What a contrast from last season

[CarraLegend]

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/...l&TEAMHD=soccer

 

Steven Gerrard has reaffirmed his commitment to Liverpool despite rumoured interest from Real Madrid.

 

Gerrard was linked with Real Madrid in the week when it was revealed his name was on a priority list of summer signings.

 

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez dismissed the move from the Spanish giants saying: "The situation is simple, Steven Gerrard is not for sale."

 

But Benitez admitted he had discussed the speculation coming from Spain with his captain and said: "His commitment to this club is vital."

 

Now Gerrard, who will captain Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday, said: "I am not going to get involved in all that kind of speculation again.

 

"I'm settled and happy at Liverpool and I am not going to go through another summer like the last two."

 

Gerrard, speaking in a Liverpool Echo interview, had been the subject of two approaches from Chelsea in the last two summers that have severely disrupted Liverpool's future planning.

 

Gerrard added: "I will be staying here until the day someone tells me they don't want me."

 

Gerrard signed a new four-year contract at Anfield last summer.

[Guest Scot]

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/...l&TEAMHD=soccer

 

Steven Gerrard has reaffirmed his commitment to Liverpool despite rumoured interest from Real Madrid.

 

Gerrard was linked with Real Madrid in the week when it was revealed his name was on a priority list of summer signings.

 

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez dismissed the move from the Spanish giants saying: "The situation is simple, Steven Gerrard is not for sale."

 

But Benitez admitted he had discussed the speculation coming from Spain with his captain and said: "His commitment to this club is vital."

 

Now Gerrard, who will captain Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday, said: "I am not going to get involved in all that kind of speculation again.

 

"I'm settled and happy at Liverpool and I am not going to go through another summer like the last two."

 

Gerrard, speaking in a Liverpool Echo interview, had been the subject of two approaches from Chelsea in the last two summers that have severely disrupted Liverpool's future planning.

 

Gerrard added: "I will be staying here until the day someone tells me they don't want me."

 

Gerrard signed a new four-year contract at Anfield last summer.

 

 

[Cunny]

he could change his mind though

[CarraLegend]

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liv...-name_page.html

 

STEVEN GERRARD has predicted Liverpool and Chelsea are destined to become title as well as cup rivals in the season ahead - as he brushed off midweek speculation linking him with Real Madrid.

 

Gerrard said he sees tomorrow's FA Cup semi-final as the ideal opportunity for the Reds to under-line their re-emergence at the top of the domestic game.

 

Gerrard has quashed fears that recent comments by Real Madrid officials will stir up more worries about his future and today made it clear he's staying at Anfield, regardless of who would like to sign him.

 

"I'm not going to get involved in all that kind of speculation again," he said.

 

"I'm settled and happy at Liverpool, and I'm not going to go through another summer like the last two.

 

"I'll be staying here until the day someone tells me they don't want me."

 

Although Chelsea remain on course to retain the Premiership, Gerrard believes the gap between the Londoners and Liverpool is now closing.

 

"A few years ago everyone was talking about the big three, and we weren't included," said Gerrard.

 

"Although we won the Champions League, it's only this year we've broken that up domestically.

 

"Maybe we still need to go further to prove that.

 

"If we can show everyone how good we are tomorrow, I'm sure everyone will be talking about us as possible challengers next season."

[Cobs]

i'll not believe he's staying until Gravy says he's off.

[RP]

he could change his mind though

 

He's not that type.

[CarraLegend]

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liv...-name_page.html

 

LIVERPOOL'S most recent FA Cup memories range from the sublime to the ridiculed.

Steven Gerrard admits victory in Cardiff in 2001 was an all-too-rare highlight for a club which now recognises the financial importance of Champions League qualification as much as domestic cup success.

The skipper used a significant phrase prior to the sixth round victory against Birmingham when he claimed winning a trophy was the true 'minimum acceptable requirement' in a season.

And while Gerrard acknowledges more than most a top four finish is the first priority at the start of any campaign, he rejects any suggestion FA Cup glory is now a secondary concern.

"The idea of the FA Cup not being as important as it used to be is a load of nonsense as far as I'm concerned," says Gerrard.

"Speaking personally, the FA Cup is as massive now as it's always been.

"It's true to say that since the Champions League started, a lot of the big clubs have had to think harder about their priorities. Everyone knows getting into the top four is essential and all the top clubs have to think carefully about that. If you're in Europe you've always got a lot more big games to play too, so a lot of players get rested more.

"That impacts more on the early rounds of the cup competitions, and it's then when you're probably most vulnerable to a shock. We've suffered a bit because of that in the last few years, but the manager always makes the right selections for the good of the club.

"I can remember watching on television last season when we lost to Burnley with an under strength team. I was injured anyway, but although we were disappointed, noone can look back and say it wasn't the right thing to do when you think what happened later in that season.

"Once you get to the later stages, particularly the semi-final, winning this competition means just as much as winning any other. Every player from both teams will be desperate to get their hands on that trophy."

Tomorrow will be Gerrard's first semi-final appearance since the win over Wycombe Wanderers in 2001.

"We've got some good and bad memories of the tournament," he said.

"The first FA Cup game I can remember playing was against Blackburn in 2000 when we lost at home. I was playing right-back, and I can remember Nathan Blake scoring for them.

"The fans weren't too happy with us at the end, and it wasn't a nice feeling.

"As a supporter, the first FA Cup game I remember is the 1986 final when we won the double.

"When you're captain, you can't help start thinking about your chances of lifting it, but that's not just a personal thing, you're thinking on behalf of the team and supporters too.

"I know if I get a chance to lift it, it means the 50,000 fans we'd have in the stadium, although we usually have more than that, will be very happy.

"Whoever wins this game is going to have a great chance of going all the way, so there's a great incentive there for both teams. We both know we're just two wins away from a major trophy."

For Chelsea, such success would lead to membership of the elite group of clubs who have completed 'The Double'.

For Liverpool, FA Cup glory would seal their place back at the pinnacle of the English game, proving last year's European Cup success was no one-off, but truly the start of a golden new era.

"A couple of years ago I was thinking we had to break up the top three of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United," says Gerrard.

"I definitely feel we've done that now, but maybe we've still got a bit to do to prove that to everyone else.

"If we can beat Chelsea this weekend and then continue to progress in the league next season, I'm sure everyone will be talking about us in the same breath as the others.

"We were in a similar situation to this in 2002. We'd made progress and got close to the leaders, but didn't push on. I definitely feel we're stronger now and in a position to kick on and build even more. I'm sure we're going to take that next step and we'll start getting closer to the league title more regularly.

"But we know going close isn't enough. We want to be winning trophies every season, so there's still a lot of work to be done."

With just one victory in their last nine meetings, Liverpool can hardly claim ascendancy in their regular battles with Jose Mourinho.

Liverpool may have won the fixture which mattered most so far, but that doesn't hide the pain of the defeats.

"They're a very difficult side to play against. We've got a lot of respect for them and I know they've got respect for us," says Gerrard.

"Although we haven't always had good results against them, this season especially it's only been small details which have separated us. We've made a few mistakes which have cost us, and they've punished us. We showed them in last year's semi-final we're a top side, and we're all desperate to reproduce that kind of performance again.

"If we can do that, we've every reason to be confident we can go all the way."

[Gravy]

i'll not believe he's staying until Gravy says he's off.

 

 

He's off.

[Cobs]

[HeWonItFromBrock]

i tell yer what, it's wonderful to have our skipper and big name player saying:

"I will be staying here until the day someone tells me they don't want me." rather than the "we'll talk in the summer/i want medals/i need liverpool to show they can compete/i don't want to wake up in the uefa cup tomorrow" stuff of last season. not just for gerrard's sake, but for the team and club generally

 

Totally agree with that. Now it's about the team winning medals and not just Stevie G. Only thing that niggles me is that he will have 3 years left on his contract at the end of this season and so would need to sign a new one next summer. I do fear a season of speculation again next season as at the end of it he would need to sign again or be sold.

 

But well in Stevie - spoken like a true captain.

[DaveLFC]

Stevie G has grown into that captains armband this season, he really does have a major influence on the players on and off the pitch.

 

His comments are exactly what we wanted to read and exactly what a good captain should be saying, what a contrast to last season. The story is now quite rightly dead in the water.

 

Now lead your team out tomorrow and take us to Cardiff.

Edited April 21, 2006 by DaveLFC

[Molby]

He's not that type.

 

[Cam]

He said it last year. He said it the year before. Maybe I'm too negative & pessimistic ("noooo!") but sounds to me like he won't repeat the mistakes of the last 2 years, ask for a move and get all the abuse. He's learnt his lesson. He'll just very willingly let Rafa ship him out.

[Bailo]

He said it last year. He said it the year before. Maybe I'm too negative & pessimistic ("noooo!") but sounds to me like he won't repeat the mistakes of the last 2 years, ask for a move and get all the abuse. He's learnt his lesson. He'll just very willingly let Rafa ship him out.

[Romario]

I honestly thought Gerrard was given the captains armband too early. It was a boardroom decision for the fans I thought,

Thing is he's grown into it and I think he now realises just how lucky he is to be the captain. I just can't ever see him being such a tool again.

 

He's a fecking hero and captain of a club going places. Why would he leave. All he needs is a prem title and he's a made man at his boy hood club.