'Steven Gerrard Week' - on the Offal

Paul Hassall 16 November 2008
To commemorate the 10th anniversary later this month of Steven Gerrard's first team debut, Liverpoolfc.tv is pleased to announce the official launch of 'Gerrard Week'.

Over the course of the next five days we will be celebrating the life and times of the Reds' captain so make sure you stay logged on to the club's official website as we pay homage to one of the greatest talents to have ever come through our ranks.



Truly great players have an inherent knack of performing on the big stage.
 
Zizou, Kaka, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo - they're all artists of the game; men who have attained the iconic status to match any of their luminaries of yesteryear.
 
These stars shine brightest at the summit of world football and produce their very best when the stakes are at their most high.
 
For Liverpool, Steven Gerrard stands proudly among these elite names and his career at Anfield can be summed up as a spectacular montage of defining moments.
 
From his eye-catching displays as part of Gerard Houllier's treble winning side through to his talismanic role as captain of Rafael Benitez's European Champions, he has evolved into one of the greatest midfielders of his generation.
 
And the accolades don't stop there.
 
He is the Reds' top scorer in the European Cup, has scored more than a century of goals for the club and has even been honoured by the Queen.
 
These are all extraordinary achievements - but then Gerrard is not your average footballer.
 
An imposing midfield maestro, equally adept at scoring goals or making vital tackles, he is the quintessential footballer.
 
At the age of just 28 he has the world at his feet and it is a tribute to his innate footballing ability that as he enters the prime of his career, it is only the iconic figure of Kenny Dalglish who ranks above him as the greatest Liverpool player of all-time.
 
It is a huge mantle to assume, but should the remaining years of his time at Anfield come close to matching his first decade in a red shirt, then who would bet against him going on to one day claim the crown as his own and hang up his boots as the undisputed King of the Kop?
 
Throughout the week we will take a detailed look back at his Anfield career; hear from players past and present as well as some of the game's most distinguished journalists.
 
We'll also be getting the thoughts of the man himself in our exclusive week of Gerrard-themed articles. So make sure you don't miss out!
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Go on captain, you deserve it, from a young age boy and fan of Liverpool FC to club captain with many incredible nights and records to remember. Kop Legend.

Yes !!!!!!!!!!

Can't wait for this 

Gerrard Week!

For fucks sake.

When's Sami week?

Gerrard Week!

For fucks sake.

When's Sami week?

When it's his 10th anniversary of making his debut?

I think Stevie more than deserves this, he's a local boy who's done good.

Deserves every accolade going in my opinion.

Of course I might be slightly biased...........I'm not MsGerrard for nothing 

Kicking off Steven Gerrard week' on Liverpoolfc.tv as we celebrate the skipper's ten years of first team football at Anfield, Rafael Benitez writes exclusively for the club's official website about the special qualities of his midfield star.

In this modern footballing world, it's amazing to see one player stay at the same club for ten years.
 
Because there is so much pressure on managers and so much money being spent, you see teams changing their players all the time - but the fact Steven has stayed at Liverpool for so long says everything about the quality of the player and the mentality of the man.
 
Before I arrived at Liverpool I - along with all the other managers - knew of Gerrard. But it's not until you see him every day in every training session that you realise how good he is. I quickly discovered he was very good technically, very strong and someone who would give everything in every session. His commitment every time he steps onto the field is fantastic.
 
On the pitch there are so many memories which come to mind when you think of his performances over recent years. But for me, as my captain, it's his influence off the field on the other players which is just as important.
 
We will never forget his goals against Olympiacos, West Ham and in the final against AC Milan - but it's the way he leads by example which is perhaps most impressive.
 
A captain has to perform during games, while off the pitch he has to set a good example and push his teammates all the time. He has all these qualities and that's what makes him such a good captain for this team.
 
I think he is still getting better and am confident there is even more to come from him in the future. Over recent seasons he has improved tactically because he has played in a number of different positions and for me, at the moment, he is the best attacking midfield player in the world.
 
I know Jamie Carragher has said he wouldn't swap him for anybody else and I would have to agree with that. In terms of quality you can always change one player for another, but in terms of quality, mentality and commitment then I wouldn't swap Steven for anybody.
 
I know how determined he is - like the rest of us - to get his hands on the Premier League title and hopefully that dream will come true for all of us sooner rather than later.

Link

Kicking off a week-long series of articles in which Steven Gerrard counts down his 'Favourite Fives', we ask the skipper to select his top five goals from his ten years at Liverpool.

Number 5



My first goal against Everton in 2001. I always love playing against Everton, scoring against them and beating them. I had many dreams as a young kid, one of which was to grow up and score against Everton. I just love the games and I think it's because there's such a strong fear of losing because of the stick we'll get. That really helps get me up for the game. My first goal against them - at Goodison as well - is one I'll never forget and had to be included in this list.


Number 4



Scoring in the UEFA Cup final against Alaves in Dortmund gave me the confidence that I could perform in the biggest matches. I was only young but I knew after that game that I could go on and score many more goals for Liverpool.


Number 3



At number 3 is my first goal in the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham. It came at a good time for us and got us back on level terms after going a couple of goals behind. It meant our dream of winning the competition was still alive.


Number 2



I'm going to go for my second goal in the FA Cup final against West Ham in 2006. It was really horrible in the final minutes of the game thinking that I would soon be watching the West Ham players dancing around Cardiff with winners medals. That's why my goal was so important - it gave us extra time and the chance to go on and win it for ourselves. We had worked so hard on the day on a massive pitch in Cardiff and I had nothing left in the final stages - it was more a hit and hope than anything, and fortunately it went in.
As a kid you always dream of playing in an FA Cup final. It doesn't matter who is involved, you always watch it on the television and so to get the chance to lead the side out in a final, to score and then win the Cup is an unbelievable experience.


Number 1



At number one has to be my header in the Champions League final. It may have only been a close range header, but in terms of getting us back into the match it was a massive goal.
I think that goal gave us the belief to go on and save the game. At half-time it looked like we could lose 5-0 or 6-0 because we had been totally dominated, but my goal gave the players and the fans belief that we could still come back. That's why it was so important and the rest, as they say, is history.

Im surprised the Olympiakos goal isnt in Stevies top 5,it must have been one of the most important hes scored.

Here is some pictures of him in the football school, he always seemed to be the smallest amongst them all but now he's a legend! Admirable!









In a revealing insight into how Steven Gerrard went from a being a waif-like youth player to the influential captain of today, we hear from his former teachers and coaches about how he showed potential from an early age.


 
Take a look at the photographs below. On first glance they probably appear much like any other team line-up shots. Young lads still developing into grown men; potential yet to be realised.
 
But take a closer look (click on the images for a bigger version) and you'll see a star in the making - our very own Steven Gerrard, before the trophies, the captain's armband and the England caps.
 
Most people's earliest memories of Gerrard begin on November 14 1998, when he came on as a late substitute against Blackburn Rovers to make his Reds debut.
 
He won over the Anfield crowd with a meaty tackle near the Kop end towards the end of the 2-0 victory that day, but we've delved even further back to a time when our future captain was worrying more about the wrath of his teachers than that of Rafael Benitez.
 
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"The thing I remember most about him was his ability as a leader on the field," said Gerrard's former teacher at Huyton and Roby Primary, Gillian Morgan, who also coached the future Liverpool captain in the school football team.
 
"I think he started playing for the school team when he was nine years old and even then Steven was always trying to help others.
 
"His dad always said he was born with a football at his feet and I still think that is true.
 
"Off the field he was very quiet and well behaved. I have met him a few times and appeared on his DVD, Steven Gerrard: My Story'.
 
"It was really nice when he came back to the school as part of that DVD - he even asked me about members of my family and I was surprised he remembered them from all those years ago."
 
 
When he was 11 years old Gerrard moved to Cardinal Heenan High School, where he began his ascent through into the Liverpool schoolboys ranks.
 
As his year head and coach of the school team, Steve Monoghan saw Stevie go from a slight school player to a star of the Liverpool schoolboys side and reveals how his refusal to admit when a game is lost began at a very early age.
 
"Anyone could see Steve was a talented player, but he was never one to flaunt his talent. He knew he had ability, but he never showed off," said Monoghan.
 
"Many youngsters with his talent would stop trying at lessons, but Stevie didn't and finished school with five GCSEs at grades A-C.
 
"But he was head and shoulders above the rest of the players in his school team.
 
"I remember one game where we were losing 3-0 to Blue Coat in the Merseyside Under-13 Cup final. We ended up coming back to win 4-3 with Stevie scoring two of the goals.
 
"I thought back to that match at half-time when we were losing by the same scoreline in the 2005 Champions League final. He inspired a similar fightback that day too and has done it a few times since then."
 
 
Echo sports writer Tim Johnson coached Gerrard while he was playing for the Liverpool Schools team and said: "I first became aware of Steven Gerrard in 1992 when the head of PE Eric Chadwick at his then school Cardinal Heenan High told me of a gifted 12-year-old footballer they had.
 
"I was to be the manager of the Liverpool Schools Under-14 team (pictured above) when Steven reached that age and I remembered the name and looked forward to having him as a member of the squad.
 
"But his talent could not be held back and the school nominated him for the city team 12 months earlier than expected.
 
"The most impressive feature of Steven's play at the time was his speed of thought.
 
"He could evaluate a situation and take advantage quicker than any schools footballer I had seen.
 
"The young Gerrard was also a very good tackler. Even when playing against bigger boys he had the courage to put his foot in and he obviously retains that today."
 
After that Gerrard continued his development and quickly joined up with the Under-15s schoolboy side.
 
Johnson also went on to coach that team, but admits that Gerrard went through a frustrating season that year.
 
"At first things went well for him and I can remember him scoring the winning goal against West Lancs in one of the earlier rounds of the English Trophy," added Johnson.
 
"But a series of injuries meant he failed to win an England Schoolboy Cap, which the only level he has not received internal recognition."
 
And despite being pursued by a host of Premier League clubs at the time, Steven signed for Liverpool shortly after the schoolboys team were knocked out of the Cup at the quarter-final stage.
 
"I have met him occasionally since those early days and he always has time to chat," said Johnson.
 
"It would have been impossible to forecast back then how far he would go in the game - I am delighted for him."

(source: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N162046081117-1309.htm)

Gerrard sure is a genius and a born leader (that's why I always wonder why all England boss didn't make him captain). He has matured but his talent showed since when he was a kid.

And despite being pursued by a host of Premier League clubs at the time, Steven signed for Liverpool shortly after the schoolboys team were knocked out of the Cup at the quarter-final stage.

He was a reds right from the start!

It is always good to see a local  lad come through the junior grades and make it through to the first team,We have had many through the years so well done to Stevie Gerrard for a job well done with plenty more to come from him complete with trophies  for for the MIGHTY REDS.

Some good pictures. Thanks for posting.  Although that picture with them all standing in a line - second from the right - isn't that that fella out of Boyzone?

Interesting reading Gerrard' top five goals.  I would have thought Olympiacos would have been in there.

I think when you can only pick five out of so many, it's impossible to include all the greats. Personally I thought his first ever senior goal against Sheff Wed should of been in there, that was a peach. But when you have people questionin which goals aren't in the list, it proves just how good you are.

Well done Stevie, here's to another 10 years mate.

STEVIE COUNTS DOWN HIS TOP 5 GAMES



I'm going to go for this season's derby triumph over Everton at Goodison Park. We controlled the game from start to finish, thoroughly deserved our victory, and could have won by more than two goals. It's always a great feeling to beat Everton and that's why this game - because we were so dominant - has to be in my list.



The 2001 FA Cup final when Michael Owen pulled it out of the bag for us when it looked as though we were going to lose. At one stage it looked like we'd have to settle for a runners-up medal because Arsenal had been the better side on the day and were deservedly ahead, but Michael was the hero and got us out of trouble with two bits of magic.



I have to include another FA Cup final - this time the victory over West Ham two years ago. To be honest I thought we'd win the game comfortably but they made life really difficult for us and in the end we had to settle for penalties. I know I scored the two goals and that it has been labelled the 'Gerrard final', but that's unfair on the rest of the team. I scored the goals and may have got the man of the match award on the day, but we did it together.



The 2001 UEFA Cup final win over Alaves is a game none of us will ever forget. Before the match I was really confident it would be very straightforward because, on paper at least, we were a lot stronger than they were. But that's football. It was a great game to play in and a great result in the end.



There's no other game I could select than the 2005 Champions League final. To be three goals down and come back to lift the trophy was amazing. I've seen the highlights many times since on the television and it's always brilliant to watch.

It's good to see a modern day player still get more satisfaction out of beatin Everton than United.

STEVIE COUNTS DOWN HIS TOP 5 OPPONENTS

In the latest chapter of Steven Gerrard's 'Top 5' countdowns, we ask the skipper to select the toughest opponents he has faced during his ten years as a Liverpool player.



I have to include Xabi Alonso in this list because I play with him or against him every day in training and know how good he is. If Xabi is on his game and on form then he is unplayable. His range of passing is unbelievable and that makes him a really tough opponent.



Paul Scholes is always difficult to play against - not in the sense that he'll always be tackling you, but in that he's very clever with his movement and can play around you. You have to be right on top of your game to play against him. He has everything you need to be a top player and it's just unfortunate for him that he's had some injury problems of late.



atrick Vieira was always a really tough opponent when he was an Arsenal player and I'll never forget the FA Cup final of 2001 when he was on a different level to everyone else. He was outstanding and went into overdrive that day and that's why it was such a surprise we ended up winning, because Arsenal deserved it on the day.



I played against Roy Keane early in my career and he was the best around at that time. He was a really tough opponent. He was fitter and stronger than me at that time and the impact he had on Manchester United was a real eye-opener.



We've had some great battles against Chelsea over the years and I have often come up against Claude Makelele. He's always marked me closely and always done a decent job. He may be small, but he's strong and quick and a really difficult player to play against. He would be my number one choice.
 
....if we're talking about toughest opponents then I also have to give a mention to the entire Barcelona side. They are all good on the ball and all an absolute nightmare to play against.


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No Kaka?

WHAT THEY'VE SAID ABOUT OUR SKIPPER
Joe Curran 19 November 2008
 Anfield icons, former team-mates and esteemed adversaries - they've all had a thing or two to say about Steven Gerrard during the ten years he has been at the club. From Callaghan to Kaka; Pele to Rafa - we've compiled all the quotes that matter.
 
Phil Neal
"As a former right-back, I was very impressed when he played in my old position towards the end of the Champions League final in 2005. It speaks volumes for his ability that he could adapt quickly and stand out in that position. Rafa Benitez pointed out how dangerous Serginho was for AC Milan, he needed somebody to pin him down - and Gerrard was quite happy to do that. He really kept him quiet for the rest of the match. Stevie has such athleticism - he is brilliant. It's a shame we're not all built like that. He has that unique ability to play anywhere on the park and the way he reads the game helps him go forward. "He can spot danger early and his long legs have saved us so many times. It's phenomenal; I probably didn't have the ability to tackle like that."
 
Patrick Vieira
"Steven Gerrard is so powerful and strong. He can attack, he can defend and he can score. I really like him as a player and I think he can be one of the best players, a truly fantastic player."
   
Tommy Smith
"Nobby Stiles once told me that he thought Steven Gerrard was the nearest thing to Duncan Edwards and that is a tremendous compliment for a player. His all-action style constantly puts pressure on the opposition and he must be the best midfielder in the world."
   
Jan Molby
"He for me is brilliant and is as good as Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira at the top of their game. He needs to play central midfield on a regular basis and if he does do that Liverpool will have a real chance of winning the title. All the others have a good consistency level and perform well but Gerrard is the one that makes them tick."
 
John Barnes
"He is the most important player Liverpool have and could be the most important player England has. In my opinion he is the most complete midfield player in Europe. If you look at attacking midfield players with Zidane and Ronaldinho and if you look at defensive midfield players like Makelele, creative midfield players with the passing of Beckham. He can do it all. For me he is the most complete midfield player in the world."
 
Terry McDermott
"I've gone on record about this before and I'll say it again, Steven Gerrard is possibly the finest midfielder player ever to play for Liverpool Football Club. He is so influential. I'd definitely put him in the same bracket as Graeme Souness. Everyone knows how great a player Graeme was and it just goes to show how highly I rate Gerrard."
 
Kaka
"He is an excellent player, in my opinion, he is a modern player because he is a player who runs, marks, knows how to pass, cross, score goals and he is a leader on the field for Liverpool. So he is a player that I would like to have in my team."
 
Ian Callaghan
"Wherever he plays, he's a great player. When he plays on the right he can help whip the ball in, take people on and he's quick as well. He is one of the best at finding and creating space. He's one of those players who can do a job anywhere. You can be a bit more restricted when you are out on the right. As a winger who later came into midfield, I found there was more space in which to operate, and Gerrard is like that too. He's really good down the left too."
   
Kenny Dalglish
"Steven Gerrard is such a complete footballer. He can play comfortably in any position and he loves Liverpool so he is prepared to wherever he is asked. He has faith in the manager - simply because he has identified Gerrard as his main man. You only have to watch the way we play to see how central he is to the team's tactics. You couldn't have asked more from him when he's been asked to play up front. He does it with style and scores goals. You could argue his best position is at the centre of midfield, but for me his best position is in a red shirt, on a football pitch, with the ball at his feet. The rest comes naturally to him. He is one of the best players in the world at the moment - just give him a strip and let him play."
   
Rafa Benitez
"He is a player who can play anywhere and score goals. Not just normal goals, but we are talking about fantastic goals too. This is what you get with a top-class player. To score so many goals from midfield is a great achievement. First of all you have to be really good and secondly you have to have an offensive mentality and quality. You also have to play in a top side because at the end of the day you need to attack and create chances. It's not easy but he is still young and I think he will score a lot of goals and maybe break a lot of records too."
 
Gerard Houllier
"He has everything. He can use both feet, he's good in the air and possesses the kind of vision that only the very best players have. One thing I feel certain about is that it will one day be impossible to ignore him for the European Footballer of the Year award. He is already the equal of Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane at their best. But Stevie has something different - he can score lots of goals. But people should not underestimate the depth of feeling he has for Liverpool. He loves the club and the fans and I know there's nothing he'd rather do than lift the Premier League trophy as Liverpool captain."
 
Carlo Ancelotti
"Gerrard is a great player. He is undoubtedly one of the best midfield players in the world."
 
Fabio Capello
"I think Steven Gerrard is a fantastic player. He is the Liverpool captain - and Liverpool are a very important team which won the Champions League. He is a player who commands authority and can lead by example on the pitch and inspire the team. I think he is an important player for England and I like a player who is willing to be critical of himself. A lot of players criticise the manager and the coaches; but he has shown respect for other players, for the manager, and he has shown humility."
 
Sven-Goran Eriksson
"Steven is one of the best players you can find. He has everything. He can defend. He can tackle incredibly well. He has vision, he is an extremely good passer. He can shoot, score goals and has the energy to get up and down the pitch. It is very difficult to say who is the best player in the country but Steven is certainly one of them - and has been for a long time now. As long as I was England manager, he was extremely important to me. He was important to England last year after I left and he will be very important in the future as well."
 
Pele
"Gerrard is an excellent player, absolutely world class. If I was a manager, everywhere I went I would buy Steven Gerrard. He is what Brazil needs, because he is always looking forward and has a big heart. When I saw him in Tokyo in a game against Sao Paulo, I said that Gerrard is a great player. To me he is one of the best midfielders in the world."
 
Alex Ferguson
"Everywhere the ball is, he seems to be there. He's got that unbelievable engine, desire, determination. Anyone would like to have Gerrard in their team."

(sourrce: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N161998081119-1109.htm)

Can I say anything futher? I'm so proud of our club's captain!

REDKNAPP: STEVIE IS SIMPLY THE BEST
Jamie Redknapp 19 November 2008
 Continuing our Gerrard week celebrations, former Reds skipper Jamie Redknapp offers his view on Steven Gerrard - a player he regards as the best midfielder in the world.
 
It feels like only yesterday that I saw this teenage kid from Huyton for the very first time.
 
He came to join first-team training along with Stephen Wright because Gerard Houllier wanted to have a look at the two of them. Funnily enough I think the boss thought Wright was the better of the two when they first arrived.
 
I always remember passing the ball to Stevie early on and he hit this 50 yard pass to the left wing. I thought to myself: "what have we got here then?"
 
Next he goes into a 50-50 with Paul Ince and smashes him up in the air and we're all thinking we've got something special on our hands - he certainly made an impression that's for sure.
   
At the time there were a few concerns over his fitness but since then he's been relatively injury-free and he's been different class.
 
They don't come along like him too often. When you're asked to give a tribute to someone it's normal to heap praise on them but with him it's easy because it's so true.
 
He's a special lad - and I don't just mean on the field, I mean off it too.
 
Even now if I ask him to sign a shirt for someone he goes out of his way to help and there it is the next day. I honestly can't speak more highly of him.
   
One game that always stands out from my brief time playing with him was the Merseyside derby against Everton in 1999.
 
We won the match 3-2 and Stevie kicked a couple off the line playing at right-back. His passion for the club was there for all to see that day. I remember how he celebrated one of those clearances as if he'd just smashed one in at the Kop end.
 
I spoke to my Dad after the game and he said: "Who was that at right back? He was like superman that kid."
 
After that day he just got better and better and in the seasons that followed he went on to establish himself as one of the best central midfielders in the world.
 
Now he's improved so much that he is the best.
 
I've been saying that for a while now and no-one comes near him as far as I'm concerned. He's dynamic, he's powerful, great at passing, great at tackling - you name it he can do it.
 
People talk about who the best player in the world is...
 
Is it Messi, Ronaldo or Kaka? They are just a few names we could mention and Stevie's right up there with them. I honestly don't think he realises just how good he is.
 
I've got some great Stevie memories from my time at Anfield but one that sticks out in my mind that always makes me chuckle was when I asked him if he wanted a pair of boots.
 
He used to clean mine when he was a trainee and when I asked him what size boot he was he turned to me with a cheeky grin and said: "six, seven, eight and nine."
 
I'll never forget that. He wanted the other boots for his mates!
 
Like I say, I was at Liverpool a good number of years too so I know how it feels to have played for them for over a decade.
 
It's a special club and if you leave, no matter where you go, it's always going to be a step down.
 
So, it's a great achievement for him to have been such a huge part of the club for those 10 years and I think he's got many more ahead of him.
   
You need the likes of Gerrard and Carragher in the side because they are local lads who have a great affinity with the fans. They are your heart and soul.
 
Stevie could walk into any side in the world but he has remained a loyal red and if you were dreaming up a Roy of the Rovers top five he could probably better it.
 
Every few months he seems to be picking up a new accolade or breaking another record and, to be frank, I'm proud to say I played alongside him.
 
I hope he goes on to achieve even more in the years ahead and continues to add to his medal collection in what has been a fantastic Liverpool career so far.

(source: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N161956081119-1357.htm)

You got that right! Sire!
 

WHAT THEY'VE SAID ABOUT OUR SKIPPER

Alex Ferguson
"Everywhere the ball is, he seems to be there. He's got that unbelievable engine, desire, determination. Anyone would like to have Gerrard in their team."

  Oooooh I tell you what, I bet you that really hurt old whiskey snout saying that. The truth hurts doesn't it fergie. 

I'm 16 years old and I've been saying for a few years now that Robbie Fowler's my idol but i think its time to change as I've now seen just as much of Gerrard who still has a good 5/6/7 years left. an absolute legend and will always be captain fantastic. he's got everything to be a top footballer and wouldn't swap him for any player in the world!!! great career, now Stevie my son bring the premiership home and complete your trophy cabinet and make our dreams come true you deserve it!!!

When we wanted Heinze from Manchester United in the summer transfer, sir Alex didn't allow It, He said that He can't have any transfer with one of his biggest rivals, but he said that it's obvious to a manager to want the best player for his team, so he wouldn't hesite to pay if we put Gerrard in the transfer window. Poor him, he'll retire in the next three years and I wonder if he'll once in his life have our captain in his team. 99,99% not!

Just glad he is with us and will be for many years to come picking up loads of trophies and medals with the Mighty Reds!

HENRY: WHY I'D LOVE TO PLAY ALONGSIDE STEVIE

In an exclusive interview with Liverpoolfc.tv to celebrate Steven Gerrard week, Thierry Henry reveals all about their close friendship and why his dream of playing alongside the Reds skipper could never come true.



Thierry Henry had been in England less than a month when he paid his first visit to Anfield in August 1999.
 
A stunning goal from Robbie Fowler helped Liverpool to a 2-0 win on the day, but it was the performance of another Scouser that caught the eye of Arsenal's new striker. One born in Huyton, not Toxteth.
 
As Dermot Gallagher blew the final whistle and both sides sloped down the tunnel, Henry tapped teammate Partick Vieira on the shoulder and asked, "Who was that kid in midfield?"
 
"Steven Gerrard," replied his countryman. "He's going to be a brilliant player."
 
Over the next few years Henry and Gerrard would learn a lot more about one another as each set about writing his name in Premier League history.
 
It wasn't long before a mutual respect prompted an exchange of phone numbers, and from there a friendship blossomed.
 
Before Henry left Arsenal for the Nou Camp, there were even rumours that Gerrard tried to woo him to Merseyside.
 
Here, in an exclusive interview with Liverpoolfc.tv, the French ace reveals all about that conversation and assesses how history will judge his mate...

You played against Steven so many times. Is there an occasion that stands out?
There are so many. Whenever you play Liverpool you know you have to get him out of the game. If not, it's all over for you. He's a midfielder and if you look at all the important goals he's scored - well I can't even think of a striker in the world who has scored as many important goals, never mind a midfielder. How many times has he done it in the dying seconds of a game? I am trying to think
of a striker now who does it - there aren't any. Think about it.

Tell us about your friendship. How close did you become?
Yes, really close. I played against Liverpool and Stevie G so many times, and when you appreciate a player so much and see them at every game, you talk. I always told him how much I admired him and he said the same to me. We exchanged numbers and kept in touch from there.
 
And do you still speak these days now you're at Barcelona?
We haven't spoken for a little while. I think the last time was at the beginning of the season. I'll text him and he'll reply very quickly.
 
Is it right the pair of you talked about you coming to Liverpool when you were leaving Arsenal?
Well, it was mentioned but it would have been difficult for me to go to another Premier League club after Arsenal. We talked about it but nothing was in it, really. It was just us talking about our wishes.
 

Henry on Gerrard's 10 years
It is amazing what Stevie has done and is doing. It's not like he has relaxed for all this time. He has been everywhere for 10 years: putting his foot in, scoring goals, passing and being committed to his club. No one can ever doubt his commitment to Liverpool. He, for me, is Liverpool.
Maybe you could come back to the Premier League one day…

No, I really don't think so. In life you can never say never, right; but right now I really don't think so.
 
How much would you have liked to have played with him?
Oh, so much, so much. That's normal - I would have liked to have played with some others too, but he is an inspiration. He reminds me of Patrick Vieira in that he doesn't talk too much. He just does what he does. He inspires Liverpool without talking. I find it a disgrace that he didn't win European Football of the Year in 2005 after Istanbul. For me, he is one of the best ever.
 
How do they compare - Steven and Patrick?
They are different types of player. Patrick was a holding midfielder who also had the ability to go and score goals. Stevie G is someone who plays with the ball. He goes to put his name on the scoresheet every game. It is difficult to compare the two: it's like comparing Paul Scholes and Roy Keane. They are both great players but they don't do the same thing on the pitch.
 
Where does Steven rank in world football in your opinion?
For me, and I have always said this, he will be regarded as one of the greatest midfielders ever when he finishes his career. No doubt. Okay, he doesn't do the showboating thing. That doesn't matter. The guy is always putting his foot in, always scoring and doing what he has to do to make his team win. That is what football is all about. He is the guy who makes Liverpool spark.
 
What, for you, is his biggest attribute on the pitch?
 Ah, where do you begin? Maybe I would say that when he needs to put his foot in, he does it. Look at Istanbul. He needed to go play at right-back and so he did it. And he did it well. He will put his head on the line and go to places other players won't. I don't know of a single word that describes Stevie G. Even if he is not playing at his best, you know you can count on him.
 
You don't get many players who play for their hometown club for 10 years, do you?
Well, it happens more in England than in other countries. There is a thing in England where people want to play for their hometown team and be the local hero - be like the people they used to look up to. But it is amazing what Stevie has done and is doing. It's not like he has relaxed for all this time. He has been everywhere for 10 years: putting his foot in, scoring goals, passing and being committed to his club. No one can ever doubt his commitment to Liverpool. He, for me, is Liverpool.

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Coming from a fellow professional and legend, PRICELESS

It took until this month to cast all doubt from my mind that Kenny Dalglish alone stands between Steven Gerrard and the title of the greatest Red of all time.
 
It was 21.35 (according to the Kemlyn Road clock) on November 4th to be precise. Four minutes into injury time against Atletico Madrid, Liverpool facing defeat and an uphill struggle to win their Champions League group, and me facing a few miserable post-match pints plus, on the way home, phone-ins jammed with lobotomised rent-a-gobs calling for Rafa's head.
 
And then he did it again. Made a surge into the area, beat a defender to a cross that was going nowhere and won a penalty. Bedlam. Atletico players beg a cowering linesman to change his mind, the referee whips out cards like a Vegas dealer, a roar of relief followed by a wave of tenseness sweeps Anfield and in living rooms and bars across Europe trips to toilets are cancelled as millions of eyes will him to fail.
 
Amid all the frenzy and fear the Huyton lad stood ice cool, his brain focussed on the exact spot in the Kop goal where the ball would end up. And then he did it again. Planted it into the inside netting just as he'd done in the same goal, against David James, at the death of another crucial game, a week earlier.
 
A double rescue act that took courage, self-belief and talent but most of all greatness. Some great men are born to paint, preside and philosophise, but "doing it again" in a red shirt is the reason Steven Gerrard was put on this earth.
 
I used to rail against this portrayal of Gerrard as it implied Liverpool were a one-man team. The Captain Marvel label threw up images of Bryan Robson after another Monty Python limbless knight impression for England or United. It seemed a lazy media peg, an indictment on the rest of our team, a glib distraction from every Liverpool victory.
Reade on Stevie G
Again and again, while other players are mentally choosing a starter for their post-match meal, he pulls an ace out at the death. And no other player in Liverpool's history has done it so often.
His attributes are many and varied. If I was penning a heaven-bound postcard to a Kopite who'd died before 1998 I'd describe Gerrard as a cross between those awesome warriors Emlyn Hughes and Graeme Souness. But with a far better goal return.


But after Atletico I decided Gerrard's remarkable knack of rescuing something out of nothing for the Red cause was a reality worthy of acceptance and celebration. We all know the score. From Olympiakos (cue Andy Gray "what a hit son, what a hit") to the Gerrard Champions League Final, through the Gerrard FA Cup Final (cue Andy Gray "take a bow son, take a bow.") to last season's win at Aston Villa, this season's win against Middlesbrough, and countless other victories along the way, the truth is out there.
 
Again and again, while other players are mentally choosing a starter for their post-match meal, he pulls an ace out at the death. And no other player in Liverpool's history has done it so often.
 
His attributes are many and varied. If I was penning a heaven-bound postcard to a Kopite who'd died before 1998 I'd describe Gerrard as a cross between those awesome warriors Emlyn Hughes and Graeme Souness. But with a far better goal return.
 
You hear England fans asking why he doesn't play for his country the way he does for Liverpool, just as they did with John Barnes and Scots did with Dalglish. And the answer is still the same. He plays for a proper team at Anfield in front of a proper crowd who love and appreciate him.
 
If I'm honest, the love hasn't always been true and constant. In those two close-seasons of madness when he almost joined Chelsea, we all questioned whether the lad's blood truly ran red.
 
And after his long, dark night of the soul when he awoke to tell us he was staying for life and we would never have to doubt him again, few felt fully convinced. Once bitten and all that. But you judge a man by his word. And Gerrard has been true to every letter of his.
 
If his demeanour suggests his heart does not permanently skip to the joys of spring, it's because that's the way he is. And it's a crucial part of his make-up. I've been at parties arranged for evenings after games which he has failed to turn up to because he was sickened at the dropping of points that afternoon.
 
He knew the only place he'd be able to relax was at home with his own thoughts. That's because he's a perfectionist who loathes failure and constantly pushes himself to greater heights.
 
And over the past decade that desire for perfection has saved a Liverpudlian like me from more miserable nights than I'd care to remember.
 
At 28, he has yet to peak. It's why I'm sure we will get at least another six seasons out of him, in which time he will lift the Premiership trophy above his head.
 
Then do it again. Because that's what Stevie Gerrard does.

(source: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N162163081120-1001.htm)

A double rescue act that took courage, self-belief and talent but most of all greatness. Some great men are born to paint, preside and philosophise, but "doing it again" in a red shirt is the reason Steven Gerrard was put on this earth.

Absolutely, I like this part the best!

Is there a better all-round midfielder in the world than Steven Gerrard at the moment?
by Henry Winter 21 November 2008

Liverpool's captain is creating goals, scoring them, tackling and passing. Even during a rare defeat in the Premier League, such as to Tottenham Hotspur, most newspapers listed Gerrard as man of the match. Even when Liverpool looked to be slumping to Champions League embarrassment to Atletico Madrid, Gerrard pops up to win a penalty, admittedly controversially, and convert it.
 
If there was one midfielder that every manager on the planet would love to have in their team it would be Gerrard. Why? He is the man for the big occasion, for the critical moment in a match when decisive leaders are required. Ask Olympiacos, AC Milan, West Ham United or Atletico. Fabio Capello, who began the England manager's job wondering about Gerrard's tactical discipline, has even tweaked his midfield to bring the best out of Liverpool's dynamo, allowing him a freer role.
 
Since arriving in the Liverpool first team 10 year ago, and recovering from an awkward first start against David Ginola, Gerrard has matured from a raw talent with a tendency for rash challenges into a class act, a man with a mission, leading Liverpool to glory. Gerrard learned from playing with such an outstanding central midfielder as Gary McAllister, who also urged him to cut out the bad tackles. The apprentice became the master craftsman.
 
Now at the peak of his game, Gerrard is invariably named in the PFA Team of the Year and when talk with foreign reporters turns to English players, they invariably rave about Liverpool's No 8. Gerrard is admired by supporters of other teams because he represents the passionate pursuit of silverware, not money as is the case with many modern players. They know he plays from the heart, that Liverpool red runs through his veins.
 
Even if Gerrard has a poor game for England, the fans will never criticise him because they know how much he cares about the team's welfare – and how much he worries about his own form. The hunger he showed when emulating his heroes on the streets of Huyton remains. Supporters respect that. His surroundings may have changed, elegant mansion replacing council house, but the man himself does not appear to have altered markedly. Maybe that's a Liverpool trait, an enduring acknowledgement of one's roots; Jamie Carragher does not appear to have changed much either. Family and friends wouldn't allow it anyway.

Just as Carragher has few equals amongst Europe's leading centre-halves, it is hard find genuine challengers to Gerrard's billing as the most accomplished midfielder at work today. A debate about whether Gerrard has any rivals as the best midfielder leads to mention of Chelsea's Frank Lampard, whose many allies in the media rarely pause in promoting his cause.
 
Lampard has many strengths, a box-to-box energy, a terrific passing range and an ability to create a shooting chance out of the tiniest pieces of space but he does not seize the day as Gerrard can. The 2005 Champions League climax is occasionally referred to as the Gerrard Final. Ditto the 2006 FA Cup final. Gerrard delivers on the grand stages.
 
Chelsea fans would put forward another challenger to Gerrard. John Obi Mikel has been in magnificent form this season, anchoring midfield like a youthful Makelele while displaying a greater array of passing, particularly when switching the ball out wide to Jose Bosingwa or Ashley Cole. But Mikel is still learning his craft, and still lacks the goal threat of Gerrard.
 
Along with Mikel and Lampard, other rivals deserve brief consideration. Barcelona offers Xavi and Andres Iniesta, both inspired for Spain during Euro 2008, but neither is in Gerrard's creative league. Iniesta is a continuity man, keeping moves ticking over, but not capping them with a 30-yard thunderbolt a la Gerrard. Xavi works incredibly hard, rarely squandering possession but he rarely dominates the final third.
 
Arsenal fans would argue that Cesc Fabregas can run a game like Gerrard. Arsenal's tempo-setter has this wonderful way of inviting team-mates to attack, sliding passes through to Robin van Persie or Emmanuel Adebayor. Fabregas also became an integral part of Spain's successful boys of summer, beginning on the bench but then showing his class with some fine assists. But unlike Gerrard, Fabregas starts moves, rarely finishes them.
 
Andrea Pirlo of AC Milan and Italy probably fits into the same category as Fabregas, the architect behind moves but rarely the finisher. When fit and not suspended, Paul Scholes is hugely influential for Manchester United, and was outstanding last season but his best years are behind him.
 
Others deserve mention like Gareth Barry, who can nick the ball and distribute it well while Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves have individual strengths. At Liverpool, Xabi Alonso has shown his class this season, particularly against Chelsea at the Bridge where he disrupted Blue attacks while finding time to get forward and score. For holding midfielders, few can match Javier Mascherano, who exudes all that time-honoured Argentinian trait of frustrating the opposition.
 
All outstanding. But none possesses the armoury of strengths of Gerrard, a gladiator amongst midfield men.

The tributes to Gerrard are all fantastic really shows what a great player he is and how much respect he commands and what a servant of the game and our beloved Liverpool he is. He really deserves all the praise he gets

Reading all those, i'm surprised he hasn't won European Player of the Year or FIFA World Player of the year.

Although he has bad games in seasons, all in all, he has been very consistent for a period of like 4 years now. And he scores special goals at important times, a feat even some strikers don't.

very consistent for a period of like 4 years now.

It's more like eight years mate. He was a massive part of our treble winnin side in 01, he raised his game even further for the title push of 02, again was player of the year (in my opinion) in 03 as well as scorin in the league cup final against United, 04 he was given the captaincy by Houllier and well we all know what he's done since.

For me he is the world's best player because he can do it all, and he can do everything as well as the next bloke. He's been the world's best for a long time as well, in his early days he was a lot more defensive and dictated the play from a deeper position, since Benitez' arrival he's been given more freedom to express himself in the final third and we've been treated to some magical moments in that time. Fantastic player and the best I've ever seen or likely to see. Legend at this club forever.

Lifting the Premier League trophy would be a moment to remember for many years!