Liverpool's rock-at-the-back Jamie Carragher, in an interview in the Mirror, reveals his dreams of masterminding a successful Premier League campaign, not just as a player but also as a manager.
Sir Alex Ferguson established Manchester United as the dominant force in England over the past two decades much to the detriment to Liverpool.
In its modern format Liverpool have never won the League title. Two FA Cups; three League Cups; one Champions League; and one Uefa Cup have eased the league disappointment somewhat but the 38-game campaign still remains the crown that scousers covet the most.
Speaking ahead of the launch of his book: Carra My Autobiography, Jamie Carragher shared with the Mirror his ambitions of winning the Premier League with Liverpool, and the joy he would have being the Red that masterminded knocking Sir Alex Ferguson off of his long, illustrious, silver-laden pedestal.
"It would be more of an achievement [to win the league] as manager because it would come about through my decisions," he said. Whilst acknowledging the United boss' achievements, any competitive ruthlessness Carragher bears to the head coach of his north west rival he insists is born out of obeisance, as opposed to abhorrence. "It's like the ultimate football man's dream to be better than Ferguson because he is the master. I just hope he hangs around long enough to wait for me."
He continued: "I've got more respect for Ferguson than anyone else in the game," and in a statement that is sure to rile the red side of Mancunia, he claimed: "He's like a Scouser, really. He's funny, doesn't mind telling people to f*** off, and he even votes Labour. I love him."
Concerning derby day emotion, and the felicity he extracts from defeating a club he once held so dear he said: "Losing the derby is worse than losing any other game. My passion has gone full circle. I was made up on the first day of the season when Blackburn scored that late winner at Goodison. We were getting ready to play Sunderland and it gave me a big lift."
There is a shocking rumour that floats around the streets of Liverpool that states the reason Jamie Carragher always plays with a long-sleeved shirt is because he has a tattoo of an Everton badge on his arm. The retired international defender adds credence to this whisper as he revealed: "I was an Everton fanatic right through my childhood and teens. Everton controlled my life and dominated my thoughts 24/7. I went to the away games, followed them across Europe and in the mid-80s went to Wembley so often it began to feel like Alton Towers."
"When I talk about that Everton team I still say 'we'. Even when I was playing for Liverpool reserves I'd want Everton's first team to win the derby every time," he added.
A dramatic change-of-heart occured though in 1999 when Manchester United defeated Liverpool at Old Trafford and then the scourse firm were handed further misery as they were knocked out of the FA Cup. The 30-year old, from Bootle, visited a local called The Chaucer and was unashamedly ridiculed and lauded as a 'dirty Kopite', leaving the current vice-captain 'drained and demoralised'.
"I couldn't take it, he said.... People who I thought loved me, were getting off on my misery so I turned around and walked out. They hadn't done anything wrong. They were just being themselves and they're still my mates. But it was over. When I walked out of that pub I turned my back on Everton for good."
His dereliction of all things Blue gained momentum when, on derby days, team-mates such as Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler would be subject to personal abuse. The former's relationship with his girlfriend is often hecked on the terraces and the allegations often border on libel.
"I hate what they sing about Steven and his family. It's disgusting and goes way beyond the kind of banter that's acceptable in life, not just football... Robbie suffered the same type of scandalous taunts which really hurt him and his family. I'm not saying Liverpool fans are blameless because they're not. They dish out abuse during games with our rivals too. But it ends when the game ends."
He continued: "Evertonians spread the lies around the streets of Liverpool and chant them whether they're playing us, Reading or Portsmouth. I even hear it on the telly when they're playing away in Europe and I think that could be my family they're singing about."
Carragher has strong family ties due to his own upbringing and the respect he has for his mother, Paula. The Mirror report that when Paula was pregnant with him she was informed by doctors that her unborn child had spina bifida - a neural tube defect - and was alerted to the fact that she could have an abortion, but Paula - a strict Catholic - turned it down. The original diagnosis of spina bifida was false though... he had gastroschisis - a congenital abdominal wall defect - and spent six weeks in hospital trying to stay alive.
"She was willing to bring up a disabled child and was prepared to sacrifice her life for me. I owe everything I've ever done in the past 30 years to that decision."
Growing up he had a tough competitive streak that lent it's way to confidence and cockiness as he quickly realised he far outclassed his early team-mates.
"I couldn't accept that others weren't as good and I couldn't get off their backs. I was always getting dragged aside by managers and told to treat my team-mates better. It still happens today. Rafa often pulls me up about being too harsh on other players."
He continued: "I've had to send a text message to Pepe Reina apologising for what I'd said during a game. I say things to players and afterwards think 'what have I done?' And sometimes after I've had a stand-up row I think 'do they hate me?' "But I can't let people around me switch off... If someone tells me what to do on the pitch there's a good chance they'll get told to f*** off. That's my job," he jokes.
Regarding the impact that foreign talent has had on the English game, Carragher believes in some ways it has benefitted greatly, but in others it limits the opportunities for the local youth to play for the bigger clubs.
"There's definitely too many foreigners in the game," he said. "What's the point of spending all this money on the academies if we're not pushing local kids through? Liverpool FC is our club. It's a big part of our city and you've got to give young aspirational Scousers the chance to succeed. It's not just football," he added. "I've got two brothers who find it hard to work in Liverpool - in the Capital of Culture. One of the reasons is we've made it too easy for foreigners to come here and take the jobs."
In a startling admission of choosing club over country, Carragher admitted: "If I was given the choice between winning the World Cup with England or doing what we did in Istanbul, I'd take Istanbul because I know how much it meant to Liverpool. People told me that we gave them the greatest night of their lives and if they died next week they'd die happy... That's some thought."
Carragher stresses the importance of loyalty, not just in the modern game, but also in life - he married his childhood sweetheart three years ago, but they have been together since he was 18. But this is an ethic that has translated to Carragher's club-life, and he reflected on the occasion when Gerard Houillier opted to bring in Stephane Henchoz and Sami Hyypia after a young Jamie had just been awarded Player of the Year, he said:
"I'd just been voted Player of the Year but didn't start the season very well and fans were calling for Henchoz to play in my position. I thought 'hang on, a few games ago I was your best player'. I was only 21 back then and I struggled to get my head round it... It angered me and it took a while to get myself together. Then eventually the fans started singing about dreaming of a team of Carraghers and I thought 'you weren't singing that six years ago'!
"I'm under no illusion. No matter what I've done over the years as soon as someone better comes along it'll be 'f*** Carra off'. But that's football. People go on about how loyal I am to Liverpool. But it's not a question of loyalty. It's a question of 'where am I going to go from Liverpool?' "We're one of the best teams in the world and I'm playing every week. I don't to leave Liverpool, but if Liverpool weren't that good and a great team like Real Madrid or Barcelona came in for me I might go, because I've always driven myself to play at the best level."
On his current and future ambitions he said: "I've got three years left on my contract and I want to be playing 50 games a season. There's competition for my place and I'm prepared to fight for that because I've been fighting all my life. There will always be technically better players around than me, but no-one will be able to match my passion or drive. I'll be fighting for another contract after this one and I'll be happy then to accept 25 games a season."
