tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5735347986718349687.post-67101037713637294252008-03-28T00:21:00.006Z2008-03-28T10:34:00.455Z2008-03-28T10:34:00.455Z<div align="left">What is it with Steven Gerrard?! He just has no concept of what being a captain is all about. He proved that categorically with his failure to turn up in any capacity at Old Trafford, but now, in the aftermath of the defeat, he’s decided to eulogize about Wayne Rooney in public, praising him in emphatic terms for the part he played in Man United’s victory.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Discussing his failed partnership with Rooney in the recent England defeat to France, Gerrard gushed:<br /><br /><em>"I've seen him do it [play up front alone] with Manchester United. <strong>He destroyed us at the weekend</strong> with his direct running and making it difficult for defenders".</em><br /><br />Gerrard also enthused about how playing with Rooney was ‘<em>always a pleasure’</em>.<br /><br />Is this what Liverpool fans want to hear from the captain of the club 4 days after being beaten 3-0 by our hated rivals?! Is this the kind of fighting talk that we should expect from someone who is supposed to embody the competitive spirit of the club?!<br /><br />It wasn’t just ‘Rooney played well against us’ – Gerrard made a bold, emphatic statement: ‘Rooney DESTROYED us’.<br /><br />I’m sorry, but Liverpool FC does not get ‘destroyed’; that’s not a word that should be associated with the club. Furthermore, it’s not even accurate! In no way did Rooney ‘destroy’ the team with some kind of devastating, memorable, match winning performance.<br /><br />Yes, he played well, but Liverpool were down to ten men for much of the game, and with Gerrard hiding and responsible for a total lack of leadership on the field, I’m not surprised the Mancs were rampant.<br /><br />Gerrard’s reverence for players in rival teams is sickening. I've lost count of the amount of times he’s publicly fawned over the likes of Rooney, Frank Lampard and John Terry. </span><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Perhaps I’m living in the past, but I don’t want to hear the captain of the club gushing about our rivals and telling the world the team was ‘destroyed’. How does this breed confidence? How is this conducive to maintaining a winning mentality?<br /><br />As usual, I have to compare Gerrard to Liverpool’s captains of the past. Do you think Ron Yeats, Tommy Smith, Emlyn Hughes, Graeme Souness, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush or John Barnes would have been so negative about the team in such a way?<br /><br />Never in a million years.<br /><br />Hell, even Paul Friggin’ Ince never spoke about the team in such a manner when he *shudder* captained the club, and he was an ex-Manc!<br /><br />Just imagine what Liverpool could achieve with a *proper* leader. A real captain instills confidence, steel and an unshakeable will to win. A real captain does not:<br /><br />1. <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2008/02/inspirational-captain-steven-gerrards.html">Write off the team's Champions League chances</a> in public.<br />2. Gush over hated rival players in public and praise them for 'destroying' the team.<br />3. Claim that the <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2007/11/gerrard-england-more-important-than.html">national team is more important than his club team</a>.<br />4. <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2007/11/gerrard-exposes-his-lack-of-support-for.html">Repeatedly fail to back his manager</a> in public in times of adversity.</span><span class="fullpost"></div><div align="left">5. <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2007/10/steven-gerrard-grow-up-you-moaning-cry.html">Question his manager's decisions in public </a>in a petulant manner after being substituted.<br />6. <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2008/03/manchester-united-debacle-exposes.html">Fail to defend his team-mates</a> in high pressure games.<br />7. <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/search/label/Gerrard">Endlessly spout pessimism and negativity </a>in the press.<br />8. <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2007/11/gerrards-xenophobic-attack-on.html">Spout xenophbic nonsense </a>about 'Foreigners taking over'.<br />9. <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2008/03/yet-more-evidence-of-steven-gerrards.html">Try to take personal credit</a> for the team's good performances.</div><div align="left">10. <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2008/01/drop-excuses-gerrard-rafa-and-players.html">Invite negative media pressure onto the club </a>at the worst possible time.</div><div align="left">11. <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2008/01/drop-excuses-gerrard-rafa-and-players.html">Blame poor onfield performances on off field turmoil</a>. In public.</div><div align="left">12. Show a complete lack of class by <a href="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2008/01/steven-gerrards-insidious-attempt-to.html">publicly lobbying for the England captain role</a><br /></div><div align="left"><br />And all that is just this season!</div><div align="left"><br />I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, and I'll keep saying it until people finally pull their heads out of the sand: Liverpool will never win the league with Gerrard as captain. He is not a leader and he does not have the qualities required to be an effective leader.<br /><br />People will continue to make excuses for him, but in my view, he is a liability as captain; he has no understanding of leadership and no concept of what the role of Liverpool captain is all about.<br /><br />Quite frankly, he is an embarrassment, and the longer he remains in the role, the worse it will be for the team. </span></div>Jaimie Kanwarnoreply@blogger.com10