Post by Helen on Jul 29, 2004 21:18:35 GMT
I've made right choice staying put - Gerrard Jul 29 2004
By Andy Hunter in New York, Daily Post
LIVERPOOL'S chances of closing the 30-point chasm on Arsenal will improve considerably this season if Patrick Vieira defects to Real Madrid. Yet there will be an inevitable price to pay.
Disappointment will be hard to find at Anfield if Madrid finally get their man even though Liverpool fans can today empathise with their Highbury counterparts as their captain, an irrepressible midfield driving force, is
tempted by one of the richest clubs in the world.
Vieira's defection, however, would bring its own consequence for Liverpool as speculation over his replacement is sure to fall on Steven Gerrard.
Following the ordeal of the sure-fire switch to Chelsea that never was it will be a saga Liverpool fans will approach with as much tired resignation as dread. But at least they can be rest assured their captain would feel exactly the same.
The 24-year-old was honest enough to admit the lure of a serious title and Champions League challenge under Jose Mourinho at the pot of gold that is Stamford Bridge had tempted him.
But having agonised over Chelsea's offer and then turned his back on it Gerrard just wants to put the episode behind him and, more importantly,
concentrate only on leading Liverpool once again. Chelsea may still be constructing an expensive, impressive outfit without him, but he is not a
man filled with regret.
"There is no hiding the fact it was a difficult summer for me personally, I went through a lot of agonising and a lot of difficulties but I'm just glad I've got it all behind me now," said the Anfield skipper.
Ihave absolutely no regrets over staying and now I just want to get on with the new season.
"It's great to just be actually playing again and thinking about football and not about anything else. It's a relief not to have my mind racing and going over things a million times.
"My head was all over the place but in other ways it wasn't very difficult to decide at all. Now I just want the season to start and to put my frustrations behind me."
Gerrard's departure to Chelsea appeared such a nailed-on certainty at Euro 2004 that by the time he announced his decision to stay many Liverpool fans
had already resigned themselves to the loss.
But as he explains: "When the tournament was over I had an important couple of days with my family and I think that helped me sort a lot of things out in my mind.
"Obviously it was such a serious decision that I had to make that would affect my whole life.
"When I was away with England I realised the implications of what I had to decide. I realised it was a decision that would have an important effect on
my whole life so I didn't want to come out and say anything.
"What I actually decided to do was wait until I got home and give myself a couple of days to make the decision. I had to speak to my family before I committed myself completely. And when I got home and spoke with them I
realised I had to stay.
"There wasn't just one reason for staying, there were quite a few. It was a combination of my family, of being with Liverpool all my life and of being the captain of the team and leading the team.
"I have worked hard to get to a point where I am the captain of Liverpool and I didn't want to just throw that away.
"My family were telling me about the fans and what their reaction was, evenwhen I was still away with England. I am aware of what it meant to them. I
don't mean that in a big-headed way, just that I realised the importance of what it meant, so the fans also persuaded me to stay too.
"The thing is, I've been through all that now. It's done and now I'm looking forward to being the captain again and trying to take Liverpool where we all want to go."
Gerrard made his first "re-appearance" for Liverpool in Tuesday's impressive destruction of Celtic in Connecticut and it is obvious the frustrations of the past two seasons have been replaced by an impatience to
put things right this season.
"I've made my decision now and I know that I have made the right one," he says. "Now I just want to move forward with Liverpool. I only want to look ahead because the decision has been taken and we need to go forward from here.
By Andy Hunter in New York, Daily Post
LIVERPOOL'S chances of closing the 30-point chasm on Arsenal will improve considerably this season if Patrick Vieira defects to Real Madrid. Yet there will be an inevitable price to pay.
Disappointment will be hard to find at Anfield if Madrid finally get their man even though Liverpool fans can today empathise with their Highbury counterparts as their captain, an irrepressible midfield driving force, is
tempted by one of the richest clubs in the world.
Vieira's defection, however, would bring its own consequence for Liverpool as speculation over his replacement is sure to fall on Steven Gerrard.
Following the ordeal of the sure-fire switch to Chelsea that never was it will be a saga Liverpool fans will approach with as much tired resignation as dread. But at least they can be rest assured their captain would feel exactly the same.
The 24-year-old was honest enough to admit the lure of a serious title and Champions League challenge under Jose Mourinho at the pot of gold that is Stamford Bridge had tempted him.
But having agonised over Chelsea's offer and then turned his back on it Gerrard just wants to put the episode behind him and, more importantly,
concentrate only on leading Liverpool once again. Chelsea may still be constructing an expensive, impressive outfit without him, but he is not a
man filled with regret.
"There is no hiding the fact it was a difficult summer for me personally, I went through a lot of agonising and a lot of difficulties but I'm just glad I've got it all behind me now," said the Anfield skipper.
Ihave absolutely no regrets over staying and now I just want to get on with the new season.
"It's great to just be actually playing again and thinking about football and not about anything else. It's a relief not to have my mind racing and going over things a million times.
"My head was all over the place but in other ways it wasn't very difficult to decide at all. Now I just want the season to start and to put my frustrations behind me."
Gerrard's departure to Chelsea appeared such a nailed-on certainty at Euro 2004 that by the time he announced his decision to stay many Liverpool fans
had already resigned themselves to the loss.
But as he explains: "When the tournament was over I had an important couple of days with my family and I think that helped me sort a lot of things out in my mind.
"Obviously it was such a serious decision that I had to make that would affect my whole life.
"When I was away with England I realised the implications of what I had to decide. I realised it was a decision that would have an important effect on
my whole life so I didn't want to come out and say anything.
"What I actually decided to do was wait until I got home and give myself a couple of days to make the decision. I had to speak to my family before I committed myself completely. And when I got home and spoke with them I
realised I had to stay.
"There wasn't just one reason for staying, there were quite a few. It was a combination of my family, of being with Liverpool all my life and of being the captain of the team and leading the team.
"I have worked hard to get to a point where I am the captain of Liverpool and I didn't want to just throw that away.
"My family were telling me about the fans and what their reaction was, evenwhen I was still away with England. I am aware of what it meant to them. I
don't mean that in a big-headed way, just that I realised the importance of what it meant, so the fans also persuaded me to stay too.
"The thing is, I've been through all that now. It's done and now I'm looking forward to being the captain again and trying to take Liverpool where we all want to go."
Gerrard made his first "re-appearance" for Liverpool in Tuesday's impressive destruction of Celtic in Connecticut and it is obvious the frustrations of the past two seasons have been replaced by an impatience to
put things right this season.
"I've made my decision now and I know that I have made the right one," he says. "Now I just want to move forward with Liverpool. I only want to look ahead because the decision has been taken and we need to go forward from here.
