky way: ‘Bobo’s going to get you’. He (Bobo Balde) tried, as well. He still does if you play in a friendly. Bobo doesn’t do friendlies.”
He also said he knocked back an offer to manage Celtic in 2014 before Ronny Deila got the job as Neil Lennon’s successor.
The Swede has ambitions to manage in England and insisted the only club he would consider taking over in Scotland would be the Hoops.
Queried if it would be difficult, he replied: “I would have to agree. I was offered the Celtic job once.
“I was manager of Falkenberg. I had a meeting with the owner and another member of the board – and they wanted me.
“But I saw some things. I asked them a few questions about different things and I wasn’t really pleased with the answers I got.”
Thankfully, he didn’t reject Wim Jansen’s advances in 1997.
