So Steven Gerrard has called time on his career, and it is only fair to look back on it fairly, objectively and properly. In short, Gerrard was a great club player but never really achieved what he should have when he put on the England jersey.
So let's start with the kid from Liverpool...who played for Liverpool. The one thing any of us can dream of is playing for our country and our hometown football club. It's very rare that we achieve both things, and even more unlikely that sucess is gained in both of those teams.
Stevie G definitely was a champion for Liverpool.
Once the boy grew into a man, and really took hold of the very difficult and demanding central midfield position, he became the first name on the teamsheet. He was a player that could swoop back to defend and win the ball, spray passes at will and lead attacks with his surging runs.
Oh, and he scored some exceptional long-ranging goals as well.
You can pick out that crucial goal against Olympiacos which made commentator Andy Gray go crazy or the final minute goal that forced extra time when Liverpool faced West Ham in the FA Cup final.
Gerrard had many special moments.
The Red captain may have fallen short from winning the league for his boyhood club, but his greatest achievement was that incredible night in Istanbul. A match which Liverpool should have lost, because it's not everyday you come back from three-down against AC Milan...when they were mighty.
But that goal in the second half to make it 3-1 and the way he motivated and roused his team forward was a catalyst in Liverpool making the comeback of all time. So even though he was so close to winning the league, lifting up the Champions League trophy was at least an understandable consolation.
And the manner in which it was done made it all the more sweeter.
Even though Gerrard is one of the best midfielders the Premiership has seen, for someone with so much talent in the position, he disappointed on the international stage. We never saw that swashbuckling baller in either the World Cup or Euros.
You can blame the manager, the tactics, or those around him who were not up to the standard of Liverpool. But for someone who Real Madrid were hovering around, it's such a shame you never saw that player shine and lead England to at least a semi-final, or come up big in a knockout game.
So it's important to note how Gerrard should be remembered as he hangs up his boots. He was a player that excelled at the club level but never really made it at the more difficult and tactically demanding international stage.
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