Jamie Redknapp: A tribute to Steven Gerard - 10 years on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It feels like only yesterday that I saw this teenage kid from Huyton for the very first time. He came to join first-team training along with Stephen Wright because Gerard Houllier wanted to have a look at the two of them. Funnily enough I think the boss thought Wright was the better of the two when they first arrived. I always remember passing the ball to Stevie early on and he hit this 50 yard pass to the left wing. I thought to myself: "what have we got here then?" Next he goes into a 50-50 with Paul Ince and smashes him up in the air and we're all thinking we've got something special on our hands - he certainly made an impression that's for sure.
At the time there were a few concerns over his fitness but since then he's been relatively injury-free and he's been different class. They don't come along like him too often. When you're asked to give a tribute to someone it's normal to heap praise on them but with him it's easy because it's so true. He's a special lad - and I don't just mean on the field, I mean off it too. Even now if I ask him to sign a shirt for someone he goes out of his way to help and there it is the next day. I honestly can't speak more highly of him.
One game that always stands out from my brief time playing with him was the Merseyside derby against Everton in 1999. We won the match 3-2 and Stevie kicked a couple off the line playing at right-back. His passion for the club was there for all to see that day. I remember how he celebrated one of those clearances as if he'd just smashed one in at the Kop end. I spoke to my Dad after the game and he said: "Who was that at right back? He was like superman that kid." After that day he just got better and better and in the seasons that followed he went on to establish himself as one of the best central midfielders in the world. Now he's improved so much that he is the best. I've been saying that for a while now and no-one comes near him as far as I'm concerned. He's dynamic, he's powerful, great at passing, great at tackling - you name it he can do it. People talk about who the best player in the world is... Is it Messi, Ronaldo or Kaka? They are just a few names we could mention and Stevie's right up there with them. I honestly don't think he realises just how good he is. I've got some great Stevie memories from my time at Anfield but one that sticks out in my mind that always makes me chuckle was when I asked him if he wanted a pair of boots. He used to clean mine when he was a trainee and when I asked him what size boot he was he turned to me with a cheeky grin and said: "six, seven, eight and nine." I'll never forget that. He wanted the other boots for his mates! Like I say, I was at Liverpool a good number of years too so I know how it feels to have played for them for over a decade. It's a special club and if you leave, no matter where you go, it's always going to be a step down. So, it's a great achievement for him to have been such a huge part of the club for those 10 years and I think he's got many more ahead of him.
You need the likes of Gerrard and Carragher in the side because they are local lads who have a great affinity with the fans. They are your heart and soul. Stevie could walk into any side in the world but he has remained a loyal red and if you were dreaming up a Roy of the Rovers top five he could probably better it. Every few months he seems to be picking up a new accolade or breaking another record and, to be frank, I'm proud to say I played alongside him. I hope he goes on to achieve even more in the years ahead and continues to add to his medal collection in what has been a fantastic Liverpool career so far.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~