Friday June 30, 2000
Steven Gerrard - The master's apprentice
By Sean Smith
Okay, so perhaps the young Liverpool playmaker would not be the majority of England fans choice for inclusion into the squad - let alone the pick of Kevin Keegan's players. And perhaps the fact that Steven Gerrard is yet to make an appearance at senior level would put off even the most optimistic of pundits in picking the plucky player as the one most to watch.
Add to that the recent emergence of Steve McManaman as one of Europe's greats - the talk of England being moulded around the former Liverpool star, players once guided through the international minefield cast aside to make way for 'Shaggy'. Or even Dennis Wise, the 31-year-old, who was so important in Chelsea's midfield in Europe and, despite their failure to get closer than the quarter-finals, shone on the Champions League stage.
Then there's Shearer, in his last England campaign, a last chance to prove how much of a world class striker he is. His partner Owen - who has emerged from a brittle season to flower in Keegan's happy camp. Further down the list, but above Gerrard, surely, are Keown and Adams, the club partnership who shore up the middle of the defence for England; Paul Ince, so important in Euro 96 and re-emerging for the big one again; Richard Wright, who seems just a return of Seaman's back problem away from hitting the headlines.
But we believe that Gerrard, who has caused a nostalgic sparkle to appear in Keegan's eyes since the youngster rose from the infamous Youth Academy at the Merseyside club to make his debut against Blackburn in 1998 at the tender age of 18. His boss at Liverpool saw his potential early and felt no qualms in slotting the versatile Gerrard into German international Dietmar Hamann's holding role soon after his debut.
Impressively composed for his age and massively resourceful, Gerrard could prove useful to Keegan in a variety of positions. Although he is essentially a central midfielder, with the intensity for competition for the role he might find himself slotting in anywhere. Wherever he plays, though, he will shine.
He has already become a hit at Liverpool and many have likened his rampaging running from deep to a certain Mr Keegan - the highest praise, indeed!
He also has that stickability, that extra coolness that most greats have - the guts, or natural detachment, to lift his head above the parapet and decide his next move before the ball has even reached him.
But perhaps the real factor in picking the young Scouser lies with the team itself. In an England side that looks disjointed and may be forced to adapt to different opposition, the likes of Gerrard may prove very useful.
As Europe has proved all season, in the Champions League and UEFA Cup, football has become a squad game and a long season followed by World Cup qualifiers is likely to take its toll. Someone like Gerrard, still only 20, may not just be a player to watch. In the not-too-distant future he may become indispensable.