Those who don’t go to Anfield on a regular basis are often surprised to see the matchgoing Liverpool fans’ attitude to Steven Gerrard. They expect admiration, love, a fawning devotion to the Liverpool captain.
Instead, there is an unsettling undercurrent of antagonism towards Gerrard, one that is fading as the years go by but can still rise up into hostility at the slightest excuse.
When they come across it, outsiders attribute the griping to Gerrard’s double flirtation with Chelsea - but the doubts in the Kopites’ minds go back farther.
Almost from the beginning, more than ten years back now, there were those who found Gerrard’s demeanour irritating. As soon as it became clear that here was a prodigious talent, the critics in the stands saw room for complaint. At times, the youngster appeared to be looking for the flashy ‘Hollywood’ pass when an easy ball was the preferred option.
It got worse after he was part of England’s 5-1 victory over Germany. Suddenly he was a national hero. Scouse supremacists are always naturally suspicious of English heroes.
Gerrard was earning the nickname ‘Stevie Me’. When he scored, he pointed to his chest frantically. When he was used on the right of midfield - which the Kop, almost to a man considered his best position - he seemed to sulk, yearning for the central role the media demanded.
And, in the big games, the alehouse tittle-tattle said, he disappeared. That meant, in simplest terms, he'd never destroyed Manchester United single-handedly. Yet, by the time Benitez arrived, he seemed to feel he was the dominant power at the club.
The perfect example of ambivalence to Gerrard came in Istanbul. After he scored Liverpool’s opening goal, he turned to rouse the crowd, gesturing with his arms for fans to turn up the volume. The volume rose, for sure, but there was an irritated growl behind it: we didn’t need lesson in support from him. Afterwards, he hogged the cup, with only Jamie Carragher wresting it away for any length of time. Not the Liverpool way. Not the work of a captain, either.
Then there was the flirtation with Chelsea. It was almost too much to bear to see a Scouser apparently determined to take Roman’s roubles. But he stayed. And since then, things have got better.
He’s matured. The arrival of Fernando Torres has removed some of the expectation and burden from him. He’s had more bounce about him on the pitch. Plus, his recent arrest has made this aloof and seemingly troubled lad from Huyton simpatico at last.
All things considered, he deserves the place at No 2 in the list of Liverpool’s greatest players - if you need a goal with the time running out, where else would you want to see the ball but at Gerrard’s feet. But he also deserves the acclaim and adoration of the Kop. It’s coming, it’s coming.
Instead, there is an unsettling undercurrent of antagonism towards Gerrard, one that is fading as the years go by but can still rise up into hostility at the slightest excuse.
When they come across it, outsiders attribute the griping to Gerrard’s double flirtation with Chelsea - but the doubts in the Kopites’ minds go back farther.
Almost from the beginning, more than ten years back now, there were those who found Gerrard’s demeanour irritating. As soon as it became clear that here was a prodigious talent, the critics in the stands saw room for complaint. At times, the youngster appeared to be looking for the flashy ‘Hollywood’ pass when an easy ball was the preferred option.
It got worse after he was part of England’s 5-1 victory over Germany. Suddenly he was a national hero. Scouse supremacists are always naturally suspicious of English heroes.
Gerrard was earning the nickname ‘Stevie Me’. When he scored, he pointed to his chest frantically. When he was used on the right of midfield - which the Kop, almost to a man considered his best position - he seemed to sulk, yearning for the central role the media demanded.
And, in the big games, the alehouse tittle-tattle said, he disappeared. That meant, in simplest terms, he'd never destroyed Manchester United single-handedly. Yet, by the time Benitez arrived, he seemed to feel he was the dominant power at the club.
The perfect example of ambivalence to Gerrard came in Istanbul. After he scored Liverpool’s opening goal, he turned to rouse the crowd, gesturing with his arms for fans to turn up the volume. The volume rose, for sure, but there was an irritated growl behind it: we didn’t need lesson in support from him. Afterwards, he hogged the cup, with only Jamie Carragher wresting it away for any length of time. Not the Liverpool way. Not the work of a captain, either.
Then there was the flirtation with Chelsea. It was almost too much to bear to see a Scouser apparently determined to take Roman’s roubles. But he stayed. And since then, things have got better.
He’s matured. The arrival of Fernando Torres has removed some of the expectation and burden from him. He’s had more bounce about him on the pitch. Plus, his recent arrest has made this aloof and seemingly troubled lad from Huyton simpatico at last.
All things considered, he deserves the place at No 2 in the list of Liverpool’s greatest players - if you need a goal with the time running out, where else would you want to see the ball but at Gerrard’s feet. But he also deserves the acclaim and adoration of the Kop. It’s coming, it’s coming.
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