Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has become a hero at Anfield for his all-action displays, which are as much built on robbing opponents of possession as his sensational goals.
But he admits that earlier in his career, he was fearful of picking up a reputation.
'I used to be a bit of a hothead, going into stupid challenges and getting sent off when I was younger,' Gerrard revealed.
'That worried me. I didn't want the reputation of being a dirty player. I started wondering if I'd be able to tackle again. I was scared to go near people.'
Gerrard has seen red five times in his career but none since March 2006, a sign of how he has matured through his career.
As he has grown up, he has blossomed into arguably the best midfielder in Europe.
And he has revealed a secret behind his consistency, the fear of having his brother and father on the phone telling him he was poor.
'I know when I've fallen below how I like to play,' he added to Champions magazine. 'And I know it by my brother and my dad's calls right after the game.
'I'm learning how to deal with it. If I've played well, it's easy to stay on a high and get carried away. It's best to get it out of your system by looking to the next game.
'That's the challenge whether you've played good or not, get it out of your system as soon as you can.'
But he admits that earlier in his career, he was fearful of picking up a reputation.
'I used to be a bit of a hothead, going into stupid challenges and getting sent off when I was younger,' Gerrard revealed.
'That worried me. I didn't want the reputation of being a dirty player. I started wondering if I'd be able to tackle again. I was scared to go near people.'
Gerrard has seen red five times in his career but none since March 2006, a sign of how he has matured through his career.
As he has grown up, he has blossomed into arguably the best midfielder in Europe.
And he has revealed a secret behind his consistency, the fear of having his brother and father on the phone telling him he was poor.
'I know when I've fallen below how I like to play,' he added to Champions magazine. 'And I know it by my brother and my dad's calls right after the game.
'I'm learning how to deal with it. If I've played well, it's easy to stay on a high and get carried away. It's best to get it out of your system by looking to the next game.
'That's the challenge whether you've played good or not, get it out of your system as soon as you can.'
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