Steven Gerrard: My Liverpool Story

by Gerrard, Steven

  Joe Hart Tries to Psyche Me Out . . .

  * * *

  The semi-final of the Carling Cup last season pitted us against Manchester City and twice I found myself up against Joe Hart from the spot. You know the banter is coming. Joe’s saying: ‘I know where you are going to put it, you’re going to miss this, the pressure is too big for you.’ I’m just trying to stay focused and not get taken in by it all. I’m a little bit too long in the tooth to fall for those tactics.

  . . . It Doesn’t Work

  * * *

  As I have said, these days I pick my spot and stick to it. If the goalkeeper makes a save I will accept it and step forward the next time Liverpool get a penalty rather than rushing to the back of the queue. Twice in the space of a week, I found the back of the net against Joe and that was the best way to keep him quiet.

  You could see during England’s Euro 2012 shoot-out with Italy in the quarter-final that he was trying to psyche the Italians out of it as well. Make no mistake, Joe will be the best goalkeeper in the world one day. And when I say one day, I mean one day soon. He has a great presence and is a great lad.

  Signing on the Dotted Line

  * * *

  Liverpool have said to me that when I finally hang up my boots, which hopefully won’t be any time soon, there is an ambassadorial role waiting for me. I’m flattered and time will tell whether I go on to take up the offer. It is an option in the new contract I signed last season. I wanted two more years on top of the year I had left to run. The club offered me another 12 months, which I understand, given my age.

  I could have kicked up a fuss, been hard work in the negotiations and chosen to go into the final year of my contract, but I am not that type of player. Here I’m putting pen to paper next to Damien Comolli, who was Director of FootbalI.

  I signed a year extension, so my contract now runs out in the summer of 2014. Hopefully, I can prove between now and then that I am worth another one.

  A Matter of Life and Death?

  * * *

  Like everyone in football, I was shocked to see what happened to Fabrice Muamba. He has always been a good opponent and I can remember on occasions when we played Bolton, he would man-mark me and make it a tough afternoon. I sent him a signed shirt during his recovery and I’m glad he is making such huge strides on his road to rehabilitation. What happened to him puts everything into perspective.

  Close But No Cigar

  * * *

  Leading Liverpool back into a major final after so many years watching everyone else doing it was important for me. The Carling Cup often gets derided, but for Liverpool last season it was a massive competition, especially as we weren’t playing in Europe. Once again we made life difficult for ourselves and, collectively, I felt we tried too hard at times, although Cardiff deserve credit for the way they played. I fared no better and snatched at this shot before seeing it sail over the crossbar. There is something in Liverpool’s DNA that dictates that when we are cornered we come back fighting and usually get over the line.

  Blood Runs Thicker

  * * *

  Facing my cousin, Anthony Gerrard, in the final was a great day for my family. I knew it would mean joy for one of us and despair for the other. I missed my penalty in the shoot-out, just like Anthony missed his. Unfortunately for him, his miss was decisive. Football is governed by small details and that day proved it. I was devastated for him because I know how hard he has worked to forge a career for himself.

  I said a few words at the time – ‘Just keep your head up’ – but called him the next day to chat in more detail. I scored an own goal in a League Cup Final and watched the trophy slip through our fingers as a result, before channelling my emotions and using the experience to motivate myself. Anthony will do the same. He’s someone who meets challenges head on.

  Another Trophy in the Cabinet

  * * *

  As I lifted the Carling Cup aloft, I felt it could be a springboard for the club. I haven’t changed my view even though the rest of the season didn’t pan out as we had expected. For many of the players at the club this was the first time they had tasted winning any silverware. It gives you the belief that you can go on and win more trophies and we came close to doing just that in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea a couple of months later. I’m certain that whole experience will stand us in good stead for the future.

  1, 2, 3, Against Everton

  * * *

  Going into another Merseyside derby, we were under pressure. Our form hadn’t been good. Everyone was telling us Everton were going to win at Anfield for the first time since I was sent off in 1999. David Moyes rested players ahead of an FA Cup tie, but I still think we would have won had he picked a full strength team. It proved a good night for me personally. I grabbed a hat-trick and to do that against Everton rates highly in my career. This was the final goal, although to be honest I barely had to do anything. Luis Suarez set me up brilliantly in front of the Kop. Hopefully, my partnership with Luis will fire this season, too.

  The Greatest Feeling in the World

  * * *

  I always relish scoring against Everton and I have clear memories of the goals I have managed against them throughout my career. I think this picture shows just what the battle for bragging rights means to me. Beating Everton doesn’t make Liverpool’s season, but for a few days afterwards you have a spring in your step. It is in matches against Everton and Manchester United that, as a player, I feel the responsibility we have in living out the fans’ dreams even more.

  Reverting to Childhood

  * * *

  I get abused mercilessly by Evertonians. They can criticise me all they want and there were times in the past when I enjoyed the banter. I took it as a sign that, deep down, they respect me as a player. Why bother shouting abuse at someone who you don’t think is capable of hurting you on the pitch? But the abuse I get these days is about my family, which I don’t like. I am never going to stop them singing their songs, but what I can do is to try and make sure they are not singing about a win for their team.

  A Hat-trick Bun in the Oven

  * * *

  As with the ‘sucking thumb’ celebration, the match ball up my shirt gesture was one back at the Everton fans who target my family in their songs. I had been given the ball for scoring a hat-trick against them. It was just my way of saying, ‘All go home and sing your songs, but remember who scored the hat-trick.’ I’ve done quite well against Everton over the years, but the treble I got last season was hugely satisfying. As good as it was, it’s gone now. If you linger on your achievements in football, you’ll go backwards. I know I won’t score a hat-trick against Everton every time I face them, but the odd goal wouldn’t go amiss.

  Another One Slips Away

  * * *

  The two finals we reached last season were so important to me personally because at this stage of my career I don’t know when I am going to experience that again. The FA Cup Final against Chelsea was an opportunity missed to collect my third winners’ medal.

  I probably have two or three chances left now to try and get that hat-trick. For an hour, we didn’t play and Chelsea could have been out of sight. At the final whistle, we felt devastated because for the last 30 minutes we swarmed all over them. How many times have you heard that football is settled by the smallest of details? Well whether a ball – from Andy Carroll’s header, in this case – has fully crossed the line or not is the perfect example of that. If it had gone to extra time we would have won. It didn’t and I was left with regrets.

  EPILOGUE

  Whatever I achieve in my career from here on in is a bonus. After the last two injuries I have had, I am intent on enjoying every single minute I have left in the game.

  I have spent too much time on the sidelines and when you are out of the team you realise just how lucky you are to be a footballer. That is why I am determined to make the most of the opportunities that I am sure will continue to come my way. My ambition hasn’t altered and
my will to win won’t become diluted. I want to see Liverpool winning silverware. I want to see Liverpool challenging for the top four and getting back into the Champions League where this club belongs. And, more than anything, I want Liverpool to win the Premier League title. I will continue to give everything I can to try and ensure that happens. It will be hard, but I’m not scared of a challenge.

  I think that outlook has served me well so far in my career and there is no reason to change now. But maybe I won’t get as down as I have in the past if what I want doesn’t come off because of what I have been through in recent seasons. I say that now after I have returned from my summer holiday following Euro 2012, but I know it will be hard to stick to that and simply take any set-backs on the chin and move on when the new season starts.

  Liverpool has undergone a lot of change (too much change in many respects, if you want to compete at the highest level), but I know that at the same time some of the changes in recent years have been necessary.

  I am optimistic and excited about the future under our new manager, Brendan Rodgers. I have spoken to him about his plans and what he has said has been very impressive. He is someone who is enthusiastic about football and he lives and breathes it 24/7. He is very knowledgeable about tactics and he is determined to get Liverpool punching its weight again. Those are good qualities to have. I am eager to play for him and I think that, even though I am 32, he is a manager who can make me a better player.

  I have always taken the view in my career that I will try to learn from the new people I come across, whether that be team-mates or managers. No matter how much I have won in my career, and even though I am approaching my 600th game for the club this season, I know there are things I can do better. And I am sure, listening to Brendan’s ideas for how the game should be played, that I can continue to push myself in a red shirt.

  But it isn’t about what is good for me, it is what is best for Liverpool Football Club. That has always been the case in my eyes and always will continue to be.

  Here’s to a successful season.

  CAREER STATISTICS

  (up to and including 2011–12 season)

  Liverpool:

  David James; Vegard Heggem (Steven Gerrard, 90), Jamie Carragher, Steve Staunton (Bjorn Tore Kvarme, 75), Phil Babb, Stig Inge Bjornebye; Jamie Redknapp, Paul Ince, Patrik Berger; Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen. Unused subs: Brad Friedel, Danny Murphy, David Thompson.

  LIVERPOOL F.C. RECORD APPEARANCES

  at end of May 2012

  * * *

  LIVERPOOL HONOURS (winners’ medals)

  League Cup 2001, 2003, 2012

  F.A. Cup 2001, 2006

  UEFA Cup 2001

  European Super Cup 2001

  UEFA Champions League 2005

  INDIVIDUAL HONOURS

  PFA Young Player of the Year 2001

  PFA Player of the Year 2006

  FWA Footballer of the Year 2009

  Steven was born on 30 May, 1980–24 days after Liverpool brought down the curtain on their 12th League title-winning campaign.

  He has scored 38 goals for Liverpool in Europe, the most by any British player in the history of European competition.

  Steven has netted 149 goals for the Reds in all competitions – his first was scored past Sheffield Wednesday keeper Kevin Pressman in a 4–1 win in December 1999.

  He was the first Liverpool player to score under the managership of Rafa Benitez – doing so in a Champions League qualifier in Graz in August 2004.

  When scoring against Arsenal in the Champions League in April 2008 Steven became the first Liverpool player to score in four successive European games at Anfield.

  The Reds’ skipper lies 10th in the club’s all-time appearances list with 584. The player immediately above him is Alan Hansen who played 620 games.

  He has won more International caps while with Liverpool than any other British-born Reds player – 96 for England.

  Steven has scored five hat-tricks for his club – against Aston Villa and Everton in the league, Luton Town in the F.A. Cup and Total Network Solutions and Napoli in Europe.

  The club he has scored most often against in a Liverpool shirt is Aston Villa – 10 of his goals have come against the Midlanders.

  Steven was voted Man of the Match in both the 2005 Champions League Final and the F.A. Cup Final 12 months later.

  He has captained Liverpool on more occasions in the Premier League than any other player – 249 times with a win ratio of 51%. In total he has been skipper in 354 Reds games.

  Steven was awarded an MBE in the 2007 Queens New Years Honours List.

  Steven became the second youngest captain to lift the European Cup when the Reds won the trophy in 2005.

  He was appointed Liverpool’s club captain in October 2003 in succession to Sami Hyypia.

  When scoring in the 2006 F.A. Cup Final, Steven became the first man ever to score in the finals of the F.A. Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup and Champions League.

  He captained England in Fabio Capello’s first game in charge in February 2008.

  Steven is the last Liverpool player to be voted PFA Young Player of the Year, winning the award in 2001.

  He started his Liverpool career wearing the number 28 shirt before switching to number 17 and eventually number 8 in 2004 following the sale of Emile Heskey.

  Steven has been named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year on seven occasions – 2001 and each year from 2004 to 2009.

  He scored 28 goals in 248 games under Gerard Houllier and 104 in 292 while Rafa Benitez was manager.

  In the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany he was England’s leading scorer with two goals, while four years later in South Africa he was one of only three players to find the net for his country.

  His most productive season for Liverpool in terms of goals was the 2008–09 season when he scored 24 times.

  Against Kaunas in August 2005 Steven Gerrard became the first player in Liverpool history to score in five successive games in Europe.

  He scored twice in his 100th appearance in Europe for the Reds in the unforgettable 4–0 home win over Real Madrid in March 2009.

  His 149 goals have been scored against 83 different goalkeepers including five who at one time have played for the Reds – David James, Brad Friedel, Paul Jones, Brad Jones and Chris Kirkland.

  Steven has scored a hat-trick for Liverpool in League, F.A. Cup, League Cup and European football. Only Ian Rush has achieved the feat in four or more different competitions for the club.

  86 of his goals have been scored in front of his home crowd with 63 coming away from Anfield.

  On 6 November, 2002 Steven captained Liverpool for the first time in a 3–1 League Cup victory over Southampton at Anfield.

  LIVERPOOL F.C. GOALSCORERS (all competitions)

  at end of 2011/2012 season

  * * *

  WHEN STEVEN’S 149 GOALS HAVE COME

  STEVEN GERRARD’S LIVERPOOL GOALS at end of 2011/2012 season

  * * *

  9 - Aston Villa

  7 - Bolton W., Everton, Newcastle U.

  6 - Birmingham C.

  5 - Manchester U., West Ham U.

  4 - Blackburn R., Middlesbrough

  3 - Arsenal, Hull C., Manchester C., Sunderland, West Bromwich A.

  2 - Burnley, Charlton A., Fulham, Leeds U., Portsmouth, Tottenham H.

  1 - Chelsea, Coventry C., Derby Co., Reading, Sheffield U., Sheffield W., Southampton, Wolverhampton W.

  3 - Luton T.

  2 - West Ham U.

  1 - Brighton & H.A., Everton, Luton T., Oldham A., Portsmouth, Reading, Tranmere R.

  2 - Manchester C., Watford

  1 - Arsenal, Aston Villa, Cardiff C., C. Palace, Manchester U.

  5 - Total Network Solutions

  4 - Marseille

  3 - Napoli, PSV Eindhoven

  2 - Besiktas, AK Graz, FBK Kaunas, Levski Sofia, Olympiakos, Real Madrid

  1 - AC Milan, Alaves, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Bordeaux, Dynamo
Kiev, Inter Milan, Lille, Porto, Rabotnicki, Unirea Urziceni

  1 - Deportivo Saprissa