Over 17,000 votes were cast by Liverpool fans who were voting for the club’s greatest Premier League-era player and there was, unsurprisingly, one man who was head and shoulders above the rest. That player is, of course, Steven Gerrard.
So it’s been written. The never-in-doubt legacy of our Captain Fantastic. The lad from Huyton has been voted Liverpool’s best player of the Premier League era.
Although the actual winner’s medal eluded him, and even those who have actually won it can’t even top our former number 8. Maybe it’s because he’s from Liverpool and won trophies that generation of fans have never seen won, or maybe it’s because the amount of unbelievable goals he bagged and the amount of times he himself rescued points among a group of players that were no were near his calibre. Either way, he tops the list as Liverpool best Premier League player.
Even the best players the world has ever seen, have time and time again laid plaudits at the scouser’s feet, as they too were constantly in awe of the talent and ability he displayed. Some would say that such a player had an underachieving career considering his stature amongst the world’s best, but medals does not a player make, and the likes of Zinedine Zidane agreed.
“It is unusual to get complete midfield players who can do everything, but that is what he was.” (Zinedine Zidane).
To understand why he tops the list of Top 50 Premier League players for Liverpool, we must look at the moments he gave us. The moments we fell in love with football all over again, which was filled with childhood passion and actualising dreams of a boy born to bag screamers in front of the Kop.
He may have lifted the European Cup in 2005, but that would never have happened if the man himself didn’t orchestrate the comeback, and rifle in a goal-difference defying bullet that sunk the hearts of the travelling Olympiacos fans in the first half of the season.
“It was a disgrace he didn’t win European Footballer of the Year after Istanbul in 2005 and, for me, he will be regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time.” (Thierry Henry).
Taking over the armband from Sami Hyypia (a Kop legend himself), Gerrard was stepping into the shoes of giants. There was no sense of fear or stress in Stevie G at the age of 23, and by 24. he had won the European Cup.
In the years to come, he would forge fruitful midfield-striker partnerships with Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez and even Peter Crouch. Two close league title attempts, an FA Cup and a League Cup to boot. However, even if on paper Gerrard isn’t the most successful Premier League player, he is undoubtedly the most loved.
“I’m spoilt having a team-mate like Gerrard as I can count on him supplying me with perfect passes. You make the run into the space and however tightly marked he is, he finds a way to get the ball through in perfect condition.” (Fernando Torres).
That half volley from a different post code against Middlesborough, free kicks of all kinds, and the 2006 FA Cup final which was named after him, all would’ve factored in to the rose tinted spectacles we look back with.
Even though his head was turned by Chelsea at one point, he was open in the press about it. Maybe his denial of the option to move and his resilience to stay on Merseyside made us all love him more. His honesty for being tempted and his integrity for staying, bolstered what was already an undying love for the iconic midfielder.
It wasn’t just the fans that revered him. Everyone wanted him in their team. Even the best managers in the world fatally attempted to turn Stevie’s head. But his integrity and pride for playing for Liverpool would always win in the end.
“I tried to bring him to Chelsea, I tried to bring him to Inter, I tried to bring him to Real Madrid, but he was always a dear enemy. I was dreaming of having Claude Makelele, Gerrard and Frank Lampard in midfield.” (Jose Mourinho).
“Everywhere the ball is, he seems to be there. He’s got that unbelievable engine, desire, determination. Anyone would love to have Gerrard in their team.” (Alex Ferguson)
It was Gerrard’s long standing relationship with the people of Liverpool that was a big factor in him becoming the player he was. We will never forget the pride and passion he played with, and his commitment to us, the fans.
Racking up over 500 appearances and netting 120 goals, there was something special about every completed pass and every goal he scored. They seemed to have an added layer of celebration just because he was Stevie G. Our Stevie G. Our Captain Fantastic.
“Obviously the fans are very important to me, in fact they mean everything to me and they are the people I try to please when I play.” (Steven Gerrard).
You voted Steven Gerrard as Liverpool’s best ever Premier League player. It’s easy to see why.
