Scouse Pie and Bovril: Steven Gerrard

Showing posts with label Steven Gerrard. Show all posts

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

LFC Announce Gerrard Testimonial

Liverpool Football Club will honour Steven Gerrard with a testimonial match this summer, with all the proceeds from the event being donated to charity.

The Reds will face reigning Greek champions and European giants Olympiacos in their only pre-season match to be played at Anfield, on Saturday, August 3, 2013 (2pm kick off).

The contest is being staged to celebrate Gerrard's glittering Liverpool career and also recognise his commitment and loyalty to his hometown club.

Money raised from events celebrating Steven's testimonial year will be for the benefit of the Steven Gerrard Foundation (SGF), a registered charity - www.stevengerrardfoundation.org. The foundation, set up in February 2011, is committed to making a lasting difference to disadvantaged children and young people in need.

Liverpool's opponents, Olympiacos, have confirmed that they too will be donating their appearance fee to local charities in Greece.

The fixture has great historical significance for both Steven and Liverpool. In 2004, in front of a packed home crowd, a stunning late goal from Steven, saw Liverpool come from behind to beat a powerful Olympiacos side 3-1 and go into the next stage of the UEFA Champions League. Steven's goal proved to be even more critical as that same season, they went on to be crowned winners of Champions League, beating AC Milan in an unforgettable final.

As Steven has spent the majority of his life in Liverpool, he has seen many of the issues faced by local children and therefore much of the money generated will go to a range of children's charitable organisations and projects in and around Merseyside.

Gerrard said: "I am delighted to be honoured by Liverpool with a testimonial match and particularly thrilled that Olympiacos have accepted my invitation to play the fixture. Last time we met proved to be such a memorable game both for me personally and Liverpool Football Club.

"I am also especially grateful that Olympiacos have truly embraced the aim of this match and chosen to donate their fee to charity. I am looking forward to what I know will be a fantastic game and a wonderful occasion."

Evangelos Marinakis, president of Olympiacos, said: "It is an honour and a great pleasure to participate in Steven's testimonial match against Liverpool, which shows yet again how the world of football can work together to build a bright future for the children and the young people of our society.

"As a socially-conscious club, Olympiacos always seek to contribute with actions aimed to alleviate people in need, as much as humanly possible.

"Reaching those affected by the economic crisis in our home country, we will donate our share to humanitarian, non-profit driven foundations and community development programmes. We look forward to a most enjoyable and rewarding match, where everyone is a winner."

Sportcel Marketing, a leading sports and event marketing agency, have been appointed by Gerrard as the exclusive agency to organise the testimonial match on behalf of the Foundation.

In addition, they have been charged with arranging one other testimonial event, with the objective of raising as much money as possible for SGF over the course of the year.

Rob Owen, director at Sportcel, said: "Having worked with Steven on his inaugural fund raising event for the Steven Gerrard Foundation, we have seen first hand the extraordinary impact that Steven has on those around him and his ability to galvanise support for such an important cause.

"We are of course delighted to be chosen to help him once again, in such an important year for him and the Foundation."

Follow @Glady_Libs_LFC

Monday, 11 March 2013

'He'd Be The Greatest Not To Win It'

Luis Suarez will be the greatest player to not win the Player of the Year award if he is overlooked for the accolade this season – that's the view of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

The No.7 turned in another outstanding display in Sunday's 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, firing the opening goal to take his tally for the season so far to 29.

In the Barclays Premier League, Suarez now has 22 goals to his name, making him the division's leading marksman - and Gerrard believes he deserves to be rewarded for his fine form.

"He's been doing that for us all season," said the skipper. "Before the last deadline, we never got that centre-forward in and he's almost carried this team on his own. At times he was the only centre-forward we had.

"He's top scorer in the league now and he's been incredible. I can't put into words how good he's been.

"If he doesn't win an award this year, he'll be the best player ever not to win an award."

Suarez came up against one of the men thought to be among his main rivals for end-of-season honours in Tottenham's Gareth Bale.

Gerrard acknowledges the Wales winger has been in scintillating form this term - but remains steadfast in his belief that Suarez has been the league's most outstanding player this season.

"Bale's in top form and probably one of the best players in the world on current form," added the midfielder.

"But luckily enough, we've got a player who is as equally as good as him in Luis Suarez - and I think Luis may just pip him to Player of the Year, in my opinion.

"He's been incredible. It's hard to put into words how good he's been."

After Suarez had opened the scoring, Spurs raced into a 2-1 lead thanks to a brace from centre-back Jan Vertonghen.

Liverpool levelled through Stewart Downing, who made the most of a mistake from Hugo Lloris - and Gerrard was eager to highlight the No.19's form.

He said: "He's a different player now. Now we're seeing Stewart Downing the England international and why he has got all those caps.

"What is impressing me the most about Stewart Downing at the moment is the work he's doing for the team without the ball - sliding tackles, his double marking with Glen Johnson and his effort.

"The stats that go up on the board after every game underline that. He's a different player and if he can keep producing those types of performances then it will be money well spent.

"If he keeps to that level of consistency he can make that position in the team his own."

It was left to Gerrard to secure the three points when he fired home a dramatic late penalty.

The midfielder raced towards John Achterberg on the bench to celebrate - and afterwards explained how the goalkeeping coach had assisted him in his preparations should he have been required to take a spot-kick.

"I wouldn't like to take all the credit for the three points today," he revealed.

"There are so many details that go into the games nowadays. John Achterberg did a montage on their goalie for me before the game. He consistently went to the right and I think he had saved four out of eight going to his right.

"I was always going to his left having watched that, but if I had never got that montage then I would probably have gone to his right - so credit to John."

With Brendan Rodgers opting to select an attack-minded starting XI that included Suarez, Downing, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, Gerrard was deployed in a deeper role alongside Lucas Leiva.

"When your squad is littered with players like that, sometimes you have to sacrifice yourself at times and play that little bit deeper for the team," he said.

"If that means the other players go and excite the crowd, assist and score goals, then I'm quite happy to watch that."

The result moved Liverpool into sixth place in the Premier League, seven points off fourth-placed Chelsea.

Reflecting on the contest as a whole, Gerrard said: "It's a big win for us.

"With our performances against the top sides this season, I think we've been very unlucky not to get a win. It's been too long so there's a bit of relief really that we have proved we can beat one of the top sides in the league.

"I think on current form, along with ourselves, Tottenham are probably the best team in the league. When the top sides come, you always know there will be periods of the game when they will have control.

"Credit to Tottenham, they are a fantastic team but we always stayed in the game. Even at 2-1, with players like Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge in your team you always know that something can happen to get you back in it.

"When we went out of the Europa League, the message from the manager and the staff was that we needed to try and win as many of our remaining games as possible and try to finish as high as possible.

"Our form is good but we can't afford to get carried away just because we've beaten Tottenham.

"We need to show what we've shown today in all of our remaining games. We want to finish above Everton and as high as we can in the league."

Meanwhile, Gerrard paid tribute to Jamie Carragher after the veteran centre-back notched up his 500th league appearance for the club against Spurs.

He said: "For me personally, it's a sad and emotional time to see Jamie announce his retirement. I'm closer to him than anyone. I've been there through a lot of his games. To see him hang his boots up is a sad time for myself and the club as well.

"You've got to respect his decision - he feels as if it's time - but he'll be impossible to replace because he's been that good and consistent for this club over the years."