After 26 long years at the club, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has declared his intentions to retire from professional football at the end of the 2012/2013 season.
The 35 year old joined the club at a tender age of 9 and will now end his football career as a one-club legend. In his days, “Carra” was one of the finest defenders in England. However he failed to progress with the pace of football and did not fulfill the requirements of a modern day centre back. A modern day centre back must have the ability to exchange passes, frequently spray long balls forward and make occasional forward runs.
His illustrious career has also seen a lot of embarrassing moments. His inability to deal with pace was one of them, which was greatly exploited by forwards in England namely Thiery Henry. One of the things which might continue to haunt him after his retirement, are the number of own goals he has scored for the club. His own goals (8) are astonishingly more than the number of goals (3) he has scored in his 16 year career at Liverpool.
He experienced his worst moment in a Red shirt, when he scored 2 own goals in a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in the 1999/2000 season.
There is however no denying that he has been a wonderful servant to his club. He has made 723 appearances for Liverpool, with ultimate dedication, commitment and passion. A true reflection of his dedication came in the Champions League Final of 2005 at Istanbul, when a torn down Jamie Carragher suffering from cramps made vital interceptions to ensure his team were crowned Champions of Europe at the end of the day. In the absence of the injured captain Steven Gerrard, Jamie then led his team to a European Super Cup victory against CSKA Moscow lifting a trophy for the first time as a captain.
His glittering career will come to an end this season, with the grief of never having won the Premier League title. Chances are very slim that he can guide Liverpool to the crown this season, but he can ensure that with his last few performances he can forever cement his legacy at the club. The Kop will always remember the man who gave his entire professional life to one club and will continue to “dream of a team of Carraghers”
His illustrious career has also seen a lot of embarrassing moments. His inability to deal with pace was one of them, which was greatly exploited by forwards in England namely Thiery Henry. One of the things which might continue to haunt him after his retirement, are the number of own goals he has scored for the club. His own goals (8) are astonishingly more than the number of goals (3) he has scored in his 16 year career at Liverpool.
He experienced his worst moment in a Red shirt, when he scored 2 own goals in a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in the 1999/2000 season.
There is however no denying that he has been a wonderful servant to his club. He has made 723 appearances for Liverpool, with ultimate dedication, commitment and passion. A true reflection of his dedication came in the Champions League Final of 2005 at Istanbul, when a torn down Jamie Carragher suffering from cramps made vital interceptions to ensure his team were crowned Champions of Europe at the end of the day. In the absence of the injured captain Steven Gerrard, Jamie then led his team to a European Super Cup victory against CSKA Moscow lifting a trophy for the first time as a captain.
His glittering career will come to an end this season, with the grief of never having won the Premier League title. Chances are very slim that he can guide Liverpool to the crown this season, but he can ensure that with his last few performances he can forever cement his legacy at the club. The Kop will always remember the man who gave his entire professional life to one club and will continue to “dream of a team of Carraghers”
