It’s always nice to be two goals up in a Derby going into injury time and being awarded a penalty. This season if that happens it will be extra special.
Jamie Carragher has today announced he will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season and retiring from playing professional football. Carra has been with Liverpool since he was nine years old, he’s a true ‘one club man’ despite the chapter on his Evertonian childhood in his biography revealing it wasn’t his boyhood dream to wear the red shirt.
There have been so many Carragher moments that will stay with us forever and whoever has to put together a highlights reel for his career has my sympathy. The goal at the Kop end on his first start for us, making the left back position his own much against anybody’s expectations, throwing the magic pound coin into the crowd at Arsenal that somehow seemed to have hit hundreds of people, the top corner penalty in the League Cup shootout, I could go on and on. So I will a little more.
The own goals, the sliding tackles, the (completely untrue) stories about his Everton tattoo, his international retirement and then going back, leading the team out as captain on so many occasions, and of course, the image that will define the man and his career – the cramp in Istanbul.
From my teenage years onwards I’ve been buying Liverpool kits, usually home and away shirts, and I’ve recently put them all into storage so when my own son is old enough (or rather big enough) they can all be passed on to him. Certain kits remind you of certain players, for example the shirt with the cricket style collar will always be associated in my mind with Stan Collymore. As I packed my tops away it occurred to me every one of them was one I’d seen Carra play in. He’s just been there, all through my Liverpool supporting career, whenever a new season starts Jamie Carragher is there for Liverpool, next August will be weird, I don’t think I’ll like it.
There have been calls already to retire his number 23 shirt, I don’t think this is needed. Who is going to want to wear it now anyway? Some shirts come with added pressure (Newcastle number 9 etc…..) and there’s no way anybody can try to fill Carra’s shirt, there’s just too much heart, soul, sweat, attitude and ability in there for any other player to take on. I hope Jamie’s kids are being taken on by our academy.
It’s so typical of the person to choose to come out with this now, just after he has regained his first team place and proved he can still not just survive at the top level but also excel. Retiring at the end of this season wouldn’t have felt right or fitting for the man if he’d been a reserve all campaign. His performances in our last few Premier League games have been top drawer, and that’s said without a trace of sentimentality, he’s simply played well and I’ve no doubt he will continue to do so until May.
I find it very hard to believe there won’t be a place for him on our coaching staff whenever he wants it. He’s the perfect role model and won’t just be great for the younger players to have around, he’ll be important for the senior players too. I don’t think we should consider it Jamie retiring from LFC, it’s more that he’s just taken the lead in his race with Steven Gerrard to see who manages Liverpool first.
Away at Chelsea this season Jamie flicked on a corner for Luis Suarez to head in. Yes, this season he has an assist. That makes it quite a prolific year for our number 23 and it’s right for him to go out this way. But it will be even more right if he were to score against his boyhood Blues when they visit Anfield in a couple of months time.
Thank you Jamie Carragher for all you’ve done for LFC, come back any time.
YNWA
Jamie out at the top, the guy is a champ! Gave everything for the club, thanks for the memories. Epic YNWA Jamie!
ReplyDeleteBrendan was too hasty in sidelining a player who is better at defending than both Skertle and Agger. From the outside he had listened to critics that Cara hoofs the ball too much and does not pass well. So Brendan decided to bench a player who gives 110% in every game he plays and seldom has a poor game. Brendan has made a serious judgement error and has caused the club to lose points in several games. For me Brendan talks too much before any game. From day one he had praised Cara for his professionalism, fitness and being a role model trainer. But come Satuday Cara is lodged on the bench and made some guest appearances in cup matches. That has made the player decide to retire. If Skertle was better than Cara, you could say it is time for the old chap to step aside. But this is not the case, even at 35 years Cara is more reliable than the numpty Skertle. Except for some good goals and good performance against weaker opponents, Skertle has been prone to mistakes in many games. He has not performed well in key games and games against teams above Liverpool. Brendan has come to realise this only now, which is too late. It is near impossible to get the fourth position after getting only one point fom the game against mansourCity. Who caused Liverpool to drop the point? It was Skertle and not Reina who has to be blamed. Skertle did not go with Aguero to no man's lan, hence Reina committed himself and looked silly. Now that Cara has decided to retire, Brendan has to take the blame. Learn how to manage big players from Fergie, Brendan and stop talkingbtoo much. You have achieved nothing yet and the fans are patient for now. There have also been many tactical bluders by the manager and do not smoke you way. The kop are no ordinary fans, they are steeped in tradition and are educated in the game. So do not fool people with your pre and post game talks. Except for Sturridge, none of the other players Brendan is playing well at the moment. So there is more work to be done and less talk the better. That has been the Liverpool way. Kop that Brendan.
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