Liverpool's Jamie Carragher will be sorely missed at Anfield

On Thursday the 7th of Feburary 2013, Liverpool supporters around the world stopped and paused as they learnt of the news that Jamie Carragher is to leave Liverpool Football Club and retire from football at the end of the 2012-13 season. The defender, now 35, and much loved by Liverpool’s fans will be sorely missed, and just at a time when defensive stability is a must for the red half of Merseyside.

The European Cup winner, has been drafted in to shore up the Reds defence as Brendan Rodgers looks to firm-up his blue-print for the Reds over the next 12 months. With Martin Skrtel and Sebastian Coates not cutting the mustard at the present time, it has been Carragher barking out the orders alongside Dane Daniel Agger.

The lad from Bootle has made over 700 appearances for the Reds thus far, but Carragher came into his own during Rafa Benitez’s time at Liverpool. After making his debut in 1997 against Middlesbrough at the tender age of 18, Carra was deployed in a number of positions across the Liverpool back-line. Dubbed as one of Liverpool’s most versatile players at the time, Carra would occupy both full-back positions as well as being deployed as a defensive midfielder from time-to-time under former managers Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier.

That versatility would shine through in the 2000-01 season as he starred at left-back when Liverpool won the treble of FA Cup, League Cup and the UEFA Cup. However Liverpool fans would soon come to realize the importance of Jamie Carragher after a serious injury against Blackburn Rovers sidelined Carra for six months in 2003.

In the summer of 2004, a fresh and ambitious Spaniard turned up at Melwood, fresh after winning the double with Spanish giants Valencia. His name was Rafa Benitez, and he would ensure that Carra would go down in Liverpool folklore. After successive seasons of being shunted around from right-back, to left-back and back again, Benitez paired Carragher with the experienced Sami Hyypia in the centre of Liverpool’s defence.

It was a decision that would reap instant rewards in the 2004-05 season. Carragher and Hyypia marshalled Liverpool’s backline as the club claimed their fifth European Cup crown as they beat AC Milan in emphatic fashion in Istanbul in May 2005.

For Carra was a colossus that evening in the Ataturk Stadium, as he fought and inspired against an extremely talented Italian outfit. His determination and quick-wit, inspired Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek to replicate Bruce Grobbeleaar’s penalty antics to intimidate the likes of Andriy Shevchenko – and it worked. Add European Cup to Carra’s already impressive list of accolades.

Rafa Benitez continued to rely on Carra during his impressive tenure as Liverpool boss A year later Liverpool staged another come-back in a cup final. This time at the Millenium Stadium in Wembley as they saw off a plucky West Ham United on penalties. There was another UEFA Champions League final to come. Once again Milan stood in their way, but the Italians claimed the glory in Athens.

Carra’s influence continued to inspire the Kop, ‘A Team Of Carraghers’ bellowed out during matchday. Liverpool could and perhaps should have won the title in the 2008-09 season as Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres ran riot in the Premier League. It wasn’t to be and the Barclays Premier League remains the only domestic trophy that has eluded Carragher’s grasp.

A Carling Cup final win over Cardiff City in 2012 may be Carra’s last piece of silverware for a club he has served so well. His final hoorah may be to help push Liverpool into next season’s Champions League. A tough task, but not one that Carra will shy away from. Should Liverpool achieve such a feat, it will be a fitting parting gift from such a dedicated member of Liverpool’s first team. The fans are now wondering who the next ‘Carra’ will be, and it may be sometime before they find such an influence at the back.

Carragher’s next chapter is one that is yet to unfold. He will take up duties as a football pundit with BT Sport, however it may be a little further down the line that Reds fans will want to see unravel. Should Carra see his future as a coach, Liverpool may see the passion and tenacity in a different light, but only time will tell. For now, Liverpool must search for a new Carragher if they are to bring the good times back to Anfield.

One European Cup, one UEFA Cup, two FA Cups, three League Cups, along with two Super Cups and two Community Shields. 723 appearances and counting, there's no doubt that James Lee Duncan Carragher has made quite an impact during his time with the Reds. The tears may not have arrived yet, but come the end of May they will be shed.

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