It comes down to very fine lines to whether I hate Steven Gerrard more than anyone else. It is very, very close because I really, really despise him. The Scouse Liverpool captain who is idolised by thousands across the world is hated more than anyone else by thousands across the world.
The plaudits coming his way are ridiculous. As always, English football and English media has lost itself in an English player but this time it is in one who is leaving instead of becoming the ‘greatest player ever’. Here is a player being labelled as the greatest player of his generation. Quite clearly these plaudits are false. Quite clearly, people enjoy lying about a player to sell newspapers or websites. Quite clearly, Steven Gerrard is not the player of his generation.
However, what is also quite clear is that he is irreplaceable for Liverpool. In terms of quality, the job will be easy. Gerrard has been on the decline for a number of years. Yet quite clearly he is one of the greatest players to play his trade in Liverpool, either side of the blue-red divide.
Quite clearly, I am not alone in hating a man who has terrorised Manchester United for so long. Quite clearly, I can recognise that, despite my feelings for him, the Premier League is losing a player who has rightfully earned his legendary status at his club.
With rapid frequency we have seen legends of the Premier League era disappear from the playing side of the game. Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Frank Lampard and others have all retired, or left the club where they earned such a status, in the past four or five years.
It is with joy that Steven Gerrard is welcomed on this list.
What is telling in the case of Steven Gerrard is that the feeling of hate has never reared its ugly head for a player with no quality. As a footballer the aim is to win trophies, and arguably that is where Gerrard has failed. But, if you are being booed you are doing something right. If you are hated upon, you are something special.
I can think of many reasons other than his quality to hate Gerrard. For example, he prides himself on loyalty yet handed in a transfer request to push through a move to Chelsea. He is scouse. He plays for Liverpool, for god sake.
Yet, in truth, I hate Gerrard because he’s good, because he scored so many goals against us. If I shoot back to the worst game I have watched at Old Trafford, it involves Steven Gerrard scoring twice. If I shoot back to one of the best moments on last season, it involves Steven Gerrard failing. I hate Gerrard because he one of the greatest players in the Premier League era and it pains me to say that. Technically, he is far worse than Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. But in being Mr. Liverpool he has succeeded. Despite the transfer request and despite the mistakes he has made in the press and despite failing for England and despite being an overall horrible man in many peoples opinion, he represents Liverpool Football Club like Ryan Giggs represented my team and for that I can only commend him. For that, he is one of the players I am glad I have watched live. Because he mastered of the greatest comebacks in football history. Because he scored a hat trick in the Merseyside derby. Because he is Mr Liverpool and he should be remembered in the same context as Giggs and be remembered as a Premier League legend.
I bloody hate you, Steven Gerrard.
Harry Robinson
Manchester United Editor at FansCorner and VAVEL UK.
U7's coach at AFC Southgate.
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