Steven Gerrard: My Liverpool Story (14 page)

Sheer Joy

My face says it all. There is no better feeling than scoring for your boyhood team and I have been lucky enough to do it quite a bit over the seasons. I think you can see the passion I have for Liverpool here and just what it means to me to score for them. Usually I find myself drawn instinctively towards where the fans are when I find the back of the net. Maybe it’s the noise that pulls me towards them, but also I am a fan myself. I would be in with the supporters if I wasn’t playing, so to get a result and share it with them is magical.

On the Angle and Goalbound

Another goal against Bolton and another past Jaaskelainen. I possess a decent range in my finishing now. Whether it is shooting from distance, more delicate efforts from close range or scoring with my head, I fancy myself in and around the penalty area. That confidence just comes over time. When you are a kid, you find it tough to stamp your personality on matches because you are worried about making a mistake. Now I am not afraid to miss. Obviously I’m gutted if a gilt-edged chance goes begging, but make no mistake I’ll be in there for the next one that comes my way, looking to make amends rather than hiding in the shadows.

Sharing the Moment With Someone Special

Gerard did so much for Liverpool in a short space of time that maintaining those high standards becomes more difficult. Nobody takes into account that other teams improve as well and that the competition to win trophies becomes fiercer. At times, Gerard found himself under pressure and there were the inevitable whispers that he had ‘lost the dressing room’. After a left-foot volley at Anfield, I ran over to embrace him by the dug-out. It was a show of support to him to put all the nonsense to bed, which was the least I could do given everything he did for me.

Trying to Clip the Wings of an All Time Legend

You have to appreciate what Ryan Giggs has done in his career. His longevity has apparently been helped by yoga, something I have taken up in recent seasons. Whatever the rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United, I admire Ryan Giggs so much. To think there was a time in his career when his own supporters were booing him, thinking he had come to the end, is just unbelievable.

Putting on the After Burners

I have ‘history’ with George Boateng, none of which is his fault. He is playing for Middlesbrough here, but it was while he was at Aston Villa that I was guilty of probably the worst tackle I have ever made in a game. It was a horrible challenge, right by the dug-out. I don’t even like speaking about it now. Afterwards, I called him on his mobile to apologise. He was good to me because he could have just slammed the phone down and said he wasn’t interested in what I had to say. We had a chat and he just said that he had mistimed a few challenges in his career and added: ‘Make sure you learn from this.’ The sending-off that day was a turning point for me. I knew I wouldn’t make that sort of tackle again.

These Long Limbs Come in Handy

I had my growth spurt when I was 15 and 16. I absolutely shot up in size. Thank goodness I did because without adding a few inches to my frame I honestly don’t think I would have played at the top level. I would have had a decent career, but I don’t think I would have made it to the very top. Without a doubt my entire career has benefited from me having such long legs.

They mean I can make tackles and do things other players can’t, I can reach balls that evade opponents and, generally, they add to my dynamism and help me to get around the pitch effectively. Athleticism is a huge part of the modern-day game and it is becoming more and more important. Look at someone like Cristiano Ronaldo. He is so skilful, but athletic too.

In the Spotlight

My profile has increased over the years as I have achieved more in my career. It is not something that I am totally comfortable with. I’m quite a quiet person, but I understand that it comes with the territory. I know that as captain of Liverpool and now England, I have a responsibility to project myself as a role model and always say and do the right things. Of course that can be hard at times, but the career of a footballer is short and if you are prepared to try to do the right things and make sacrifices the rewards will come. When I was young, Gerard Houllier used to say to all the lads at Liverpool that if we stayed out of nightclubs during our careers, we could own one after we had finished playing. The financial rewards for a Premier League footballer are great, but it has never been about money for me.

A SUMMER OF CHANGE

Within weeks of Gerard leaving, at the end of the
2003–04 season, I found my own future being debated on the backs of newspapers and on Sky Sports News. The mobile phone of my agent, Struan Marshall, was on fire that summer with clubs calling him and asking would I be interested in what I always thought would be the unthinkable: leaving Liverpool.

Chelsea, backed by Abramovich’s millions and with a new manager in Jose Mourinho at the helm, declared the strongest interest, bidding big money for me, something in the region of £35m. But there was foreign interest as well from the likes of Real Madrid, who were also trying to tempt me away from Anfield.

When you receive those kind of phone calls out of the blue, they are flattering in many respects. It is confirmation that you are doing your job properly and that you are making the most of the talent that you have. It becomes a boost to your confidence when one of the biggest clubs in the world looks and thinks: ‘He’s a good player. He can make us better.’