Carra on the Title Race and His Spot in the Team

Some very interesting words from Carra, especially about his pre-season preperations and his fear to not make the starting line-up every week.

Carra - Title up for grabs

Reds defender wary of outside threats Arsenal and City

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes that any one of a number of clubs could end up lifting the Premier League title this year.

The Reds started their campaign with a disappointing defeat by Tottenham but recovered in midweek to comfortably beat Stoke at home.

With reigning champions Manchester United losing at Burnley and Chelsea looking shaky against Hull, the current campaign promises unpredictability throughout.

"The title race will be open. Manchester United have lost Cristiano Ronaldo and hopefully Fernando Torres will be fit all season for us," Carragher told the Daily Express.

The Anfield veteran also thinks that Arsenal could mount a serious championship challenge this season and is wary of big-spending Manchester City, who he claims are not finished in the transfer market yet.

Quality

"You never write off someone as good as Arsene Wenger. Cesc Fabregas was injured a bit last season, but Andrey Arshavin looks a top player and Theo Walcott will benefit from another year's experience," Carragher added.

"There are a few clubs who have got more money than us. Real Madrid, United, Chelsea and obviously Manchester City have come on the scene.

"I still think City would like a lot more of our players."

Carragher took to training in a boxing gym before the official pre-season period had begun at Liverpool in order to keep his fitness levels up and his sharpness intact.

Although he has been a mainstay of the side in recent years, the 32-year-old says he never takes his place in the starting line-up for granted and so always tries to stay one step ahead.

Fear

"The reason I am that type of player is fear really. It's fear of losing my place," Carragher added.

"I know it sounds stupid to some people but I never feel like I have cemented my place, that it can all be taken away from me very quickly.

"I always try to do something different each summer to try to get that extra couple of per cent. I went boxing, I've always eaten well and now I eat to the absolute maximum.

"We are all getting older, but another way of looking at it is Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel are getting more experienced, which is going to help them.

"They are coming into the prime of their careers. I am not stupid. I am 32 in January. It will happen one day."

Skysports

Carra's a true professional in a world of primadonnas. Always working, always driving. A true working class hero. Just another reason on a long list of reasons why he's my favorite.

I read this quote by Mohammed Ali just yesterday and I think it suits Carra well...
"Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: a desire, a dream, a vision."

Good words, Brooklyn Red.

Jamie isn't the most gifted player to have graced Anfield, far from it in fact. We've had defenders in the past who have been better technically on the ball, but what he lacks in that department he surpasses a thousand times in grit, determination and will to win.

A true leader both on the pitch, and by the example he shows in his preparations in the article.

Despite his fears he still has some seasons left in his legs, and the day he retires he will be hugely missed as he brings so much to the club. Rest assured, Carra will always be remembered as one of the true legends of Anfield.

I love Carra, he is so dedicated and such a hard worker.  Top top man!

Nice read that mate. And well said Brooklyn Red!

If there's an example to set for the other players, they don't need to look any further than Carra. The man is a true Liverpool player and deserves the league for all his graft.

*sniff* I think Ayrton and Brooklyn Red just made me tear up a bit  ! I think we are so lucky to have a passionate player like Carra ...as we've seen he's break his head for this ....he leadership on the pitch will be missed your a top player Carra !

I would disagree, i think he is technically rather good, and has bags of ability and the perfect attributes for one of the best defenders on earth.

I love Carra. He's always 200% commited. He's a true professional on and off the pitch.

He can pass pretty well He did send the long ball for Torres' first against Blackburn and Babel's goal against Thailand. He may not have pace, but he reads the game well. Even makes tackles with a strain/sprain.

True example of what a captain should be, influential and vocal. I think he has a good solid 2 years left in him. Won't be surprised if he keeps on going! Like Sami, his presence and leadership qualities would be missed if he hangs up his boots

He isn't one of the technically gifted players on the pitch. But he makes up for that lack of ability in his passion, his desire. He isn't one of them to set the world alight, but as a defender he is no-nonsense and just does it the hard way - protect the goal first, that's the most important.

His passion and desire, have ultimately turned him into one of the most dedicated and committed professionals. You might not be up for it technically but you cover up for it with your passion and desire. He's a rock in defence and is one of the most influential players in the squad. He organises the defence at the back, never gets arrogant, and keeps working.

He is not one to keep boasting of achievements, once he gets something he basks in glory and then get down to serious work. It is this mentality - the mentality to work and to improve that makes him stand out, he isn't just satisfied with what he has but wants to go further.

And to me hes got the main thing TIMING. Keep it up Carra lad.

Carra, boss. Can see him being at anfield for years.  Reckon he will be great on the coaching staff too.  The new boot room.

Along with Stevie, Carra is the most likely to become an everlasting Liverpool's Legend as regards our current squad.

After these two, Dirk & Nando should be next on the list if they would stay for a long time as committed as they have been so far, albeit not started their careers here.

CARRAGHER IS STILL FIGHTING IN THE RED CORNER

DEDICATED: Jamie Carragher is into his 14th season at Liverpool



THERE are two new additions to life at Liverpool which have arrived with significantly less fanfare than either Glen Johnson or Alberto Aquilani, and remain out of sight for the cluster of youngsters milling around outside the gates of the club’s training ground.

In the foyer at Melwood there now stands a bronze bust of Bill Shankly, a typically profound quote emblazoned on the wall behind in which he declares: “We are Liverpool.”

Further down the corridor, a glass cabinet containing the red-ribboned European Cup, won forever on that spine-tingling night in Istanbul in 2005, takes pride of place.

“They are brilliant and a lot of credit goes to Sammy Lee for introducing them,” said Jamie Carragher. “There is a montage round the back, too. A list of all the players who played for the club, with pictures of all the legends on the wall.

“You come in and it gives the place a presence. The lads all pass the European Cup every day and it makes you think.

“People say you shouldn’t look in the past – and we want to recreate that history – but we should be proud of the fact that we are one of the big names in football.”

It is the future that dominates the horizon, however.

Liverpool’s future, Carragher’s own prospects and the fortunes of those who are not as well off as the defender, even one with 21 stitches holding together a two-inch gash sustained in the opening weekend defeat by Tottenham.

Victory over Stoke on Wednesday, which was Carragher’s 400th league appearance, has calmed the hysteria that greeted the anaemic loss at White Hart Lane.

Yet Carragher is philosophical about the unique pressures his team-mates – chumps one minute, potential champs the next – face.

“I would hate to be at a club where it didn’t matter, where there wasn’t that pressure to win,” he said, his 14th season as a Liverpool player underway.
   
“I wouldn’t say there is no point playing in those circumstances but at least you know you are playing for a proper team here.

“There should be questions asked if we go a season without a trophy, never mind three. At big clubs there are questions asked and rightly so.

“The title race will be open. Manchester United have lost Cristiano Ronaldo and hopefully Fernando Torres will be fit all season for us. You never write off someone as good as Arsene Wenger. Cesc Fabregas was injured a bit last season, but Andrey Arshavin looks a top player and Theo Walcott will benefit from another year’s experience. Eduardo? What a player he looks.

“There are a few clubs who have got more money than us. Real Madrid, United, Chelsea and obviously Manchester City have come on the scene. I still think City would like a lot more of our players.”

If his mind is forever in a constant whirl about football, then Carragher’s interests have expanded as he has matured. He owns a restaurant

and is in the process of setting up the 23 Foundation (taking its name from his shirt number) which will

plough

the proceeds from a richly deserved testimonial, tentatively pencilled in for next summer, into good causes across Merseyside.

Carragher’s enthusiasm for the venture reflects that normally reserved for a bone-shuddering challenge.

“For argument’s sake, if we make £1million from the game then rather than give it to a charity, the money from that will go into a foundation and the interest every year builds up,” he said. “It would be for kids in the local area in Liverpool.

“It might be that a youth club needs a snooker table or a boxing gym needs equipment. I was thinking a sick kid might need an operation, so you pay for that.

“I want to try to make enough so that I could give £100,000 a year away, forever. That is the type of figure I am thinking of.

“Hopefully, the game can be next summer. I have less than two years to go on my contract so you never know what’s going to happen. I might be replaced, the manager might want to sell me, I might want to leave.”

Rafa Benitez has just added to his centre-back options by completing a £2million deal for Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

Still life without Carragher remains unthinkable, and yet his is a career driven by a sense of insecurity.

Before pre-season training had started, he was boxing with his brothers in the gym and generally trying to steal a march on his defensive rivals.

“The reason I am that type of player is fear really. It’s fear of losing my place,” he said candidly.

“I know it sounds stupid to some people but I never feel like I have cemented my place, that it can all be taken away from me very quickly.

“I always try to do something different each summer to try to get that extra couple of per cent. I went boxing, I’ve always eaten well and now I eat to the absolute maximum.

“We are all getting older, but another way of looking at it is Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel are getting more experienced which is going to help them.

“They are coming into the prime of their careers. I am not stupid. I am 32 in January. It will happen one day.”

Does he think about that? “Yes, I think about it quite a bit. I don’t want to lose my place.

“I have no time for that resting stuff. Strikers and wingers may need it every now and then, but not defenders.

“There will be a time when someone takes my place but not because of resting. They will just take my place.”

If Carragher has his way, it will not be any time soon. ‘I’m this type of player because I fear losing my place’

http://www.express.co.uk/football/view/122052/Carragher-is-still-fighting-in-the-Red-corner-


He's planning a testimonial for next summer, I would love to be able to go to that. Fingers crossed for getting tickets to that and a friendly.

The "23 Foundation" sound's like a great idea, annually using the £100,000 interest from the 1 million pounds he hopes to earn from his testimonial

for the lads n lasses of Liverpool. Good Lad.

"We all dream of a team of Carraghers......"

I read this quote by Mohammed Ali just yesterday and I think it suits Carra well...
"Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: a desire, a dream, a vision."

F**k! Gym was my last god-damned chance



Great words though, sums up Carra real good He is the ultimate professional, a true great who still doesn't take a spot in the team for granted. Always wear my shirt with Carra's number on the back with pride.

A true legend and underrated by all outside anfield,in my opinion better than all chosen ahead of him for England even now,if Lescott is worth 22 million then Carra is worth triple that,always honest in interviews and his rollicking of Arbeloa against WBA was something that was deserved as i thought Arbeloa was nearly always caught out of position(never seem to track back with any commitment) and never looked like he gave 100% in my opinion and i wasn't to upset when he left,we will see how good he is at Madrid when they meet the mighty pool in the CL next season.

Great article.What a top man Carra is,I hope he goes on until he's 40, and if he did I bet he'd still be dead keen to win things.

not only a legend but hopefully a future managerial legend

Carra, boss. Can see him being at anfield for years.  Reckon he will be great on the coaching staff too.  The new boot room.

Alright big fella! Good to see you on board lar!

And I entirely agree about the new boot room. Would be great to see him lead things from behind the scenes in the future.

Carra, Awesome, Legend, Humble, Honest, Loyal. Down to earth, all the attributes of a Kop Legend.

This is one bloke who hasn't got his head in the sand, he knows that as time goes by there will always be someone to replace him,..this is the sign of a true professional ! honest , dedicated , and tells it how it is ! long may Jamie Carragher remain at anfield in player or other capacity

Great read that. A true professional is our Jamie. Love the way he took on boxing to get a competitive edge. Hope when we play the Chavs he knocks the F**k out of Drogba. 

One of the greatest Liverpool legends, and also a great man off the pitch with the '23 Foundation'. Yeah, sure he's a little hard to understand, but that's why we love him and would love a 'team of Carraghers.'