Gerrard has missed the chance to be a true great by staying at Anfield.

This was by and large the time in Gazza's career that he took the plunge and moved to Lazio, relatively the same age and reputation. The jump of playing at a top Euro club and the new wider stage is crucial in cementing oneself in the history books. Henry if he doesn't leave Arsenal this year will meet the same fate.

These kind of top class players need to show they can do it in La Liga or Serie A ( a bit harder for a forward). Beckham made the move at the right time although Fergie had a hand in that, Fergie did him a big favour.

The conceptual and tactical development of the best players into great players is reliant on this to a large degree imo.

Gerrard might now never be classed as a true great.

Agree?

Disagree. He is the driving force between liverpool, a liverpool lad and an england regular who was the best player for us against brazil and performed a lot better than the rest of the crap during the WC.

The goals he gets, the spirit he creates, the determination he plays with means he will no doubt be a liverpool great, and if he plays a bit better for england then one for him to.

I totally disagree about people needing to show they can do it in other leagues....i don't see the point of going to another league just for the sake of it when the prem is the toughest league to play in....

Disagree with your last sentence Shido, probably the most physical yes, some players like Gattuso would be awesome if he ever comes to England. Spain/Italy is more techinical, if you look at the last few world cups sometimes keeping posession was probably the main factor in winning matches and for that i'll have to say La Liga has the better quality at the moment.

I disagree too.

In order to be great he has to step up and lead England to greatness by getting them to a world cup final and even better winning it. He has to be the instrumental player in the national team if and when this success is achieved. So far he has been pretty average internationally.

The same could be said for Henry. Although they reached the world cup finals, it was Zidane who carried them, whcih is why he is considered a great.

Gerrard has to do it on that stage in my opinion.

interesting school of thought this, one which i completely agree with. the truly great players of modern times by and large, have become so by succeeding in a variety of playing environments and consequently have consistently delivered no matter the occasion or style in which a particular game has been played.

@ shido, your comment about having to prove something by going to another league is, in my opinion, slightly missing parky's point. as i understand it, he's making the observation that, as in any walk of life, to ascend to the pinnacle of your chosen profession you must experience every aspect of the role in all the relevant environments possible.

gerrards commitment to liverpool is admirable but at the same time it's curtailing his development into one of the best in the world. although a very dynamic player his style remains rather one dimensional and can often be found wanting when the flow of a game does not suite this style (more so for england). i don't believe he'll break this glass ceiling at anfield purely because his exposure to the nuances of the more tactical european game will be limited to the occasional champions league appearance

Gerard, another one trick pony.....

Lampard, Rooney, Gerard....  Celebrity one trick ponys....

Utter rubbish...

Agree with Parky to an extent, not in terms of he has to move to be considered a great, Liverpool are one of the most successful teams in history anyway so its not like he has to move to play in top competitions, however if i was a Gerrard and in the past clubs like Real, Barca, Milan teams have shown interest i just dont see why you would be so against playing in another country even if you are a pool supporter, think footballers are extremely lucky to be in a career where the can work in other countries and experience other cultures etc...

Even as a Toon fan the tought of Playing for a club like Barca for me would be to good to turn down.  You have your whole life to be a supporter.

He hasn't won the league here so bailing before he did that would be pointless.

He has to finish proving himself here first, then he can think about going abroad and doing it there.

Not good enough to ever be a true great, no matter where hes playing.

yeah, think he wants the league why else would you become so close to signing for chelsea when you play for Liverpool?

Can't see him winning the league any time soon if he stays at Liverpool.

interesting school of thought this, one which i completely agree with. the truly great players of modern times by and large, have become so by succeeding in a variety of playing environments and consequently have consistently delivered no matter the occasion or style in which a particular game has been played.

 

@ shido, your comment about having to prove something by going to another league is, in my opinion, slightly missing parky's point. as i understand it, he's making the observation that, as in any walk of life, to ascend to the pinnacle of your chosen profession you must experience every aspect of the role in all the relevant environments possible.

 

gerrards commitment to liverpool is admirable but at the same time it's curtailing his development into one of the best in the world. although a very dynamic player his style remains rather one dimensional and can often be found wanting when the flow of a game does not suite this style (more so for england). i don't believe he'll break this glass ceiling at anfield purely because his exposure to the nuances of the more tactical european game will be limited to the occasional champions league appearance

 

 

 

This is the crux of it and great players are defined by their continual need to learn and define themselves in new environments...I'm sure it is something they are born with...I don't think Gerrard is bright enough to really want to dig deep and discover the other components to his profession.

The Alan Shearer of Liverpool?

The Alan Shearer of Liverpool?

That's not far off, although Gerrard's actually won some stuff with Liverpool.

Has Maldini ever left Italy?

English league is one of the best in the world, he's won a European Cup at liverpool as well as loads of domestic trophies, and England regular.

Really dont see why he 'has' to move abroad to prove he's a great player. People should have more respect for the fact that he's sticking with his local club.

Personally he's one of my most disliked players in the league, but this loyalty is good in todays football world. (Fair enough £100k a week helps)

Has Maldini ever left Italy?

I don't see Gerrard achieving similar feats with Liverpool.

Has Maldini ever left Italy?

Don't think it's quite the same for defenders. It's a core activity not a game changing one like mf or forwards who can change games or impose themselves....Hallmarks of the great etc...

English league is one of the best in the world, he's won a European Cup at liverpool as well as loads of domestic trophies, and England regular.

Really dont see why he 'has' to move abroad to prove he's a great player. People should have more respect for the fact that he's sticking with his local club.

Personally he's one of my most disliked players in the league, but this loyalty is good in todays football world. (Fair enough £100k a week helps)

I think he's scared of getting found out.

The Alan Shearer of Liverpool?

Don't remember Al winning a treble or the champions league like.

I reckon both Gerrard and Carragher and would not be the same players if they moved club, their love of Liverpool helps create the extra effort and passion you see in their game.

He is dead right to stay witht he club he loves!!

Has Maldini ever left Italy?

Maldini has played in 5 Champions League winning teams so even though he has stayed with one team, he easily can be called a true European "Great"

Gerrard is going to have to something similar or else he is only going to be a "great" in the Premiership and wont have anywhere near the same recognition in Europe

Has Maldini ever left Italy?

 

Maldini has played in 5 Champions League winning teams so even though he has stayed with one team, he easily can be called a true European "Great"

Gerrard is going to have to something similar or else he is only going to be a "great" in the Premiership and wont have anywhere near the same recognition in Europe

Was just going to point that out, Maldini got the same number of Champions Leagues as Liverpool had in their whole history

Can't stand the bloke.

Not good enough to ever be a true great, no matter where hes playing.

I have got to disagree with that. The guy has won plenty of trophies at Liverpool, almost single handedly won them the Champions League when they beat Milan in the final (that performance alone is almost enoguh to be considered great if not the greatest performance in a final), and he led them to the final again this season. He is comfortably Englands best player IMO, and any move to rearrange the midfield should centre on Gerrard being a centre midfielder and other players fitted in around him. He is already a great player, and has no reason to leave Liverpool.

On the Maldini aspect, he has never left Italy, OK he has won more in Europe but Milan have been copnsiderably more successful than Liverpool in recent years.

On the point of only being an average player at international level- Ryan Giggs anyone? He is considered a footballing great, he has not been massively successful in Europe and he has never left Manure.