Gerrard is game for new role
thesun
BRENDAN RODGERS has hailed skipper Steven Gerrard for sacrificing his own game to help Liverpools talented teens.
Tomorrow marks the 14th anniversary of Gerrards first-team debut as an 18-year-old a three-minute substitutes cameo in a 2-0 home win over Blackburn.
Since then, Gerrard has made a name for himself as an all-action midfielder who loves nothing more than bombing forward.
But those trademark attacking runs have been put on the back-burner this season as the England captain assists the likes of Raheem Sterling, Suso and Andre Wisdom in finding their feet.
And boss Rodgers has nothing but admiration for Gerrards continued commitment to the Liverpool cause.
Rodgers said: I dont think there has been a clear change in terms of what I have asked him to do.
But he has had to take on more of a mantle because it is a much younger group.
He has played in teams before where he had more experience around him and I think that is the biggest thing this year.
There is probably a bit more responsibility on him in relation to looking out more for the team because of its youthfulness but he has been brilliant.
Team-mate Martin Skrtel is determined to go the distance at Spurs tonight.
Last season, the Kop centre-back was sent off in a 4-0 drubbing and, a year earlier, he suffered a fractured cheekbone and broken jaw in a clash of heads with Jamie Carragher.
Skrtel said: I dont want to repeat what happened here last season or the year before, it was horrible.
You have to forget about these things and look forward.
Tomorrow marks the 14th anniversary of Gerrards first-team debut as an 18-year-old a three-minute substitutes cameo in a 2-0 home win over Blackburn.
Since then, Gerrard has made a name for himself as an all-action midfielder who loves nothing more than bombing forward.
But those trademark attacking runs have been put on the back-burner this season as the England captain assists the likes of Raheem Sterling, Suso and Andre Wisdom in finding their feet.
And boss Rodgers has nothing but admiration for Gerrards continued commitment to the Liverpool cause.
Rodgers said: I dont think there has been a clear change in terms of what I have asked him to do.
But he has had to take on more of a mantle because it is a much younger group.
He has played in teams before where he had more experience around him and I think that is the biggest thing this year.
There is probably a bit more responsibility on him in relation to looking out more for the team because of its youthfulness but he has been brilliant.
Team-mate Martin Skrtel is determined to go the distance at Spurs tonight.
Last season, the Kop centre-back was sent off in a 4-0 drubbing and, a year earlier, he suffered a fractured cheekbone and broken jaw in a clash of heads with Jamie Carragher.
Skrtel said: I dont want to repeat what happened here last season or the year before, it was horrible.
You have to forget about these things and look forward.
