Jamie Carragher: Now is the time to pull together

Jan 17 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

DEFENDER Jamie Carragher has never been one to shirk a challenge during any of his 500 games for Liverpool.

Since making his debut at Middlesbrough in January 1997, the 29-year-old has earned a reputation for a straightforward approach when confronted by either an opposing striker or a tough question from the media.

So when asked about the present situation behind the scenes at Anfield, the centre-back is as no-nonsense as ever.

From being a club seen as a model of discretion, Liverpool have become besmirched in the kind of public discord normally associated with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur or Newcastle United.

The admission from Tom Hicks that both he an co-owner George Gillett had approached Jurgen Klinsmann with a view to replacing Rafael Benitez as manager has been criticised as simply not being the Liverpool way.

And although Carragher has rejected any suggestion the issue has been a contributory factor to Liverpool’s indifferent form during the last six weeks, the Bootle-born defender concedes this isn’t how matters should be conducted at Anfield.

“It’s not just me thinking that,” he says. “Ask any fan and it’s not the way we have done things in the past.

“You want that (the Liverpool way) to continue because we have to focus and pull together and focus on what we have going for us like the FA Cup and Champions League.

“But we haven’t noticed a change in Rafa. It has just kept on going as normal. We train and get on with it.”

It has emerged that Gillett and chief executive Rick Parry were less than impressed with the decision of Hicks to go public by acknowledging a meeting with Klinsmann had taken place in southern California last November.

Such news hints at the possibility of a schism between Liverpool’s two American owners, adding a further twist to the uncertainty that has hampered the club in recent times.

But not even the boardroom shenanigans could detract from what was a “special night” for Carragher as Liverpool thrashed Luton Town 5-0 in their FA Cup third round replay on Tuesday.

On reaching his 500th appearance, the defender is only the 12th Liverpool player to reach the landmark.

“It was a special night,” says Carragher, who was skipper for the evening and received a memento presented by Liverpool’s record appearance holder Ian Callaghan.

“I am very proud and to get a few goals, a clean sheet and to go through to the next round of the Cup. It makes it a great night for myself and my family to enjoy.

“It has gone quickly, it has flown and it terrifies me a little a bit because I realise that in four or five years time it might all be coming to an end for me. After realising 10 years of your career has gone it does scare you a bit.

“I am very proud to be on a list of players who have played 500 games. We are a massive club and the game has changed a little bit.

“Maybe it is harder now because scouts are looking all over the world – South America, Africa – and that wasn’t the case 20 or 30 years ago.

“There is always competition places and people always thought my position would come under pressure, but I always managed to play 40-50 games a season. Hopefully, I can continue doing that over the next four or five years.”

Carragher’s son James was mascot for the evening, and joined his father for the guard of honour afforded to the defender by both sets of players before the game.

Carragher junior, however, was not resplendent in a number 23 shirt. Instead, the name and number on his back belonged to another Liverpool player.

“I don’t think he knew why he was out there,” says Carragher of his son. He knew he was going to be mascot. He told me how many sleeps he had left before he would be out there.

He’s a big Liverpool fan. The legend for him is Torres and Gerrard, not his dad. He has the choice of me, Torres and Gerrard on his shirt, and Torres has been on fire so he’s the one.

“I am his dad I don’t think he looks as me as a Liverpool player; he sees the other ones as the stars!”

During his time at Anfield, Carragher has won the European Cup, the UEFA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the FA Cup twice and the League Cup twice.

There is one glaring omission from his medal collection, however, and the player admits that isn’t likely to change this season.

“The number of games is not that important, the most important thing at Liverpool is to win trophies like the Dalglishes and the Emlyn Hugheses,” says Carragher. “They have not just got games, they have got medals as well.

“Picking up any trophy is special now given how tough it is domestically. The spending power of other clubs makes it more difficult but you only have to look at Arsenal, they don’t spend the big money and they have won a lot under Arsene Wenger. You just have to get on with it.

“You have to try and win a trophy every season. We haven’t won the league for a long time so that would be lovely before I finish, of course it would.

“Is Rafa man to win it? Only time will tell. I haven’t got a clue, but it doesn’t look like it is going to be this season. He has done very well but the league is the one we want.”

Carragher adds: “We are not stupid. You never throw the towel in, but for us to get back into contention for the title we would have to have an unbelievable second half to the season and the rest would have to have an unbelievably bad second half.

“We realise our best chance of silverware is the cup competitions. That’s why they are so important.

“Rafa takes a bit of criticism for the teams he picks, but we showed Luton a lot of respect. We knew it was going to be a tough game after how well they played in the first game.”