Yeah, I find him entertaining at times and he does cause decent debate. He clearly has agendas against certain teams though. Constantly has a go at Arsenal, Norwich , Spurs for no good reason and when the fans get annoyed he calls them idiots. He should just admit he hates them as otherwise his constant outbursts at them make no sense
You can add Stoke to that list TBF, he's not keen on many sides. Again though, he doesn't just hate them sides, he puts a reason behind all of them and has been known to change his stance if whatever his reasoning changes at that club. Calling the callers idiots is annoying though
He never admits when he is wrong though. After about 3 games this season he said Norwich were the worst team to ever play in the premier league. An outrageous claim and soon after they went 10 games unbeaten and never were in the bottom 3 from then on. Durham still says he is right though because their weakened team lost to Luton in the FA cup. He now has a feauture where a clearly fake norwich fan comes on and makes Norwich fans look stupid. Its just a tad pathetic. Like I say reasonably entertaaining at times but quite annoying to listen to when his argument is bullshit as his debate with callers generally ends with him cutting them off before they can properly making their point and then having the last word. Whilst smugly proclaiming 'see I was right'. Goughie is terrible at debating so it generally makes Durham look saner too. He adores Villa, Manu and Chelsea it seems...
Liverpool's Jamie Carragher relishing final curtain call in Anfield farewell Retiring defender faces an emotional day against QPR but he is looking forward to experiencing life outside football Quitting while ahead is en vogue but Jamie Carragher has never been one for fashion. The decision to join the Premier League's passing-out parade after 16 years, 11 honours and, as of Sunday , 737 games with Liverpool was taken privately last summer and he has refused to dwell on the ramifications since. That is, until looking at his phone in the away changing room at Craven Cottage last Sunday. "It sounds stupid but I haven't thought about this being the end at all; it's been more like, 'We've got QPR at the weekend' or whoever," the 35-year-old explains. "But before the Fulham game someone sent me a text that said, 'Don't get sent off' and I thought, 'Imagine missing your last game at Anfield through suspension'. So before we went out I had a word with Mark Halsey. I said to him that if I'm misbehaving or whatever, just get the bench to bring me off. He said, 'Don't handball it on the line or commit a professional foul and you'll be all right'. I hadn't thought about it before then but I was thinking about it throughout the Fulham game. I just kept thinking, 'Don't do anything stupid'." Stupidity could not have elevated Carragher from emerging midfielder at Liverpool to put-upon full-back to one of the finest central defenders in Europe at his peak. Intelligence and an instinctive awareness of danger did. The defender knew this would be his last campaign from the outset, having lost his regular first-team place the previous season under the former manager Kenny Dalglish. Nothing in the first half of Brendan Rodgers' debut campaign challenged that decision but, courtesy of the single-mindedness that made the best, and more, of his talent, when Carragher bids farewell to Anfield on Sunday he will leave them wanting more. A pundit's role on Sky awaits instead of the move into coaching or management frequently predicted. Steven Gerrard is adamant the Liverpool vice-captain's experience will not be lost to the game for good and that he will eventually return. More surprising, perhaps, is the relish with which Carragher is approaching his curtain call. "I'm looking forward to the end now," he admits. "I have for a while. My missus and family have known for a while, so we are looking forward to doing different things. In 12 months' time I might think, 'I haven't missed anything'. I want to go and do something else, so that I either will or won't miss it. And if I do miss it, it will give me that buzz again to try and get back in. But perhaps it won't and I'll think, 'This is great, I love doing what I'm doing, great life, bit more time, going out doing different things'. I'm looking forward to seeing how it pans out." Where to channel that undiluted passion, however, remains an unknown. "I've been thinking about that and I don't know what to do," adds Carragher. "All of that running around and shouting every day gets it out of your system. I'll have to see if there are any five-a-side teams, although I actually fancy having a go at squash." He has put plenty back into Bootle, providing vital financial support for the Brunswick Youth Club for example and receiving the freedom of the borough of Sefton for his charity work, to merit an invitation. If there is regret at leaving a Liverpool team that have been cut adrift from the leading pack in the Premier League then Carragher disguises it well. He faced a crowded press conference at Melwood on Wednesday when the number of questions about not winning the title seemed disproportionate to a career yielding Champions League, Uefa Cup, FA Cup and League Cup success, but seventh in the table and second-best on Merseyside is not how he wanted to go. Carragher sees only reasons for optimism at Anfield. "The manager," he states, "he's really good and I think he will take it up again next season. And I'd imagine financial fair play will help us, although I don't know much about it. Even the [Sir Alex] Ferguson situation will help in some respects, not just Liverpool but maybe it will give everyone an opportunity. "Then there's the form we have showed since Christmas, January time. In the first half of the season we had a lot of kids in the team and it's not easy, not for the manager either. He lost a lot of experience in the summer in Dirk Kuyt, Craig Bellamy and Maxi [RodrÃguez], and he was replacing them with Raheem Sterling and Suso at the start. With the signing of Sturridge and [Philippe] Coutinho, the second half of the season has given us a positive to take into the next one. But I think we should be looking for the top four – we've got to get into the top four. We can't be having it where we've not even been close enough to put a challenge in throughout the season." One name is missing from Carragher's list of the reasons for Liverpool's post-January improvement: his own. Even Rodgers conceded the team lacked "men" and "a voice" after defeat at Manchester United on 13 January and the subsequent return of Carragher rectified that weakness at a stroke. The clamour for the veteran to reconsider his retirement plans, which involved Liverpool's owners at one point, soon gathered pace and the flaw in Carragher's optimism is that a huge void will be created at Anfield when his desire, drive and formidable will-to-win disappear. He does not recognise the characteristics to fill that void in those coming through. "It's becoming less and less, I must say," Carragher laments. "It's just different generations. I'm sure my dad will say he had more than me. It's just society in general now. You don't see it as much. You could talk of all other reasons why it is, but you don't see as many kids with it as you should. It's a worry for football, not just Liverpool. "It's not just an excuse for Liverpool kids. If anyone is going to have that character it's going to be Liverpool kids, so maybe they should all be worried. In general you hear stories of kids coming through, from other clubs and different things, and you do sometimes wonder if they have got that bit of something about them." It is for that reason Carragher has only admiration for Ferguson, the man who knocked Liverpool off their perch (though Carragher will tell you it was Graeme Souness) and with whom he shares retirement day. He admits: "I like him because I find it remarkable to see someone who is a bit like yourself in terms of passion but at that age. It's brilliant to have that passion to win at 71. He's been a great manager and it would be stupid to say anything else." Carragher plans to keep a respectful distance from Liverpool once the game with Queens Park Rangers, the guard of honour and a planned address to the Anfield crowd are over. "You have to be careful," he says, though he cannot go too far with a son at the club's academy and a job in the television studio next season. "When you have a good point to make or a valid one I have always respected that," he adds. "Players like people saying good things about them and, of course, no one is ever wrong when they do that, but they always are when they say bad stuff. That winds me up a bit. But I'm ready for it. I've told the lads if they're not performing they will be getting it." Liverpool's No23 insists he would decline the opportunity to increase his goal haul of five even if the team are winning 3-0 and awarded a last-minute penalty against QPR. "I wouldn't take one. Imagine missing that on your last game. You'd go for a pint after and they'd be saying, 'You missed a penalty in your last game!'" After Istanbul, Turin, Dortmund and Cardiff, to select just a few highlights, how would the veteran of 150 European appearances and countless rescue acts for Liverpool like to be remembered? "Nothing special," says Carragher. "Just someone who was always there, home and away, and gave his all." ------------------------------------ So, the passion is now being recognised. What a shame we don't have more of it. Well, we would if we hadn't got shot of Jay Spearing, who would go into derby tackles like Gerrard. Like Shanks said and I've often repeated: "For a player to be good enough to play for Liverpool, he must be prepared to run through a brick wall and come out fighting on the other side." I think that was high in Kenny's mind when he signed the players he did. Henderson, Adam, Carroll and Downing would run all day for you and never try to hide. Big qualities overlooked in the rush for Barca prettiness.
Thought the interview with Stevie after the game was strange too. You could see Carragher (and Gerrard) was emotional but he was refusing to show it. Can't say I totally agreed with hooking him off at the time he did, should have waiting until injury time!
Definitely It was great to see the send off he got. Some players epitomise everything I want to see from a player in a Red shirt. Passion, fight, will to win and making the most of what you have through hard work. He leaves a big hole and no doubt a quieter place as he moves on. All the best JC and thanks for the memories Now to find a replacement....
Personally I'd like a good, solid Prem experienced defender to replace Carra and a younger guy to come in and put pressure on Agger. What I don't want is for us to lose that experience and gamble on two young players. I just wish we could keep Kelly fit because I still think he could be Carra's natural succesor...unfortunately I don't think Rodgers can afford to gamble on him yet.
But who? I can't think of anyone. I agree on Kelly and maybe even Wisdom but they are just not ready yet. So should we maybe go for someone who is maybe 30 and has done it all and then develop Kelly into that position over the next 2 seasons?
Wouldn't take too long to list them I suppose. There are only twenty premier league teams and each have a maximum of two main CB's, most of which will either be at a (deemed) better side or (again, deemed) not good enough. Ones that spring to mind are Hangeland and Samba but can't say i'd be keen on either. Shawcross? Williams?
Obviously a lot is dependant on price/wages so Samba is out straight away (not that I'd want him on the radar) but someone like Hangeland or Huth I wouldn't say no to....as long as there was another signed as well. We are desperate for a dominant centre back who is a good organiser too. There will be a lot of changes at the top clubs this year so certain players will drop out of favour etc could be a bargain or two around
http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/211728-Carragher-Appreciation-Watch/page4 The Carra numbers game 737 appearances for Liverpool 26 years of service. Carragher's first association with Liverpool Football Club was in 1987-88 when he was just nine years old 58 appearances is Carra's record total for a single season, during 2000-01 as he helped the Reds to a unique treble of FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup 7 major trophies won with the Reds - 2 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, 1 Champions League, 1 UEFA Cup 1 defeat in 15 league games after Carra returned to the side in January. Just 12 goals were conceded in that time 12 honours in total with LFC including the FA Youth Cup 150 appearances in European competition make Jamie the man with the most games on the continental stage in Liverpool history. He has appeared in a staggering 44 per cent of all our European games 16 years and 131 days - the length of Carra's first-team career 38 caps for his country 6 matches played at the World Cup for England, at Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010, none of which ended in defeat during normal time 7 was where Reds supporters ranked the defender when asked to name their 100 Players Who Shook the Kop 11 Carraghers is a dream held by many on the Kop, who sing each week of their wish for "a team of Carraghers" 1 Honorary Fellowship, awarded by Liverpool John Moores University in July 2012 36 goals in a single campaign was Jamie's goalscoring record, which still stands, for Bootle Boys as a young player at centre-forward 45 times the centre-back has lined up against Chelsea, more than any other team - with Arsenal, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Everton his next most common opposition 5 goals Carragher has scored for Liverpool, meaning the defender averages a goal every 147 games 51 - the number of times Carra captained Liverpool in the Premier League 0 was the price the Reds paid for Carragher's services, having brought him through the youth team before awarding a professional contract in 1996 6 managers have been in charge at Anfield since Jamie made his debut, starting with Roy Evans and right up to current incumbent Brendan Rodgers 120 more games Jamie would have needed to play if he was to catch Liverpool's all-time record appearance holder, Ian Callaghan 8 times Carragher has put the ball through his own net, including twice in a single match on one occasion 35,682 people attended Jamie's testimonial, which took place against an Everton XI at Anfield in 2010 1,000 miles was the distance Carra travelled after working as a pundit during Euro 2012 to attend a trophy presentation for local teams in his hometown 23 is both the number Carragher wore with pride on the back of his Liverpool shirt and the name of his foundation, which he set up to support local children and charities throughout the city 1 Jamie Carragher
FORMER Premier League players have joined forces to fight crime in exotic locations. Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen, headed by their craggy-faced boss who only appears to them on a closed-circuit TV monitor, use their skills of logical deduction and kicking to solve high-profile cases. Carragher said: “It’s early days yet but I’ve noticed my role involves a lot of tea-making and nipping to the offie for the boss, while the other lads drive around in fast cars wearing fancy outfits. “He’s promised me it’s not a United/Liverpool thing but their agent names are Red Fox and Silver Shadow and mine is Gobshite.” Their first case involved diamond thieves prowling diplomats’ receptions, which Owen attended in a tuxedo talking about his goal against Argentina while Scholes ran around kicking anyone who looked suspicious. Carragher, meanwhile, sat in the van to keep an eye on it. The culprit was revealed to be David Beckham, whose entire career has actually been a cover to travel around the globe lifting jewels to support his wife’s voracious shoe habit. ‘Fergie’s Angels’ merchandise has been produced to finance the operation but manufacturers are struggling with a voice for the Carragher doll that doesn’t upset nearby dogs or set off burglar alarms. Carragher added: “After a successful mission, the lads sit around on the verandah laughing and sipping champagne while the boss calls on the intercom to call me a useless bag of dick.”
Varane at Real would be an ideal choice, but no chance of that one coming off as a Carra replacement...
