The Brick

English football has many "greats" that still ply their trade in the league, the likes of Gerrard, Giggs, Scholes, Terry's, etc. Carragher is one that wont strike many off hand though, as his not one to catch headlines & his goal scoring record really does him little favours, but that doesnt stop him from being one the greatest footballers in the league of recent. Tomorrow (03/09/10) see's Anfield play host to a testimonial for him & I thought it would be fitting to do a little post on the Bootle born defender.

"His heart is as big as his home town"

Born & bred in Liverpool you dont get more Scouse than Jamie! Just trying to understand what he says sometimes is hard enough for us that speak the English language can you imagine what it must have been for his CB partners Agger, Skertl & Soto when they arrived?

No one can deny his love for football & Liverpool FC, even though he did at 1 time in his life support those in Blue across the Mersey. Every performance from him is a master class to defenders out there. Whether we losing 3-0 or winning 3-0 he is forever throwing his body around protecting our goal. Hence the title of this blogpost "The Brick". He is the brick in our Liverpool defensive wall. Being a center back he interacts alot with his partners either side of him, not in a gentle manner though, screaming so loud you can hear him over the commentators at time, just ask Arbeloa about it after Jamie gave him an earful after slacking in a game against Westbrom in the 08/09 season where we were comfortably in the lead but lackluster defence from the Spanish RB allowed Westbrom to get an easy corner. Jamie was adimant on keeping a clean sheet & helping Pepe Riena get closer to that Golden Glove award.

Carra having a moment

His commitment is therefore everyone to see & cant be better highlighted than the night of 25th May 2005. After coming back from 3-0 , & losing players like fly's. The whole team were running on reserves, Jamie cramping in pain, barely managing to stand a full 10 minutes ran, tackled, dived in order to protect the goal. He knew the team came to far to give it up like that! He was quoted saying after the game:

“The additional 30 minutes were the most tense, strenuous, but ultimately rewarding I’ve ever spent on a football pitch,Courage, character, willpower and grit – these are virtues that have been instilled into me since I was seven years ld.”

2005

Its moments like that which make one easily forget about those 2 own goals he scored in the game back in 99 when Manchester United came to visit. All the managers heap praise on him, so much so that he was forced out of internationl retirement to rejoin the England squad for the 2010 world cup!

One can go on heaping praise on Liverpools 23 but it will never be enough to show our true gratitude in his efforts for our club. He really is a legend & hero to all.

We all dream of a team of Carraghers