Carragher news & Dalla Valle interview
JAMIE CARRAGHER: I'LL QUIT ANFIELD IF I MUST
Jamie Carragher, the epitome of a one-club servant in football, has revealed he would not hesitate to walk away from his beloved Liverpool should his employers express any doubts about keeping him when contract negotiations begin this summer.
Leaving Anfield is almost the last thing Carragher wants to do but he would take the decision if he had to. While a number of senior players at Anfield have been offered new contracts, Carragher, who turned 32 five weeks ago, has been told to wait. He accepts the club’s position but is ready to leave as a last resort. “It’s up to the club, isn’t it? I play my football and I’ve got 12 months left in the summer,” Carragher told The Sunday Times.
“The club will give me a new contract if they want to. If not it doesn’t matter, I’ll still play my best and if I have to move then I’ll move, no problem. It wouldn’t bother me.”
Liverpool can expect a decisive response if they indicate that Carragher’s time is up. He said: “It wouldn’t bother me. I made the England decision [to retire from international football] quickly and didn’t dwell on it, and I’m not scared of making big decisions. It’s a club thing. It’s down to them. I’ll keep playing and see where it takes me.”
Carragher’s ruminations on his future are influenced by Liverpool’s decision to put off contract extension talks until the summer, when there will be just 12 months left on his current deal. The manager, Rafael Benitez, says that is because of Carragher’s age but, unlike at Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea, Liverpool do not have a club policy limiting the contracts offered to thirtysomething players.
Carragher would much rather stay but wants to remain a first-team regular. He has no interest in getting phased out into a bit-part player in his early thirties or becoming an ageing footballer clinging to status at a club that once relied on him.
Benitez reiterated his stance during the week, while advancing with talks over significant contract extensions for Pepe Reina, 27, and Javier Mascherano, 25. In the past nine months lucrative new contracts have been agreed with Steven Gerrard, 29, Dirk Kuyt, 29, Fernando Torres, 25, and Daniel Agger, 25.
Carragher joined Liverpool on schoolboy forms 18 years ago, though his association with the club extends back over two decades and he has played a record number of games for the club in Europe.
A few days ago Simon Kjaer, 20, the Palermo centre-back tracked by Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham this season, suggested he could be moving to Liverpool in the next transfer window. Palermo are looking for £20m for Kjaer, who partners Agger for Denmark.
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: LAURI DALLA VALLE
Tipped as a ‘name for the future’ by his compatriot Sami Hyypia, Lauri Dalla Valle is a player with much potential and expectations. The Finnish attacking midfielder, 18, scored 20 goals for the under 18’s last year and was the subject of speculation linking him with a move to Fulham in the summer. He was promoted to the reserves but has had an injury plagued season which has prevented him from making an appearance for the Reds’ second string. He has though scored 3 goals in 3 appearances for the under 18’s.
Fulham offered £3.5 million for you last summer. There was some gossip saying that you weren’t happy at at Liverpool. What’s the truth?
I’m really happy here. I want to play for the first team one day.
You moved from the U-18 team to the reserves. How are you doing?
Training isn’t too much different. It’s a little more difficult obviously, because the players are older and more experienced. I cope fine with it, though.
Kenny Dalglish works in the Academy now, did you meet him?
Yes, I talked with Kenny before. He’s a very nice man and it was an honour.
Before you joined Liverpool you trained with Inter Milan for a few months. Why didn’t you stay there?
I was young and I didn’t speak much of the language. England is a lot more like Finland, I love this country! Italy was different.
Let’s sum this up: you trained with Inter, Chelsea wanted to buy you, you were tracked by Ajax, AC Milan and Barcelona and you play for Liverpool. That’s pretty impressive for a 18-year old!
Do you want to achieve as much as Sami Hyypia at Anfield?
Yes! Sami Hyypia is someone I’m looking up to. Even though he’s a defender, he was such an inspiration for the whole club and he played many games for the first team as well. I hope i’ll do the same.
Liverpool scout Ian Barrigan once said that you were “the most natural finisher in the history of Academy”. It looks like the biggest teams will fight for you again in a few years?
It’s amazing to know that great teams may be interested in me. I work hard and I love playing football, but right now I want to do it only at Liverpool.
People say that your style of football is similiar to Fernando Torres‘ and Wayne Rooney’s…
I’ve been compared to Fernando Torres before, but I’ve never heard about the Wayne Rooney one. They are both very talented and it’s fantastic to be compared with them. I watch them on television and I hope to be as successfull as they are.
Liverpool is very popular in the Nordic countries. Who were you supporting in your childhood?
I watched a lot of Liverpool games when I was little. They are really famous in Finland. Liverpool have always been my favourite English football team and that’s why I decided to join Academy.
Your father is Italian, you can still choose which national team will you play for.
I haven’t made my decision yet, but probably I’m going to play for Finland.
I guess that Rafa doesn’t ask you for transfer recommendations, but let’s say you can point out one player. Who would it be?
David Villa! I’ve seen him playing alongside Fernando Torres and they were extremely good. I know that it’s a big request, but him and Torres would be stunning up front. They’re doing great in the national team and having them both at Liverpool would be amazing to watch.
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