Jamie Carragher's Testimonial Game & Gala Dinner

[MrsB]

Bid for Carra's Athens CL shirt

Liverpoolfc.tv, 30th Aug 2010



How would you like to be the proud owner of the shirt Jamie Carragher wore during the 2007 UEFA Champions League final?

Carra's shirt from that night in Athens, when the Reds appeared in their seventh European Cup final, is now being put up for auction by the Liverpool defender, with all proceeds going to his 23 Foundation, the charity which supports causes in the Merseyside area.

As we look forward to Carra's testimonial next weekend, our vice-captain has personally signed and donated his shirt from that night in Athens to Liverpoolfc.tv for us to auction online.

The auction will be conducted by a "sealed bid" process, with supporters submitting by email the maximum amount they are willing to pay for this fantastic prize.

Once bidding closes, Liverpoolfc.tv will contact the supporter who has submitted the highest bid to arrange the details of the payment to the charity.

To submit a bid, please email your name, address, contact number and how much you are willing to pay for the prize to [email protected]. Please mark the subject header with "Jamie Carragher shirt".

If your bid exceeds a certain amount then it may be possible for Jamie to present you with the shirt on the day of his testimonial game at Anfield.

The closing date for all bids is 4pm on Thursday September 2, 2010.

Good luck.

*Please do not bid unless you are willing to honour the amount you are prepared to pay for the prize. This is a charity appeal and timewasters will not be appreciated by The 23 Foundation, Liverpool Football Club or Jamie Carragher himself.

[IN_RAFA_WE_TRUST]

I'd rather have the 2005 shirt.

[tsb]

I'd rather have the 2005 shirt.

Think you'll struggle, he probably has it above his front door at home and touches it everytime he leaves the house.

[MrsB]

Sangria star to return

Steve Hunter, 2nd Sep 2010
LiverpoolFC.tv

Luis Garcia could be set for an emotional return to Anfield in Jamie Carragher's testimonial against Everton on Saturday.

Our former No.10 played a major role during our glorious Champions League win in 2005, and was a big favourite with the Kop.

The Spanish ace is set to join a whole host of former Reds who are set to feature in the game including another Istanbul hero Jerzy Dudek.

"Luis wants to be involved so hopefully he will be back at Anfield and I'm just waiting for a call," Carragher told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"It would be great to see him again. He played an important part in our success in 2005 and he never really got the chance to say goodbye because he was injured and then he left the club.

"It would be great for Luis as well to get a welcome back from our crowd.

"It will be also be nice to see Jerzy back in goal. Michael Owen will be up front with Emile Heskey, Danny Murphy will be back in central midfield. We'll also have Steve Finnan and Stephen Warnock playing so we've got a few familiar faces."

[-V-]

Michael Owen in a Liverpool top

Get a grip Jamie lad

[Craig_H]

Aug 25 2010 Liverpool Daily Post

FORMER LFC players are returning for Jamie Carragher’s Testimonial on September 4 for a Liverpool XI against an Everton XI at Anfield.

The famous line-up includes, Michael Owen, Jamie Redknapp, Danny Murphy, Jason McAteer, Jerzy Dudek, Stephen Warnock and Emile Heskey.

Jamie Carragher will lead the teams out at Anfield on September 4to celebrate his Testimonial and raise funds for his 23 Foundation, named after his shirt number.

The 23 Foundation, administered by the Community Foundation for Merseyside, encourages the youth of the city to reach for their dreams by providing a framework for achieving their goals.

It is hoped the testimonial will raise £1m on the day to support children and young people across Merseyside.

Cathy Elliott, chief executive of the Community Foundation for Merseyside, said: “It will be a fantastic opportunity for fans to see some big names from LFC’s past come together to celebrate Jamie’s Testimonial.

“No doubt it will be a great game for all the fans and will raise money for the 23 Foundation to help improve local young people’s lives at the same time.”

Tickets are available at www.liverpoolfc.tv

Pretty soon, that'll be stronger than our first XI.

[JohnOK]

Steve Hunter, 2nd Sep 2010
LiverpoolFC.tv

Luis Garcia could be set for an emotional return to Anfield in Jamie Carragher's testimonial against Everton on Saturday.

Our former No.10 played a major role during our glorious Champions League win in 2005, and was a big favourite with the Kop.

The Spanish ace is set to join a whole host of former Reds who are set to feature in the game including another Istanbul hero Jerzy Dudek.

"Luis wants to be involved so hopefully he will be back at Anfield and I'm just waiting for a call," Carragher told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"It would be great to see him again. He played an important part in our success in 2005 and he never really got the chance to say goodbye because he was injured and then he left the club.

"It would be great for Luis as well to get a welcome back from our crowd.

"It will be also be nice to see Jerzy back in goal. Michael Owen will be up front with Emile Heskey, Danny Murphy will be back in central midfield. We'll also have Steve Finnan and Stephen Warnock playing so we've got a few familiar faces."

Luis Garcia will get a great reception! Will always have fond memories of little Luis and he completely understood the fans too and loved the club.

[kop-al-74]

Will this game be shown on tv at all?

[DannyMan2006]

Will this game be shown on tv at all?

Not live but on LFCtv at 7pm tomorrow.

[kop-al-74]

Not live but on LFCtv at 7pm tomorrow.

[pondus]

Great Carra interview!


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...Carragher.html

Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t knock us off our perch... Graeme Souness did, says Liverpool's Jamie Carragher

By John Edwards
Last updated at 7:24 PM on 3rd September 2010

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Jamie Carragher had been on the receiving end for the best part of half an hour, across a desk at Liverpool’s Melwood training ground, when he was given the opportunity to turn interrogator.

A student of the game with a thirst for knowledge to go with his hunger for success, whose mind would he tap into if he could sit down with any football figure?

The answer raised one or two eyebrows and was delivered in a typically forthright way that may raise a few hackles with Graeme Souness, who presided over a Liverpool decline during his controversial three-year reign as successor to Kenny Dalglish.

They don’t come any more Scouse than Carragher, Bootle-born and so devoted to his home city that Everton had to be the opponents for his testimonial at Anfield today.

And the proceeds were never going anywhere other than his 23 Foundation for local causes.

He feels the bitter rivalry between Anfield and Old Trafford as keenly as anyone, yet Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was the name he nominated as his imaginary interviewee.

‘I love talking about the game, learning things from people, but there’s always a mystique about people you haven’t had the chance to speak to,’ he said.

‘The likes of Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho, I could talk to them all day and that’s one reason I answered the call from Fabio Capello to go to the World Cup. I wanted to see him at close quarters.

‘I wasn’t disappointed and got on great with him. He used to make me laugh every day, honestly. It was just the way he was — no messing. I loved that.

'I’ve also spoken at length with Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez about their methods, so if I had to choose someone, it would be Ferguson.

‘What would I ask him? How long have you got? All day? I’d just want to find out what he would make of certain situations and how he would react to them. Just how he goes about things, how he makes it all work.

‘If I was in his company, I would also tell him, first off, that Manchester United never knocked Liverpool off their ******* perch, as he put it. That’s just nonsense. Graeme Souness did that.

'When United were going for their first title under Ferguson in 1992-93, they were competing with Norwich and Aston Villa. They weren’t competing with Liverpool, were they?’

Carragher was just as candid about the challenges of the past 14 years and the way Liverpool’s public image took a battering towards the end of the Benitez regime, as the former Anfield boss found himself at odds with rival managers.

‘I care about the club and it concerned me that, last year, people just didn’t like Liverpool,’ he said.

‘Other managers hated us and stuff in the media was all negative. We weren’t doing well on the pitch, to be fair, but it was just negative Liverpool all the time.

‘We had situations where Martin O’Neill and Steve Bruce were criticising Liverpool and they were right. We shouldn’t be getting involved with stuff like that.

'Everyone else should look at Liverpool and say they have dignity, class. It should be like the way people look at Arsenal. They do things right, conduct themselves properly.

‘I’m not getting involved in what the causes were, but we need to get back to behaving in a way that wins respect.

‘When you are a Liverpool player, you’ve got to keep proving yourself. I remember when Steve Finnan was signed for the right back position.

'I’d been playing right back and it was the one time I thought “Hmmm, I wonder”, but I still got picked on the other flank.
JC by numbers

JC by numbers

‘Then attacking full backs seemed to become the vogue. I was probably a great defender, but I wasn’t one for bombing forward.

'But we bought Christian Ziege, who couldn’t defend, and John Arne Riise, and he couldn’t defend either.

'The list was endless and it showed you have to be able to defend if you’re playing at the back.

‘I wouldn’t change anything about my career. I have loved every minute, even if the pressure gets to you sometimes. As players, we put pressure on ourselves.

‘It was my wife’s birthday party last Sunday, but I just knew I wasn’t going to enjoy it if we didn’t beat West Brom that afternoon.

'It was on my mind from the moment the whistle went. All through the game, I’m thinking, “We’ve got to win it, we’ve got to win it”.

‘And there were a couple of occasions last season when I opened cafes. They should have been great nights, couple of drinks and a bit of socialising, but all I could think of each time was how things had gone wrong on the pitch.

‘The first one had been a 2-2 draw with Tottenham and I hadn’t played well, and I scored an own goal in the second against Hull. Honestly, it ruined the whole evening.

'So, much as I would miss playing, there’s a part of me that can’t wait to unwind without any of that weighing you down. As a player, you can only enjoy your life if the football is going well.

‘You can have all the money and all the fame and celebrity status, but if the football is not going well, your whole life is affected by it. Unless you are on top of your game and winning, there is no enjoyment.

'Don’t get me wrong — it’s worth it, of course it is. I wouldn’t be without it and whatever happens after I hang up my boots, I can’t imagine life without football.’


Legend

[Lee]

Honestly, is there a more honest player in football than Carragher? I certainly can't think of any other player.

Top man, and possibly his best interview that I've read. Very interesting - his autobiography was good but I think it was toned down. Just love the way he tells it how he sees it.

[Shanks]

Don't Boo the midget..

[Fivex]

Don't Boo the midget..

I won't be booing as it's Carras day, but I think I'll be in the minority. He'll be in a red shirt again and it'll feel wrong but I just don't think I could boo anyone in red.

[MrsB]

Jamie Carragher names his Liverpool FC dream team

Sep 4 2010 Liverpool Echo

SINCE breaking into Liverpool’s first team 13 years ago, Jamie Carragher has played alongside all those who have established themselves as modern Anfield greats.

From Steve McManaman through to Fernando Torres, Carragher has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the men who will be revered forever more and seen at first hand what separates the great from the good.

There have been a number of fine teams in that period, but deciding on a definitive XI is easier said than done. Who, for example, leads the line? What formation would get the best out of them? Which men should pull the strings in the engine room?

Typically, though, Carragher – whose testimonial against Everton takes place at Anfield this afternoon – is up for the challenge of picking an all-star line up.

But there is one important rule: he can’t pick himself.

So, with that in mind, here he reveals the identity of a team he thinks would conquer all before them and score plenty of goals on the way. Some choices are predictable, others less so . . .

GOALKEEPER: Pepe Reina

HE is definitely in the top two or three keepers in the world but, in my opinion, I think he’s the best.

His record here is better than Ray Clemence, which says something when you think of the honours he won in his Liverpool career.

Pepe hasn’t got to that stage yet but there’s plenty of time for that.

He’s a great character around the place and one of the leaders of the team.

He’s just the full package.

RIGHT BACK: Steve Finnan

IT was a tough choice between ‘Fin’ and Markus Babbel.

Markus only played 12 months and they were great, as we won the treble.

But Fin had a few extra years, did well in the Champions League and was always a seven out of 10 performer every game.

He’s the type of player every team needs.

CENTRE BACK: Stephane Henchoz

Henchoz was my type of defender.

He was a player who would throw himself into tackles no matter what.

He and Sami were a great partnership the year we won the treble.

He defends the way I like people to defend and he and Sami were a formidable barrier during the time they spent together in the Liverpool team.

CENTRE BACK: Sami Hyypia

Sami is simply one of Liverpool’s greats.

He is the best central defensive partner I have ever played alongside and he is one of the greatest signings the club has ever made.

When you think of the performances he produced so consistently and the longevity of his career, for that price tag, it was phenomenal business.

LEFT BACK: John Arne Riise

HE made a great impact on the club when he first arrived, notably for the quality of his attacking displays and the ferocity of his shooting.

But it’s often overlooked that in 2005 and 2006, we broke a lot of defensive records, too, and he was the left-back in that side.

Having said that, you always remember the goals ‘Ginge’ scored, like the thunderbolt against Manchester United in his first season.

RIGHT MIDFIELD: Steve McManaman

HE was the best player when I got into the team and a great role model to look up to.

He played a slightly different position when he was at his best but, for this team, I’d put him on the flank and let him cause havoc with those mazy, penetrating runs.

He won two cup finals for Liverpool almost on his own and then achieved great things with Real Madrid.

He was an inspiration.

CENTRE MIDFIELD: Steven Gerrard

THIS choice speaks for itself.

He is the best player I’ve played with, and is certainly on a par with Kenny Dalglish in the club’s history.

There’s not much you can say about him that hasn’t already been said.

When he is at the top of his game, he is unstoppable and a man for the big occasion.

CENTRE MIDFIELD: Xabi Alonso

HE just edges out Didi Hamann for the central midfield role alongside Stevie.

Already in his career he has won the World Cup and the European Championships; he also played a big part in the Champions League final and is top drawer.

This was probably the most difficult choice of all but I just think with the way Xabi can use the ball, you could never leave him out of the equation.

LEFT MIDFIELD: John Barnes

I didn’t play with John when he was a left-winger, but I did have 45 minutes alongside him in the centre of midfield.

As a kid growing up, I’ll never forget John Barnes.

He is probably in the top three or four players to have played for Liverpool and when he was at his best, he was up there with anyone in the world.

He could win a game on his own and had the lot.

STRIKER: Michael Owen

HE’S a good mate of mine but that doesn’t mean it makes him a certainty for selection.

You’ve got to remember what he did during the treble season.

He won the FA Cup final against Arsenal on his own and ended up being named European Footballer of the Year in 2001.

His impact in those first four or five years after he emerged and broke into the first team was nothing short of astonishing.

STRIKER: Robbie Fowler

People will look at this and say ‘why no Fernando? But this isn’t a case of me just picking my mates. Fernando has been amazing for us and what he has achieved with Spain in the last couple of years has been fantastic. But he has still to win a trophy here.

Fernando, ironically, has probably got a better goals record than Michael and Robbie but both of them are remembered for certain cup finals.

Remember what Robbie did against Birmingham and Alaves in 2001? I also went for him because he was someone I looked up to. I just couldn’t leave him out for that reason. He was a poacher supreme.

ON THE BENCH:

Again, whittling numbers down isn’t easy. It was hard picking that starting line-up but it’s just as difficult trying to select a bench when you think of all the players who have made massive contributions down the years for us.

In the end, I’ve gone for JERZY DUDEK as the goalkeeper. Then we could have FERNANDO TORRES to come on give us a potent weapon; DIDI HAMANN, DANNY MURPHY and GARY McALLISTER would provide some different midfield options, while you couldn’t do better than having MARKUS BABBEL to turn to for defensive cover.