Gerrard: England more important than Liverpool

Coming hot on the heels of his ignorant ‘foreigners are taking over the league’ comments, Steven Gerrard has angered many Liverpool fans by proclaiming that playing for England is ‘ a lot bigger’ than playing for Liverpool.

I have been repeatedly shouted down when advancing that opinion that Gerard cares more about England than Liverpool, but once again I have been proved right. Gerrard stated:

"When I join up with England, these games are bigger than Champions League games or league games. You're representing your country. If you go to a major tournament and play well or achieve something as a team it's going to be a lot bigger than achieving something at your club."

Gerrard’s disappointing views are arguably at odds with the majority of Liverpool fans, who prioritise club over country. Not that Gerrard seems to give two hoots about damaging the expectations of his loyal fanbase:

"Maybe that is supporters being selfish. As a player, you want to play in the biggest games. Those are European [Championship] games and World Cup games."

It’s nice to know that Gerrard considers games against Macedonia and Trinidad and Tobago to be more important than games against AC Milan and Arsenal.

These comments confirm what I have been saying for years about Steven Gerrard: He is more interested in playing for England than Liverpool. In that respect, he is similar to former Liverpool player Michael Owen, someone who has shamelessly prioritised country over club for years.

Gerrard’s comments are depressingly unambiguous, and whilst I can understand his patriotism, this is not what you want to hear from a Liverpool Captain. The fact that Gerrard is a homegrown Liverpudlian makes it even worse, as there is now a damaging dichotomy between him and the Scouse fans that worship him every week.

Fans love to believe that Gerrard is an extension of them, representing their hopes and dreams as a ‘local boy done good’. The reality is sadly very different. Gerrard is as far removed from the average fan on the street as it possible to be. He lives in a different world, and has nothing in common with the fawning fans who put him on a pedestal.

In my view, the reason Gerrard prefers England over Liverpool has nothing to do with patriotism and everything to do with vanity. He wants to be immortalised on the international stage, and considered one of the best players of all time. He is hungry for the fame that the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Maradona enjoy. It’s all about 'Stevie Me' and what he can achieve for himself, rather than having anything to do with the team or the pride of England.

With these comments, Gerrard is close to destroying the special bond that exists between Scousers and ‘one of their own’. Would you ever hear Robbie Fowler say such things? Never. That is why Fowler is revered and Gerrard will ultimately be greeted with indifference.

As I’ve stated repeatedly over the years, Steven Gerrard is not fit to be the Captain of Liverpool FC. He needs to be stripped of that honour, and it should go to someone who prioritises Liverpool FC above all else. This is the way it needs to be and this is the way it should be.