Just read this on RAWK. I hate them
Lets be honest, if everything was fair in football Liverpool would have won the league last season and Steven Gerrard would have lifted the trophy as captain and retired on the high that he so rightly deserves. As it turns out, a Steven Gerrard slip let Chelsea win a game from the comfort of their own half, and one of the best ever England midfielders of many a generation was left to have nightmares forever.
My son was born 7 years ago. As an expectant father, I remember trying to be patient and understanding as my wife kept dreaming up names that I would clearly never agree to. It's interesting actually how parents-to-be listen to a name suggestion and then scan their memories of people they know who shared that name before deciding if they like it or not … I guess that’s why you don’t meet any kids called Adolf these days? Anyway, on the plus side of that rule my wife had taken quite a shine to Jamie Redknapp by this time, so the name association game allowed me to get Jamie (Carragher) on the birth certificate. My other choices were Sami (as in Hyypia) and Stevie (as in Gerrard).
Despite being named after a different Liverpool legend, today my Jamie loves football like his dad, and LOVES Steven Gerrard. Such an inspirational player, that fans young and old can identify with instantly.
Its not just the fans that appreciate the efforts of Liverpool’s mercurial number 8 however. Pele, Brazil’s most lauded player, once said of Gerrard that the only reason he wasn’t considered the world’s best was because "The fans, they look only for forwards, always a forward," Pele went on to say that "For me, for the last five years Gerrard has been the best player in the world. Pele also said that “Gerrard is an excellent player, absolutely world-class. If I was a manager, everywhere I went I would buy Steve Gerrard.”
Zidane said of the Liverpool captain ""Is he the best in the world? He might not get the attention of [Lionel] Messi and Ronaldo but, yes, I think he just might be," Zidane said. "If you don't have a player like Steven Gerrard, who is the engine room, it can affect the whole team."
Stevie G, while still playing, has received platitudes from some of the best players to ever grace the beautiful game. I think collectively in this country we seem to think less of him because his English, and I think at club level, jealously makes him the target of derision. Listen to Man Utd and Chelsea fans. Stevie Gerrard and Liverpool could be playing 200 miles away from their games, yet these fans still find themselves singing about Steven Gerrard. He is always on their minds, and if they were brutally honest, they are gutted that he didn’t sign for them years ago.
Paul Scholes was a great midfielder, as was Frank Lampard, but they were good from the middle forwards and if you want to pick a midfielder who could be awesome going forward then maybe Paul Gascoigne was the best in my lifetime. Bryan Robson is probably the closest England have ever come to Steven Gerrard, but the different era makes comparison impossible.
Alex Ferguson famously said on his autobiography, written to sell copes, that Gerrard wasn’t "a top, top player." Yet when there was a sniff of him leaving Liverpool in 2005 his tune was slightly different when he said "He has become the most influential player in England, bar none. Not that Vieira lacks anything, but Gerrard does more."
“You beauty” screamed Evertonian Andy Gray on Sly Sports as Stevie Gerrard smashed an unstoppable drive into the Olympiakos net, with time running out for Liverpool’s Champions League dreams. “What a hit son!” And as time was nearly up at Wembley stadium, and West Ham sniffed an unexpected FA Cup win, it was Stevie Gerrard who drove forward an unleashed hell from his right boot. A flick header in Istanbul, with Liverpool trailing 3-0 to AC Milan was followed by furious upward swings of his arms in order pull the entire red contingent in the Ataturk and beyond to attention. The rest of that Istanbul story is the stuff of film, stage and folklore.
A modern day Roy of the Rovers, Steven Gerrard is a top, top player that we are lucky enough to have enjoyed for so long. Time waits for no man however, and sadly it is time to say farewell and wish the Huyton born maestro our very best for the future, and to offer him out heartfelt thanks for the blood, sweat and tears he put into delivery our memories that will last forever.
Gerard Houllier gave Stevie his debut, and as he once said while manager of Liverpool “What we achieve in our lifetime echoes through all eternity” An atomic bomb wouldn’t echo for any longer Stevie lad.
YNWA.
I find it far more palatable if you apply the Snoop Dogg filter to it
Lets be honest, if every last muthafuckin thang was fair up in footbizzle Liverpool would have won tha league last season n' Steven Gerrard would have lifted tha trophy as captain n' retired on tha high dat da perved-out muthafucka so rightly deserves fo' realz. As it turns out, a Steven Gerrard slip let Chelsea win a game from tha comfort of they own half, n' one of tha dopest eva England midfieldaz of nuff a generation was left ta have nightmares alllll muthafuckin day.
My [Poor language removed] lil hustla started doin thangs 7 muthafuckin years ago fo' realz. As a expectant father, I remember tryin ta be patient n' understandin as mah hoe kept trippin up names dat I would clearly never smoke to. It aint nuthin but bangin-ass straight-up how tha [Poor language removed] muthafathas-to-be dig a name suggestion n' then scan they memoriez of playas they know whoz ass shared dat name before decidin if they like it or not … I guess that’s why you don’t hook up any lil playas called Adolf these days, biatch? Anyway, on tha plus side of dat rule mah hoe had taken like a gangbangin' finger-lickin' dirty-ass shine ta Jizzy Redknapp by dis time, so tha name association game allowed mah crazy ass ta git Jizzy (Carragher) on tha birth certificate. My [Poor language removed] other chizzlez was Sami (as up in Hyypia) n' Stevie (as up in Gerrard).
Despite bein named afta a gangbangin' finger-lickin' different Liverpool legend, todizzle mah Jizzy loves footbizzle like his [Poor language removed] lil' dad, n' LOVES Steven Gerrard. Y'all KNOW dat [Poor language removed], muthafucka! Such a inspirationizzle playa, dat hustlas lil' n' oldschool can identify wit instantly.
Its not just tha hustlas dat appreciate tha effortz of Liverpool’s mercurial number 8 however n' [Poor language removed]. Pele, Brazil’s most lauded playa, once holla'd of Gerrard dat tha only reason da thug wasn’t considered tha ghetto’s dopest was cuz "Da fans, they look only fo' forwards, always a gangbangin' forward," Pele went on ta say dat "For me, fo' tha last five muthafuckin years Gerrard has been tha dopest playa up in tha ghetto. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. Y'all KNOW dat [Poor language removed], muthafucka! Pele also holla'd dat "Gerrard be a pimpin playa, straight-up ghetto-class. If I was a manager, everywhere I went I would loot Steve Gerrard."
Zidane holla'd of tha Liverpool captain ""Is tha pimpin' muthafucka tha dopest up in tha ghetto, biatch? Dude might not git tha attention of [Lionel] Messi n' Ronaldo but, fo'sho, I be thinkin he just might be," Zidane holla'd. Y'all KNOW dat [Poor language removed], muthafucka! "If you aint gots a playa like Steven Gerrard, whoz ass is tha engine room, it can affect tha whole crew."
Stevie G, while still playing, has received platitudes from a shitload of tha dopest playas ta eva grace tha dope game. I be thinkin collectively up in dis ghetto we seem ta be thinkin less of his ass cuz his Gangsta, n' I be thinkin at club level, jealously make his ass tha target of derision. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Listen ta Man Utd n' Chelsea fans. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. Stevie Gerrard n' Liverpool could be playin 200 milez away from they games, yet these hustlas still find theyselves rappin bout Steven Gerrard. Y'all KNOW dat [Poor language removed], muthafucka! Dude be always on they minds, n' if they was brutally honest, they is gutted dat da ruffneck didn’t sign fo' dem muthafuckin years ago.
Pizzle Scholez was a pimped out midfielder, as was Frank Lampard yo, but they was phat from tha middle forwardz n' if you wanna pick a midfielder whoz ass could be phat goin forward then maybe Pizzle Gascoigne was tha dopest up in mah gametime. Bryan Robson is probably tha closest England have eva come ta Steven Gerrard yo, but tha different era make comparison impossible.
Alex Ferguson famously holla'd on his thugged-out autobiography, freestyled ta push copes, dat Gerrard wasn’t "a top, top playa." Yet when there was a sniff of his ass leavin Liverpool up in 2005 his cold-ass tune was slightly different when da perved-out muthafucka holla'd "Dude has become da most thugged-out influential playa up in England, bar none. Not dat Vieira lacks anythang yo, but Gerrard do more."
"Yo ass beauty" screamed Evertonian Andy Gray on Sly Game as Stevie Gerrard smashed a unstoppable drive tha [Poor language removed] into tha Olympiakos net, wit time hustlin up fo' Liverpool’s Champions League dreams. "What a hit son!" And as time was nearly up at Wembley dogg pound, n' Westside Ham sniffed a unexpected FA Cup win, dat shiznit was Stevie Gerrard whoz ass drove forward a unleashed hell from his bangin right boot fo' realz. A flick header up in Istanbul, wit Liverpool trailin 3-0 ta AC Milan was followed by furious upward swingz of his thugged-out arms up in order pull tha entire red contingent up in tha Ataturk n' beyond ta attention. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Da rest of dat Istanbul rap is tha shiznit of film, stage n' folklore.
A modern dizzle Roy of tha Rovers, Steven Gerrard be a top, top playa dat we is dirty enough ta have enjoyed fo' so long. Time waits fo' no playa however, n' sadly it is time ta say farewell n' wish tha Huyton born maestro our straight-up dopest fo' tha future, n' ta offer his ass up heartfelt props fo' tha blood, sweat n' tears he put tha [Poor language removed] into delivery our memories dat will last alllll muthafuckin day.
Gerard Houllier gave Stevie his [Poor language removed] lil' debut, n' as he once holla'd while manager of Liverpool "What we big up up in our gametime echoes all up in all eternity" An atomic bomb wouldn’t echo fo' any longer Stevie lad.
