Not the greatest start to the New Year, hearing that Steven Gerrard will leave Liverpool at the end of the season. I have to say, it came as a major shock to me- I honestly thought we’d see Gerrard retire as a one club man at Liverpool. What Gerrard has achieved at our club is nothing short of phenomenal. He is a true legend in every sense of the word, and in my opinion the greatest Liverpool player of all time. We’re unlikely to see another player like him in our lifetime.
His list of club honours, some of which he almost single-handedly carried us to, is exemplary. 2 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, 1 Community Shield, 1 Champions League, 1 UEFA Cup, 1 UEFA Super Cup. During his prime he was one of, if not the best midfielder in the world, coming 3rd in the Ballon D’Or in 2005 and making the FIFA World XI on 3 separate occasions. The man is a phenomenon. He joined Liverpool aged 9, and will leave the club as the greatest of all time, aged 35. He could have left Liverpool on multiple occasions in order to achieve glory, but turned down offers from the world’s greatest clubs.
Source: liverpoolfc.com
The loyalty he has shown is something truly rare and special in the modern game. His decision to leave does not in anyway detract from the incredible legacy he leaves behind. Although it is very sad to see Gerrard leave, if I’m honest, it does make sense. It might be hard to admit, but the fact is Gerrard is no longer the player he was, and as a team I believe we perform better without him. In terms of ability, we have players who are superior to Gerrard at his current level. Perhaps we could have got another 2 or 3 seasons out of him as an impact sub, but he certainly is not up to standard for the starting 11, week in week out. That’s the truth of it. People were moaning recently about him starting vs Leicester- I think that says something important. I’d almost feel worse if Gerrard felt obliged to stay, and fans grew frustrated watching him under-perform and struggle to live up to previous expectations. Wouldn’t that be even more sad than him leaving? At least now, he leaves with his dignity in tact, rather than retiring after he’s deemed no longer good enough to continue. The best thing about the decision though, is that Gerrard, being the man that he is, knows that it is in the club’s interest for him to move on. The time is right, and it’s humbling to see him make such a brave and difficult decision with the club’s best interests at heart.
He will move to play in the MLS, as he wouldn’t even consider playing for a rival side against Liverpool. If Gerrard wants to spend the remaining seasons of his glittering career elsewhere, after all he has done, he has more than earned the right to do so. In some ways, it’s a nice way to end his career. Perhaps it would be a shame to continually watch his form deteriorate as he’s relegated to a squad player at Liverpool. In the MLS, he will play regular football and be deemed a hero, without having to be taunted by pathetic opposition fans singing about his slip. It’s quite something that many non Liverpool fans will do whatever they can to try to belittle his achievements. That level of obsession only comes with a truly special player. You only have to look at the reactions of football experts and fellow team mates to see how highly he is regarded.
At the end of the day, it’s a footballing decision that makes sense for both the club and the player. He will forever be loved by Liverpool fans, and I’m sure he will return at some point, as a coach or ambassador of some kind. It would have been nice to see him finish his career here, but ultimately he’s doing what’s best for himself and for Liverpool, and I wish him all the very best for the remainder of his career. It’s been a true privilege to grow up watching Gerrard. He’s been an idol and someone I’ve looked up to since I started watching football. It’s devastating to see him leave, but the time is right. Thanks for everything, Steven.
Red Regista
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