By Richard Murphy Edited by Peter Cordi
The date was the 29th of November 1998- Liverpool were playing the Blackburn Rovers in a Premier League match. Waiting on the sidelines was a young player about to make his debut as a last-minute substitute. Steven George Gerrard was about to embark on an incredible career that many feel was to be the greatest of any player in the history of Liverpool Football Club.
The achievements that Gerrard would accomplish were way beyond anybody's wildest dreams. The local boy turned club hero. Over 700 appearances- only two players in history have worn the shirt on more occasions. He is joint fifth in goals scored (at the time of writing) on 183, bearing in mind he is a midfielder this is astonishing. One might say he is a human highlight reel. He has scored in the final of the Champions League, Europa (formerly UEFA) Cup, FA Cup and League Cup. Indeed, he even has an FA Cup final named after him for his heroics in the 2006 final vs West Ham United. Scoring a hat-trick on his 400th League appearance, which happened to be against super-rival Everton. He was the first player to score three times in the Liverpool derby in 30 years. He is truly a player for the big occasion.
In January, it was announced that Gerrard would be leaving at the end of the season. Shockwaves reverberated through Anfield. Should the club have made more of an effort to keep its captain? For his sake, no. He deserves to sample life away from Liverpool in the twilight of his career. The English Premier League is too fast for him. No disrespect to the MLS, but the pace is far slower and will suit him perfectly. Played correctly, he will be able to dictate games with his incredible passing and vision. He will score goals-a-plenty too.
The question still remains for Liverpool- how do you replace the greatest player ever to pull on the red shirt? The icon, the hero, the talisman of the Kop. It's a question that the NFL’s New England Patriots will face with Tom Brady and the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers will face with Kobe Bryant, when the time comes. The answer is this: the position left on the field or court, the player leaving isn't the player he once was. But the void left behind when he does leave is the biggest danger. The statue of the man around the club will be missed by all players both young and old.
Come the end of the season, Steven Gerrard will bring a close to his Anfield playing career. The memories he leaves every Kopite with will last forever. YNWA
The date was the 29th of November 1998- Liverpool were playing the Blackburn Rovers in a Premier League match. Waiting on the sidelines was a young player about to make his debut as a last-minute substitute. Steven George Gerrard was about to embark on an incredible career that many feel was to be the greatest of any player in the history of Liverpool Football Club.
The achievements that Gerrard would accomplish were way beyond anybody's wildest dreams. The local boy turned club hero. Over 700 appearances- only two players in history have worn the shirt on more occasions. He is joint fifth in goals scored (at the time of writing) on 183, bearing in mind he is a midfielder this is astonishing. One might say he is a human highlight reel. He has scored in the final of the Champions League, Europa (formerly UEFA) Cup, FA Cup and League Cup. Indeed, he even has an FA Cup final named after him for his heroics in the 2006 final vs West Ham United. Scoring a hat-trick on his 400th League appearance, which happened to be against super-rival Everton. He was the first player to score three times in the Liverpool derby in 30 years. He is truly a player for the big occasion.
In January, it was announced that Gerrard would be leaving at the end of the season. Shockwaves reverberated through Anfield. Should the club have made more of an effort to keep its captain? For his sake, no. He deserves to sample life away from Liverpool in the twilight of his career. The English Premier League is too fast for him. No disrespect to the MLS, but the pace is far slower and will suit him perfectly. Played correctly, he will be able to dictate games with his incredible passing and vision. He will score goals-a-plenty too.
The question still remains for Liverpool- how do you replace the greatest player ever to pull on the red shirt? The icon, the hero, the talisman of the Kop. It's a question that the NFL’s New England Patriots will face with Tom Brady and the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers will face with Kobe Bryant, when the time comes. The answer is this: the position left on the field or court, the player leaving isn't the player he once was. But the void left behind when he does leave is the biggest danger. The statue of the man around the club will be missed by all players both young and old.
Come the end of the season, Steven Gerrard will bring a close to his Anfield playing career. The memories he leaves every Kopite with will last forever. YNWA