31 Jan 2015

Freudian Slip? - 'Devastated' Sturridge accidentally reveals 'honest' info about Gerrard

The dust has now settled on Steven Gerrard's recently-announced decision to leave Liverpool at the end of this season, and he will undoubtedly be missed by fans and players alike. Gerrard remains a great role model for all the players at the club, but according to Daniel Sturridge, not everyone in LFC's squad holds the skipper in such high regard.

When asked this week about Gerrard's decision to move on, Sturridge admitted he's 'devastated' about it, but then appeared to make a telling Freudian slip. He told the Liverpool Echo:

“He [Gerrard] is still a role model of mine and I look up to him.

"The majority of the squad does to be honest, and he’ll be sorely missed"


The 'majority' of the squad looks up to Gerrard?

* This suggests that there are some players at Anfield who do not look up to the captain.

* This hints at possible waning influence in the dressing room, which may be a contributing factor in Gerrard's decision to leave the club.

* Sturridge's choice of words is telling. Why use the word 'majority'? He could've just said 'I look up to him, as does everyone else in the squad'.

To clarify: this is not a criticism of Sturridge. There's no malice here - he obviously said what he did without thinking, and it's clear (to me) that his subconscious thoughts on the subject basically seeped into his statement.

As such, it's probably a true reflection of what Sturridge has observed around the club, i.e., that Gerrard no longer inspires every single player at Anfield. If that's the case, then it's clearly the right time for him to leave.

People will inevitably argue that I'm reading too much into things, but people often betray their subconscious feelings in off-the-cuff comments, and in my view, that's definitely the case here with Sturridge.

Author:


65 comments:

  1. What a pointless article about absolutely nothing

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  2. Well. I guess not everybody worships Gerrard at the club. So be it.

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  3. I am sure Sturridge was saying this as an expression but of course you might be right. You scared me when you said devastated Sturridge as I thought he got injured again.

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  4. Maybe its just a simple case that one by right doesn't speak for everybody.

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  5. I wouldn't read too much into that to be honest. Footballers generally aren't known for their oratorical skills or their understanding of the meaning of English words.

    Example:
    Paul Merson; "Reading won't have the confidence to be confident"
    Paul Merson: "It was a damp squid for Liverpool"
    Paul Merson: "He has given us unbelievable belief"

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  6. lets not use the word devastated with Sturridge please - unless it's after he misses the chance to score his third in a row hat-rick. Almost reached for the brandy

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  7. What a pathetic article!!

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  8. I gave up on the brandy long ago, if only to fund my heroin addiction.

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  9. Don't put it anywhere near your John thomas- read a medical report about a guy who injected c-caine into his JT - he lost that as well as 9 fingers and parts of his legs

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  10. Yes even Brendan has been known to say things that on closer scrutiny are open to challenge. For example:

    "You train dogs, I like to educate players" Grrrrrrrrrrrr!

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  11. Wow. I am sure that if you recorded me you'd be able to analyse a lot on my subconscious thoughts and reveal a lot of things about me and my thinking I wasn't even aware off myself. I think he is just talking. Don't put to much into I. And whatever if you're right about it? I am sure in a big squad there will always be someones who doesn't like the manager, captain or this or that player. 5 years ago I am sure someone disliked Gerrard exactly like today. It is like every other workplace just with added competitiveness. You work better with some than others. You do not necessarily respect your superiors. That is it. As long as he command the respect of the majority it'll be just alright! There is nothing in the statement hinting that the minority disrespect him. Anyway I had loads of respect for my former boss. He was incredibly good at what he did. But a role model he'll never be. I don't look up to him. We are completely different persons and types. I wouldn't and couldn't do like him. I'd do it a completely different way as we have different skills. You could as easily have analyzed it like that. Why the need to look up to someone? For me it often just means there's an imbalance between the persons involved. There can easily be a lot of respect and healthy acceptance of the fact that we as people are equal but play different roles - some as leaders and some not - but equally important roles. If anything I believe the problem with Gerrard is actually the fact that some players and a long list of Liverpool managers have looked up to him to much. I am not asking for less respect. I think it I clear now that I see that as two different things. But at times it have looked a hindrance for some players - to play with Gerrard - limiting their ability to play freely and to there best, always giving the role model, the big man the ball. Same goes for managers accepting his understandable will to play every game no matter of fitness or form. Mismanagement I believe. I am sure we'd see a lot better Gerrard today if he had been properly managed through the years. I feel it's the right decision for him to go. Not because his influence is waning but because it is to strong. We need other people stepping forward now! Taking responsibility on their shoulders. There is a lot of players ready to grow from that like Henderson, Lallana, Sturridge, Flanagan, Lucas etc.

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  12. I thought it was fascinating stuff.it was the best two minutes I have ever spent and I'm so glad I took the time to read it.i learned so much.thanks

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  13. Do u not have anything else going on in yr life at the moment other than to scrutinise with a magnifying glass word for word what a person has just said.purely ridiculous statement to come up with and unnecessary,try sticking to positive thoughts around matchday if you don't mind like let's hope daniel comes back and scores our winner today..come on red men

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  14. Oh my God. Are you crazy? You can't disagree with jaimie or say negative things about his article!!! Do you want to get banned,? You need to apologise before its too late!!

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  15. Does everyone log off to vote as guests ?

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  16. You can do that? Beats shamelessly up-voting your own post I suppose.

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  17. I really think you might not be reading enough into this. This Freudian slip (as opposed to a Gerrard slip - ouch sorry!) could indicate that Sturridge too does not rate SG but wants to hint that it's the others.


    This could indicate that SG has "lost the dressing room" and if that is the case he may have to leave the club sooner rather than later.

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  18. Didn't he also say, "I've always said that you can live for many days without water, but you cannot live for a second without hope"?


    Gotta love BR, he's like our very own Yoda or Mr Miyagi.

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  19. Oh I don't know .......;-)

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  20. So when gerrard leaves and sturridge aswell and coutinhos stats are really bad (as jaimie has said recently) then things are worse than I thought!

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  21. Yes but fortunately only subcosciously

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  22. Begorrah he kissed the Blarney Stone as a babe so he did

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  23. Stevie is a LFC legend and his reputation precedes him - possibly jealousy could play a part with newer team members

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  24. The worst thing is every time he waves at anyone he gets beaten up

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  25. Indeed. Imagine people scrutinising our every statements like that on daily basis. Life would be hell.

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  26. Oh thank God..so what you're saying is that in real life (and not in jaimies head) everything might just be ok after all?

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  27. Do footballers really look up to other footballers that much anyway...its all sound bites ,lets get real they are all ego maniacs with little or no perception of the real world due to there molly coddled life style

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  28. No actually the title looked quite interesting. .

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  29. Yep I confess I googled and unfortunately there's loads......

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  30. I will send my guest upvote later after ive finished doing all of mine.

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  31. I would suggest that it is very much old school meets new school and Stevie having to be the go between in motivating players to carry out BR's instructions on the pitch . A captains's lot is not always a happy one !

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  32. I knew you'd done that but I still checked anyway!

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  33. If you don't read it you won't know it's pathetic. .

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  34. they are all driven individuals...gerrad means a lot to a liverpool fan because he plays for liverpool but i very much doubt he means anything to another prem player who supported another club growing up,

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  35. I thought there was enough in the title for you not to have to read the article if it was pathetic!

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  36. I wouldn't dare say that -but subconsciously who knows ;-)

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  37. That's your opinion!

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  38. This is what I got in mail from Bleacher report-

    "Words can't describe what he's done for Liverpool as well as his country. He's still a role model of mine. I look up to him, I think everyone in the squad does. He'll be sorely missed -- he's somebody who's given me a lot of experience and helped me to improve as a person and a footballer."

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  39. Same here.... I was thinking ooo noooo here we go again then I read the article and wheeewww.... hope he does well today ..

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  40. Bench

    Ward, Johnson, Lambert, Sturridge, Allen, Borini, Ibe

    Really strong bench

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  41. Lotsa comments deleted today Naughty Naughty

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  42. wHAT HAPPENED TO gERRARD, just resting or?

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  43. I don't know what it was but it left a trail of destruction behind ;-)

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  44. They just don't all look up to him anymore ;-)

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  45. Skrtel's shaved head vs Carroll's girly pony tail. Skrtel's won that battle already.

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  46. I think you mean donkey tail ;-)

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  47. Great for kid's parties.

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  48. The team had a vote and he lost

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  49. Battle of the heads to day Carroll v Skirt ...... get that one stitched Jimmy !
    Hope Ibe gets some time or why did we bring him back ?

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  50. I lost two, if we are talking about comments...

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  51. Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Henderson, Lucas, Moreno, Markovic, Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling

    Sakho made it.. Yes...

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  52. Jaimie I generally think you read too much into things but this one is really clutching at straws. I often think you don't really believe a lot of the stuff you write, you just write it to get a reaction. A bit like Adrian Durham on talksport. Either way it's worked because here we all are reacting...

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  53. Is everyone OK? - I lost three

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  54. So there I was, minding my business, reading comments on the site, and preparing to inject my JT when I came across this post...
    Thanks for the heads up, Gene.

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  55. Try the eyeball instead mate, much better.

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  56. haha, the second bit is painfully true..


    Now it is just me disapearing..

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  57. Hahaha of all the fingers to be saved

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  58. Sausage butty will never be the same again

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