Inside the mind of Jamie Carragher

[Captain]

Nice interview on .tv:

Jamie Carragher opens up about Rafael Benitez, captaining the Reds, the World Cup, Xabi Alonso, Kop chants and why being a Liverpool player is not always easy...
Carragher on... whether he actually enjoys playing football

"To be honest, I wonder that myself sometimes. After the game, when I'm sitting in the changing room, we've won and I know I've played well, that's when I enjoy it. But while I'm playing and we're winning, I can't wait for it to end."

Carragher on... being a Kop idol

"With the local lads, you're either hated or loved. You can see the reaction here with Stevie Gerrard and Robbie Fowler, but I don't think that's just Liverpool fans, it's fans in general. When I was playing full-back there were big name players here and at times I did feel maybe I didn't get the credit I deserved but that's football."

Carragher on... Liverpool chants

"The one about the pound is funny but I'm delighted with 'team of Carraghers' and hopefully that'll stick with me to the end of my career."

Carragher on... being 'up for it'

"Ever since I've been in the team, the problem has been with smaller sides and people asking are we up for it. I'm not going to lie, there's no way in the world you feel you feel the same playing a bottom-of-the-league, compared with facing Everton, Manchester United or a top European side. That's human nature. You give 100% in every game, but in those there's an extra little bit and that's coming from me, a player who everyone says does it in every game."

Carragher on... the burden of playing for Liverpool

"Of course there's expectancy. We've got so many ex-player in the media, no matter what we do, they've always done more so it's difficult to make your own history. But that's the club you play for. You need a certain mentality to be a Liverpool players because you face a lot of criticism. Along with Stevie, I've played more games than anyone here and been through more crises. We seem to have one every year – lose a couple of games and it's a crisis."

Carragher on... giving 100%

"That's what you're meant to do. Sunday league players do that but players get pigeon holed. I'd like to think that my game has a bit more to it. I know what I'm good at. I can pass a ball, I rarely give the ball away - it's something I've been brought up with. If you can't pass a ball, you won't last long at Liverpool. It's the same with Roy Keane - he's seen as an aggressive midfielder, who tackles and runs around but no one mentions his passing. And John Terry. People say he's great in the air and he's strong, but he's so much more than that – his passing with two feet from the back is superb."

Carragher on... Xabi

"The foreign players have brought a lot to our game. We've got Xabi Alonso and he's special. I played in the Reserves with Jan Molby and Xabi's the nearest I've seen to Jan in a decade. He gives us something different, no other team has a player like that, sitting in the middle spraying the ball around like Guardiola used to at Barcelona. There's definitely more 'football' now. I think the Premiership is the most competitive league in Europe."

Carragher on... speed

"I'm not lightening but I've got decent pace. It's only Thierry Henry who worries me! But the quieter the game, the better. I wouldn't like to see more of the ball every week."

Carragher on... Benitez

"Training is very methodical, everything geared to the next game. Like we'll practice throw-ins for 15 minutes and movement around throw-ins. I'm the kind of player who trains well every day. I work hard… Do I sound like the teacher's pet? The manager's not a shouter, he talks to us collectively, never singles people out. But he's ruthless; you can see that from the decisions he made after the Champions League final. There was no messing about, no sentiment there at all. He never switches off, like after the whistle in Turin telling us what we should have done in the last ten minutes. Rightly so, but I had to tell him that he's never going to get the perfect performance ever, so he might as well enjoy it!"

Carragher on... team spirit

"We have team nights out. The spirit is good. The Spanish lads mix well, more than some of the last regime. They're learning Scouse but they'll have some way to go to beat Didi Hamann."

Carragher on... being captain

"I was really pleased when the manager made me vice-captain. When Stevie misses out, it's a real honour to lead the team but when I went up to get the Super Cup, I felt a bit embarrassed to be honest because I'm not the proper captain and I didn't really know what to do!"

Carragher on... the World Cup

"My mind is on retaining the Champions League. If we do well in that and I play well, it'll give me a chance because doing it against Europe's best, you can take that on to a World Cup."

[Brownie]

The article in the Echo today is very good too - nice to see him giving Finnan some much deserved praise:



Carragher: We must become Lisbon Lions Feb 21 2006




By Chris Bacombe, Liverpool Echo


LIVERPOOL'S defensive records have been tumbling quicker than Manchester United's share price on a European night during the course of this season.

If Pepe Reina and his back four manage to survive 73 minutes without conceding in the Stadium of Light tonight, the keeper will have another notable notch on his goal post.

The European Cup winning side of 1983-84 went 561 minutes without conceding on their way to victory in Rome.

Somewhat worryingly for those checking their book of omens, that impressive run was ended by Benfica.

Rafa Benitez's side hasn't conceded since Real Betis' second half strike on the opening night of this season's Champions League. That's 489 minutes. The club has never gone six consecutive European games without conceding.

A clean sheet tonight will not only eclipse another legendary Liverpool team, it will ensure the holders take a step closer to the last eight.


Jamie Carragher has been a bedrock of the Reds' resistance, which has already seen Reina take Elisha Scott's record for the longest period without conceding in all competitions.


The centre-half sees the pursuit of another milestone as additional motivation ahead of a testing evening.


"It's a good target to have in mind," said the defender.


"The defence's job is to get us a clean sheet, and while it's not necessarily something you think about during the game, the longer you go without conceding the more determined you are to keep the run going.


"I remember in Japan when we were going for the record for most clean sheets in a row. Even though we had the game won, I was a bit worried when Sami Hyypia was taken off because I really wanted us to make sure we didn't concede a goal, even though we'd already done the most important thing and won the game at that stage.


"As we were saying then, we'd rather win the game and concede a goal than draw 0-0, but in Europe it's always especially important to keep that clean sheet.


"In these type of games it's not just down to the goalkeepers and defenders. You need the midfielders and strikers sacrificing themselves as well because you know they're going to have a real go at us and try and create loads of chances."


While there's far more to Benitez's side than stoic defence, the last time the back four enjoyed such a formidable run was in 2001.


"It's hard to compare the two defences," said Carragher, who played different but key roles in both.


"I'd rather have more trophies and medals than records. The statistics may suggest this defence is better, but the 2001 side won three trophies in a season and that means more, as far as I'm concerned. It's always about trophies.


"I was playing a different role at left-back then, and Markus Babbel was superb as right-back. What I'd say is as brilliant as Markus was that season, Steve Finnan's the best right-back I've played with.


"He doesn't get a lot of credit, but when the PFA team of the year awards are announced, I'd be amazed if he isn't right-back. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to vote for your team-mates. If you could, he'd be my first pick.


"I thought he had a great game against Manchester United on Saturday as well. Look at the quality of crosses he puts in with his left foot. There aren't many right-backs capable of doing that."


Tonight is the fourth time Liverpool and Benfica have met in Europe, with the Reds emerging as winners in the tie each time. The Reds have also gone on to reach the final on each occasion.


But despite undoubted confidence ahead of the first leg, Carragher warns Liverpool's own experiences in Europe should ensure fans guard against suggestions this is a friendly draw.


"Any side that comes through a group with Manchester United, and then knocks them out, must be good," he says.


"I know a lot of our fans were happy with the draw, but I think this is one of the toughest places we could come to. They've had a few problems recently but they'll be determined to do well against us.


"Their supporters will really get behind them and make it a good atmosphere. We're going to have to be at our best to ensure we get the right result."

[Section_31]

A quality read! Honest as they come - not a badge kisser, legend in the making..

[RedinSweden]

Both good reads. Glad he mentioned Finnan. Get that Finnan song sung!

[aws]

I've always assumed we never practised throw-ins.It was the only way I could explain how are so poor at taking or defending them.

[Spy Bee]

Originally Posted by aws

I've always assumed we never practised throw-ins.It was the only way I could explain how are so poor at taking or defending them.

Amazing that you read those two articles and that's your comment!

[Stormbringer]

Excellent read although I was amused to read the comments re getting up for lower teams. Didn't many on here berate our current captain for the exact same words last year??????

I love honesty and realism. They are only human afterall.

Gotta love Carra.

[aws]

Originally Posted by AdamS

Amazing that you read those two articles and that's your comment!

Well RIS and Sec 31 had already commented on what a good read they are.We all (well almost all) know the guy is already a legend so that goes without saying.

And our throw-ins are shit ;-)

[Jose Jones]

Originally Posted by aws

Well RIS and Sec 31 had already commented on what a good read they are.We all (well almost all) know the guy is already a legend so that goes without saying.

And our throw-ins are shit ;-)

It's a sign of a good team to have shit thow ins.