Carra- Time to hang up the boots?

For 15 years Jamie Carragher, alongside club captain Steven Gerrard, has been the scouse heartbeat of Liverpool FC. Personifying the historic ‘Liverpool Way’ Carra, as he has affectionately come to be known, delights supporters week in week out with countless committed and accomplished performances at the centre of the Reds’ defence, commanding and managing the back four with an unmistakable air of authority that sets our vice-captain out as a leader. Off the pitch, meanwhile, his refreshing honesty in interviews distinguishes him from the crowd while his ’23 Foundation’ charity gives back to the community that he was born and bred in, endearing the Bootle-born star to his many fans.

However, now many of those fans are beginning to wonder whether Carragher should remain an automatic starter in Kenny Dalglish’s line-up.

It seems bizarre to type this, but at 33 Carragher with, in all likelihood, around 45 years of life left to live, is considered to be ‘old’ by the footballing community. A veteran of 680 Liverpool matches, Carragher may have only found the back of the opposition’s net five times but, placed second in the Reds’ all time appearance list, Carra has been an ever-present throughout the many highs and lows experienced under Roy Evans, Gerard Houiller, Rafael Benitez, Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish.

Winning virtually everything that can be won, bar that elusive Premier League title of course, Carragher is highly esteemed for surviving so long at the elite level of English football. Nevertheless, in the modern game youth is paramount and with, at the most, three years of his career left Dalglish is obviously searching for long-term alternatives at centre back, which was the main reason behind the purchase of Sebastian Coates from Nacional in the summer.

In the short-term though, one of the main concerns with keeping Carragher in the starting eleven is his apparent lack of pace. Undeniably, Carra has never been blessed with blistering pace and, as the ageing process takes its inevitable toll, he is only going to get slower. His encyclopaedic knowledge of the game, tactical acumen and positional sense allow him to be several steps ahead of his opponents at times and consequently compensates for his lack of pace. However, pace remains an essential attribute and it is therefore only logical for Carragher to occupy the bench when facing speed kings such as Arsenal’s Theo Walcott.

Thankfully, several replacements are ready to step into Carra’s considerable boots upon his eventual retirement and, in fact, are already beginning to challenge the number 23 for a place at the heart of the Reds’ defence. Together, they will attempt to replicate and preferably enhance and expand his skills set. Clean-shaven Slovakian centre back Martin Skrtel retains Carragher’s no-nonsense attitude and tendency for tough tackling. Although rarely played so far, Coates has also been lauded for similar attributes, and, at 6 foot 6, will add much needed height and aerial dominance to our back four once he hopefully matures into a Premier League performer. Daniel Agger, meanwhile, is a fantastic ball playing modern centre back who can ping a pass with pinpoint accuracy. If (and it’s a big if) he can steer clear of injuries, as Carragher has done so fortunately, then he could be a permanent fixture in Liverpool’s defence for years to come.

Perhaps most importantly, they will be following the perfect legacy of professionalism and dedication laid down by Jamie Carragher. After so many years at the pinnacle of the beautiful game, Carra will be fondly remembered as ‘Mr Liverpool’ when he retires, despite being a boyhood Evertonian. His love for and commitment to the club will never be forgotten and his successors will be expected to live up to his exceedingly high standards.

Moreover, Dalglish will almost certainly welcome him with open arms into the coaching set-up at Melwood upon his retirement and allow him to impart his wisdom to future Liverpool players. In fact, Carragher taking over the reigns and becoming manager of the club at some point in the future cannot be ruled out. Just look at how Dalglish has enjoyed two spells in the Anfield dugout since hanging up his boots.

So, is it time for Carragher to hang up his boots?

The short answer is no, Carra still has a few years left in his legs yet, although his role in the team will unavoidably decline in campaigns to come. However, he will always be loved for faithfully serving the club and the local community for so long and still has a large part to play in Liverpool’s future.

YNWA