Sunday, December 20, 2009

Carra Keen To Emulate Giggs


Jamie Carragher hopes to remain a key part of Liverpool's plans for several years to come.

The defender will make his 600th appearance for the Reds when they travel to Fratton Park to face Portsmouth on Saturday lunchtime, having made his debut as a teenager back in 1997.

Carragher, now 31, has already admitted he would rather leave Liverpool than stay with his hometown side beyond his best years.

However, he believes he can continue playing to a high level for some time if he is managed carefully like Ryan Giggs has been at Manchester United.

The Welshman is no longer a permanent fixture in the Red Devils starting XI but he is enjoying some of the best form of his career.

"I'd like to do what Giggs has done. Alex Ferguson is very clever in deciding when he plays. I could do that role one day," Carragher said in The Sun.

"It's a little bit different at centre-back where managers do not like to rotate it as much but it is a position where there isn't a tremendous amount of running, so it can work both ways.

"Either way, I'd like to think I'd be capable of playing 25-30 games for Liverpool a season at the age of 34 or 35."

Carragher received criticism for his performances during the early part of the season but he has learned to deal with the pressure.

"I've got 18 months left on my contract so I'd like to be playing regularly next season," he added.

"I could finish this season on 620-625 games. Then, hopefully, play another 40-odd next season taking me to second in the list.

"It would make me happy. It will prove that I've been up for the fight for a long time.

"I've not been playing as bad as has been made out.

"Liverpool is a great club to be at when everything is going well but when we're struggling, it's a very difficult place to be.

"That's why I'm still here after 15 seasons - I can take the flak."

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