Carra blames Souness for Reds woes

04 September 2010 08:58
Jamie Carragher wants to tell Sir Alex Ferguson that it was not Manchester United but Graeme Souness that knocked Liverpool off their perch.[LNB] Carragher will today enjoy his testimonial with the likes of Michael Owen, Danny Murphy, Jerzy Dudek, Luis Garcia and Emile Heskey all set to turn out at Anfield, with Gerard Houllier also attending.[LNB]Carragher has made 635 appearances for Liverpool since making his debut in January 1997, three years into Roy Evans' spell as manager after he had replaced Souness.[LNB]The Bootle-born defender readily admits he would love to learn from the likes of Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Fabio Capello, who persuaded the defender to come out of international retirement and represent England in their disastrous World Cup campaign.[LNB]He told the Daily Mail: "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.[LNB]"I wasn't disappointed and got on great with him. He used to make me laugh every day. It was just the way he was - no messing. I loved that."[LNB]The Reds stalwart then settled on Ferguson as the manager he would most like to interview and added: "What would I ask him? How long have you got? All day?[LNB]"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.[LNB]"That's nonsense. Graeme Souness did that.[LNB]"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?"[LNB]Jamie Carragher may have played over 600 games in his 14-year professional career but the most significant appearance among the gallery of stars present for his testimonial will be his mother's.[LNB]Paula Carragher has only once before visited the ground, and even then it was very early in his career when the now 32-year-old was still a youth team player.[LNB]But she will make an exception to watch her son's big day as he captains a Liverpool XI against a side from Everton, the club Carragher supported as a boy.[LNB]"My mum has only been to Anfield once, when we won the youth cup," he said.[LNB]"She'll be in the directors box for her second outing but football has always been for the boys in our house.[LNB]"I am looking forward to enjoying the game. It will be a family day and I'm sure my kids will go on the pitch at some point for a kickabout."[LNB]Carragher has been keen to stress the testimonial, which will raise funds for his 23 Foundation supporting groups and charities in Liverpool, does not signal the end of his career.[LNB]He does admit it is a time for reflection though.[LNB]"The obvious highlight is Istanbul in 2005 and the Champions League win," he added.[LNB]"But I think my first full league game when I scored against Aston Villa [was significant] because without that who knows what I would have achieved?"[LNB]Asked to pick a low point he said: "There have been plenty of those - the more you play the more bad ones you have.[LNB]"I remember losing 3-0 to Everton and having a nightmare, I didn't sleep for a week afterwards!"

Source: Team_Talk