Read my Carragher article. Come on, give a kid a chance!!!

[anfieldanfield]

Nice work Jones.

During occasional lazy moments I like to indulge myself by thinking I could forge a career rambling on about football.

[Craig_H]

Decent, well-flowing read.

Being a picky git, i would say though, that Chelsea DID have a shot on target during that CL semi final 2nd leg, there was a freekick that Dudek tipped wide

[James]

Nice interesting read there m8, anything that gives Carra the recognition is good but I really enjoyed that.

[jonesie]

Decent, well-flowing read.

Being a picky git, i would say though, that Chelsea DID have a shot on target during that CL semi final 2nd leg, there was a freekick that Dudek tipped wide

I remembered that mate. And I did try and work 'from open play' (not much Carra can do about a free kick) into that bit, but it just didn't sound right.

Bloody critics.

[redpablo]

nice work bro

[Craig_H]

I remembered that mate. And I did try and work 'from open play' (not much Carra can do about a free kick) into that bit, but it just didn't sound right.

Bloody critics.

I cant believe there wasnt one from open play at some point during the 3 hrs 10 mins

But i dont know for a fact that there was.

It was a very good read though mate.

[cobain]

As some of you on here already know, I'm trying to make a career out of rambling on endlessly about football.

I'm in the final year of my course now at Liverpool JMU, and the probably desperate people at 'Voice of Football' have signed me up to write a column for them.

It's not going to be all about Liverpool (in fact I may be forced to say nice things about Man U soon), but my first column is about the legend that is Jamie Carragher.

Read it if you want, please... (and I'm not sure what they've done with the pic)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.voiceoffootball.com/columnists/mj-markjones/2007/0307/120307carragher.htm

Raging Bull

MARK JONES
12 March 2007

Upon receiving his first ever ‘Best Director’ Oscar at the always glitzy and glamorous Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood two weeks ago, legendary film director Martin Scorsese joked: “Could you double-check the envelope?”

After being nominated five times for classic films such as Goodfellas and Raging Bull, Scorsese was finally honoured for last year’s crime thriller The Departed, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson. Ironically, many critics felt that this didn’t represent the director’s best work.

One man who must have known exactly how Scorsese felt was Jamie Carragher.

Had the Liverpool centre back opened his newspapers last Wednesday morning he’d have read gushing praise about his performance at the heart of the Reds’ back line in the epic, and very loud, away-goals triumph over reigning European champions Barcelona at Anfield.

Carragher’s performance earned rave reviews from all quarters, with virtually every national newspaper singling him out and praising how he dealt with Barca’s three ‘cracks’, Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and Leo Messi.

For seasoned Carragher-watchers though, the display was nothing out of the ordinary. He has been playing like that virtually week-in week-out for the best part of the last three years. It’s just not often that he gets any praise for it.

If Scorsese were to make an epic thriller about last Tuesday’s events at Anfield, then the part of Carragher would surely be played by the director’s favourite, Robert De Niro. Gritty, uncompromising and with a will-to-win so large that it dwarfs all of his competitors, De Niro wouldn’t go far wrong if he were to portray Carragher like he did Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull. Before he got fat

Carragher’s display alongside Daniel Agger at the heart of defence allowed for the Reds’ attacking talents of Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy (surely the Joe Pesci to Carragher’s De Niro) to take control of the game, and Liverpool should have been at least two-up by half-time.

When the chances dried up in the second half, Carragher was there to snuff out any danger, and bar Ronaldinho’s moment of magic when he hit the post, Barca struggled to create anything before Eidur Gudjohnsen’s arrival.

Even in those tense, nervy fifteen minutes after the ex-Chelsea man’s goal, Pepe Reina was barely troubled.

What was most surprising about the entire night was that people were actually surprised by Carragher’s performance. Where were they when, ridden with cramp, he was throwing himself in front of every white AC Milan shirt that came close to goal in extra time in Istanbul? Were they looking the other way when, for 180 minutes (plus a lot of injury time), he didn’t let Chelsea have a single shot on target in the two-legged semi-final before that?

For years Carragher has been chief amongst the sufferers of England’s ‘everyone can get a game’ friendly policy. Play excellently for 20 consecutive matches in the Premiership, but come on as a sub for half an hour in a meaningless international, probably in the wrong position, and don’t immediately shine and that’s it. You’re written off as ‘not good enough for England’.

Until recently, players such as Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King and Sol Campbell were considered to be ahead of Carragher in the England pecking order, but over the years the Reds man has slowly but surely been getting the praise he deserves, and there are now some calls for him to be slotted in as John Terry’s first choice defensive partner.

Given Liverpool fans’ passionate loyalties towards their club, most aren’t too bothered about the fortunes of the national team and whether Carragher plays for them or not.

But it’s about recognition: Carragher seems to be slowly winning over the opinion-formers of the game, and could soon be reaping the rewards that he so richly deserves.

Jamie Carragher the Scouse Scorsese? Well, I’m not sure if the legendary director is a Guinness drinker, but I’m sure he’d tell you that good things come to those who wait...

Excellent stuff mate!

Are you still on trial or did you get that job?

[Diego]

well in there mate...

[JCase]

Great read. Good stuff. Good luck with trying to write anything nice abt the manc ****s.

[Parm]

top stuff mate, all the best for the piece and the future pieces!

[jonesie]

Excellent stuff mate!

Are you still on trial or did you get that job?

The trial goes on for three more weeks. But I got an e-mail from the editor last night saying she liked this so hopefully I'll get the job.

[anfieldanfield]

The trial goes on for three more weeks. But I got an e-mail from the editor last night saying she liked this so hopefully I'll get the job.

How much do you get paid per article ?

Couple of hundred...

How did you get the job ?

[jonesie]

How much do you get paid per article ?

Couple of hundred...

Nothing yet! Only a trial.

Won't be much if they take me on permanent either. This is not all it's cracked up to be. You don't earn a lot until you get onto the really big papers, magazines or websites.

[anfieldanfield]

Nothing yet! Only a trial.

Won't be much if they take me on permanent either. This is not all it's cracked up to be. You don't earn a lot until you get onto the really big papers, magazines or websites.

How did you get the job ?

[jonesie]

How did you get the job ?

The editor saw some of the stuff I'd done in a student magazine.

Haven't got the job yet though...