Jamie Carragher
Encyclopedia
James Lee Duncan "Jamie" Carragher (born 28 January 1978) is an English
footballer who plays as a defender
for Premier League side Liverpool
. He is the current vice-captain and is one of the club's longest-serving players; he made his 666th appearance for Liverpool in all competitions on the 9th May 2011, thus placing him second on the club's all time appearance list.
Carragher started his career with the Liverpool youth team. He made his professional debut in the 1996–97 season and became a first team regular the following season. He gained his first senior honours in 2001, winning a cup treble of the FA Cup
, League Cup
and UEFA Cup
. Having initially played as a full back, the arrival of manager Rafael Benítez
in 2004 saw Carragher move to the centre back position and that season he won his greatest honour to date—the UEFA Champions League. In the next season, he won the FA Cup and was selected in the PFA Team of the Year
. Carragher set a record for the most appearances in European competition for Liverpool in 2007.
Internationally, Carragher held the national record for most caps at under-21 level and earned his senior debut in 1999. Although he competed at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, he failed to pin down a first team place in the England national team
. Carragher decided to retire from international football in 2007, with 34 senior England caps, and released his autobiography, Carra, in 2008. However, he came out of retirement after being selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
squad.
, Merseyside
, Carragher attended the former FA school of excellence in Lilleshall
in his youth. Although a childhood Everton
supporter he chose to join Merseyside rivals
Liverpool
and in 1996 was a member of their FA Youth Cup
winning team along with his friend Michael Owen
. He signed a professional contract in October 1996 and then made his first team debut under Roy Evans
' management three months later in the second leg of the League Cup
semi-final against Middlesbrough
, coming on as a substitute for Rob Jones. Next came his Premiership
debut, again coming on as a substitute, against West Ham United
. He then started the next game against Aston Villa
and marked the occasion with his first goal (a header in front of the Kop) in a 3–0 win to temporarily take the side to the top of the table, but Liverpool finished the season in fourth place. In the 1997–98 season, Carragher broke into the first team, making twenty Premier League appearances. The following season he cemented his place in the first-team squad, missing just four league games all season, and Kevin Keegan
awarded him his first full international cap. He has also cemented himself as one of Liverpool's greatest players.
Throughout his early years he was essentially used as a utility player spending time as a centre-half, right and left full-back and defensive midfield in a squad that was often negatively labelled the "Spice Boys
". Carragher, young and caught up with the negative media reputations of that squad initially, learned to shun the spotlight and focus on football as new coach Gerard Houllier
used him consistently in a new continental side focused on discipline and a new era. Carragher's versatility meant he would be deployed to fill in wherever there was a hole, but ironically harmed his ability to hold down a first team position of his own. In 1999–2000 he played mainly as a right-back, this season saw one of Carragher's darkest Liverpool moments as he scored two own goals in 3–2 home defeat to Manchester United, then in 2000–01 he made the left-back position his own. 2001 also saw Carragher gain his first senior trophies: the FA Cup
, UEFA Cup
, League Cup
(scoring in the shootout in the final against Birmingham), Community Shield and European Super Cup
.
He hit the headlines in January 2002 during an FA Cup tie against Arsenal
, when he threw a coin back into the stands that had been tossed at him, Carragher earned a red card.
He escaped an FA
misconduct charge after apologising, but did receive a formal police warning about the incident.
From 2002 till 2004, Carragher was hit by two serious injuries, firstly missing the 2002 FIFA World Cup
for an operation on his troublesome knee and later due to a broken leg in the first half of the 2003–04 season after a tackle by Blackburn's
Lucas Neill
at Ewood Park
in the Reds' fifth game of the season. During this period, Carragher's place in the team was also threatened by signings of Steve Finnan
and John Arne Riise
. However, he succeeded in retaining his place in the team, making 24 appearances in the first half of 2004.
The 2004–05 season was a career defining one for Carragher. New manager Rafael Benítez
moved him to centre-half where he managed 56 appearances alongside Sami Hyypiä
. Carragher shrugged off the utility tag and established himself as a centre half. Carragher developed a reputation as a strong and positionally astute defender. His partnership with Hyypiä was central in Liverpool's 2004–2005 UEFA Champions League
victory. One of the most memorable moments of the match was when Carragher made two vital last ditch intercept into extra time whilst suffering from cramp. Carragher was voted as Liverpool's player of the year at the end of the campaign. He later went on to captain the team in their 2005 UEFA Super Cup victory over CSKA Moscow.
On 13 May 2006, Carragher played in the FA Cup
final against West Ham
. It was his tenth final in as many years of club football. He scored an own goal in the 21st minute, but Liverpool went on to win 3–1 on penalties after the match finished 3–3 after extra-time.
On 9 December 2006, Carragher scored his first league goal since January 1999, in a match against Fulham
at Anfield
. His central defence partner Daniel Agger
flicked the ball on from a corner, and Carragher slid the ball under Fulham keeper Jan Laštůvka
at the far post. The goal was only his fourth in his Liverpool career.
In Liverpool's Champions League
semi-final second leg against Chelsea
on 1 May 2007, Carragher set a record for the most appearances in European competition for the club. His 90th European match took him past Ian Callaghan
's 89 matches between 1964 and 1978. Carragher was voted as Liverpool's Player of the Year for the 2006–07 season by the fans and soon after extended his contract till 2011. That season also saw Carragher's international retirement, with the defender citing frustration with a lack of appearances under Steve McClaren
.
The 2007–08 season saw Carragher reach his 500th appearance for Liverpool. He was made captain for this match.
On 18 May 2009, in the match against West Bromwich Albion
, Carragher was involved in an on-field clash with fellow defender Álvaro Arbeloa and the twosome to be separated by team mates Xabi Alonso
, Daniel Agger
and others. Manager Rafael Benítez
refused to comment any further on the matter. The former England defender later explained, "We want to keep a clean sheet and we want Pepe to have a chance of the Golden Glove for the fourth season running."
During the 2009–10 season
, Carragher made a slow start and many questioned of his performances and whether he should remain in the starting line-up. He however put a solid performance against Manchester United
on 25 October 2009, keeping a clean sheet and silencing his critics and is the best defender in the game now.
On 31 October 2009, Carragher was sent off in a game against Fulham
, this was his first red card in more than seven years.
On 19 December 2009, Carragher recorded his 600th Liverpool appearance, in a 2–0 away defeat to Portsmouth
.
On 4 September 2010, a mixture of Liverpool players past and present played an Everton XI
in Carragher's charity fund-raising testimonial match
. All proceeds from the game at Anfield
went to local charities through Carragher's 23 Foundation. He scored a goal for each side as his Liverpool team beat Everton XI 4–1, first by scoring from the spot for the Reds before converting a penalty own goal for the club he had supported as a boy after the break.
On 24 October 2010, Carragher scored his seventh own goal in the Premier League. Richard Dunne
of Aston Villa, with ten, is the only currently active player to have scored more Premiership own goals.
On 28 November 2010, Carragher dislocated his shoulder in a 2–1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane
, the game being his 450th Premier League appearance for Liverpool.
He was out for around three months with the injury as it required surgery. He returned on 6 February against Chelsea
.
On 24 February 2011, Carragher came on as a substitute against Sparta Prague at Anfield
, to make his 137th European appearance, a British record.
On 17 April 2011, during a match against Arsenal
at the Emirates Stadium
, both Carragher and John Flanagan
tried to head away the same ball, resulting in their heads colliding and Carragher being knocked out. After 6 minutes of treatment Carragher was stretchered off and replaced by Sotirios Kyrgiakos
.
On 9 May 2011, Jamie Carragher completed his 666th game for Liverpool, in 5-2 victory against Fulham
.
Putting Carragher second in the list for first team appearances for Liverpool. He is behind only Ian Callaghan, who played a record 857 games for the Merseyside club.
. Playing as a defensive midfielder, he became a regular for the team, and eventually captain
. In 2000, when he became ineligible for the team, he held the national record for most caps at this level, with 27. The record was eclipsed in 2007 by former Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson
.
On 28 April 1999 he earned his first cap for the senior England team, as a substitute against Hungary
. He made his full international début against Netherlands
at White Hart Lane
in 2001, and later came on as a substitute as England famously beat Germany
5–1 in the Olympiastadion
. Carragher missed the 2002 World Cup through injury, but travelled with England to Euro 2004
. He eventually ended up with no playing time, losing out to Ledley King
when a vacancy opened up. He was selected for the England squad for the 2006 World Cup
in Germany
, and was not in the original starting eleven, but came into the team after Gary Neville
suffered an injury.
Carragher has played centre-back, right-back, left-back, and in the defensive midfield for England. Despite his many caps and regular squad appearances, he has never held down a consistent place in the starting eleven. Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson
generally used two central defenders from John Terry
, Rio Ferdinand
and Sol Campbell
in preference to Carragher, but occasionally used Carragher as right-back as deputy for Gary Neville
, as he did during the 2006 World Cup.
On 1 July 2006 Carragher was one of three players to have a penalty saved by Ricardo Pereira
, as England yet again succumbed on penalties to exit the 2006 World Cup in the quarter finals against Portugal
. Carragher, who had been brought on as a substitute for Aaron Lennon
late in he game, scored with his first attempt but was forced to re-take his penalty by the referee, who had not blown his whistle. Carragher then saw his second effort saved.
On 9 July 2007 it was reported that Carragher was considering quitting the England squad. TalkSport
host Adrian Durham
accused Carragher of "bottling it." Carragher confirmed on the show that he was indeed thinking about retirement, but he had already had two talks with England head coach Steve McClaren
and would leave it until the upcoming match against Germany
to decide.
Carragher did subsequently retire from international football. McClaren attempted to persuade him to return to the International level on at least one occasion, whilst McClaren's replacement Fabio Capello
has reportedly suggested that he would be happy to consider Carragher. Carragher's responses have suggested that he would not respond positively to any offers of a call-up. Carragher was said to have been unhappy at the failure of successive England managers to pick him at centre-back, preferring to use him as cover along the back four and even as a holding midfielder.
On 11 May 2010, Carragher was named in Fabio Capello
's preliminary 30-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
. Capello and assistant Franco Baldini
managed to persuade Carragher into reversing his decision to retire, "The FA got in touch a few weeks ago and asked if I would have a rethink, due to injury problems; I said I would make myself available" Carragher said. On 24 May, Carragher played his return match for England, in a friendly against Mexico
, which England won 3–1.
Carragher appeared as a substitute for an injured Ledley King
in England's opening World Cup game and replaced King in the following game versus Algeria
, receiving a booking in each resulting in a one match ban. He was not selected for the knockout stage exit at the hands of Germany
, being dropped in favour of Matthew Upson
. Although not formally stating his retirement, Carragher subsequently stated he would prefer to focus on Liverpool under Roy Hodgson
and that his international return had been a "one-off" due to injuries to other players
in his childhood and his teens, like several other high profile players to have worn the Liverpool shirt; including Ian Rush
, Robbie Fowler
and Michael Owen
.
Carragher received the freedom
of his home borough of Sefton for his local charity work and "the exceptional example he sets to the youth of today." He occasionally visits schools as part of his charity work, promoting the importance of family life.
Carragher is married to his childhood sweetheart, Nicola Hart, and has two children; James and Mia.
Carragher has no navel
due to having been born with gastroschisis
.
Carragher is a supporter of the Labour Party
and endorsed Andy Burnham in their most recent leadership election.
Liverpool's academy have signed Carragher's son for their Under 8 team
On 11 September 2008, Carragher's biography, Carra, was released, but controversial excerpts were leaked to the press beforehand. In one instance, Carragher claimed that his close friends were looking to assault Australian defender Lucas Neill
. He also claimed that the incident was averted only because Neill was in the company of David Thompson
, one of Carragher's former team-mates, who Carragher did not want to "become a witness to an assault." Carragher sent a text to Thompson, "telling him Neill should give him a hug of thanks," suggesting had Thompson not been there, Neill would have faced an assault.
There was a popular rumour circling Merseyside for years prior to the release of Carragher's autobiography, that Carragher sported an Everton tattoo on his right arm, and that this was why he always wore long sleeved Liverpool shirts.
Carragher claimed he deliberately set out to injure another player in a practice session against former Liverpool team-mate Rigobert Song
because of the latter's mockery of his defending. "Song walked on to the training pitch with a smile on his face. He was limping off it with a grimace an hour later. The first chance I got, I did him. Never have I hunted down a 50–50 tackle with greater appetite. 'You're not fucking laughing now, are you, you soft cunt?' I said as he hobbled away."
He stated that, though he was fully committed when playing for England, international defeats did not affect him as much as club defeats with Liverpool did. Carragher ended his international absence to return for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after being persuaded by manager Fabio Capello. He never actually stated this time that he had retired or that he would never play again for his country, just that he would rather focus on his career with his beloved Liverpool for the time being and that his call-up to the England Squad was due only to injuries to other players.
On 4 September 2010, Carragher criticised former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness
(who was in charge from April 1991 to January 1994; leaving the club just before Carragher signed for them) and blamed him for Liverpool's failure to win a top division title since 1990. The continued run of success by Manchester United
(who have won 12 out of the 19 Premier League titles contested since the new league was formed in 1992) is often seen as the key factor in Liverpool's league title drought, but Carragher points out that it was Aston Villa
and Norwich City
– not Liverpool – who were United's key challengers when they ended their 26-year wait for a top division title in the 1992–93 season
.
However in a February 2011 Sky Sports
interview with Graeme Souness, it was revealed that Carragher had not made these comments. Carragher through Souness' fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp
, issued an apology to Souness saying he never said what was claimed in the media.
Carragher's relationship with Rafael Benítez
was said to have suffered a breakdown in Benítez's later days at the club, with Carragher concerned about Benítez's conduct with other managers.
“We had situations like Martin O’Neill and Steve Bruce criticising Liverpool and they were right. We shouldn’t be getting involved with stuff like that", was said in reference to Benítez's often rocky relationships with other managers.
Carragher gave his fervent support to Benítez's replacement in Roy Hodgson. "The manager is the boss and we should be trying to impress him, not the other way around." This was stated by Carragher in response to the negative reporting on Hodgson's early tenure at Anfield.
On 6 March 2011, Carragher committed a foul on Manchester United player Luis Nani and the foul resulted in an injury on Nani's shin. Carragher tried to enter the Manchester United dressing room after the game to apologise but was denied by Manchester United staff.
|1996–97||rowspan="16"|Liverpool
||rowspan="16"|Premier League||2||1||0||0||1||0||0||0||3||1
|-
|1997–98||20||0||0||0||2||0||1||0||23||0
|-
|1998–99||34||1||2||0||2||0||6||0||44||1
|-
|1999–00||36||0||2||0||2||0||0||0||40||0
|-
|2000–01||34||0||6||0||6||0||12||0||58||0
|-
|2001–02||33||0||2||0||1||0||16||0||531||0
|-
|2002–03||35||0||3||0||5||0||11||0||54||0
|-
|2003–04||22||0||3||0||0||0||4||0||29||0
|-
|2004–05||38||0||0||0||3||0||15||0||56||0
|-
|2005–06||36||0||6||0||0||0||13||1||572||1
|-
|2006–07||35||1||1||0||1||0||13||0||513||1
|-
|2007–08
||35||0||4||0||3||0||13||0||55||0
|-
|2008–09
||38||0||3||0||1||0||12||0||54||0
|-
|2009–10
||37||0||2||0||1||0||13||0||53||0
|-
|2010–11
||28||0||0||0||0||0||10||0||38||0
|-
|2011–12
||9||0||0||0||3||0||0||0||12||0
|-
472||3||34||0||31||0||139||1||680||4
472||3||34||0||31||0||139||1||680||4
Winner
Runner Up
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who plays as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Premier League side Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. He is the current vice-captain and is one of the club's longest-serving players; he made his 666th appearance for Liverpool in all competitions on the 9th May 2011, thus placing him second on the club's all time appearance list.
Carragher started his career with the Liverpool youth team. He made his professional debut in the 1996–97 season and became a first team regular the following season. He gained his first senior honours in 2001, winning a cup treble of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, League Cup
League Cup
In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...
and UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. Having initially played as a full back, the arrival of manager Rafael Benítez
Rafael Benítez
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....
in 2004 saw Carragher move to the centre back position and that season he won his greatest honour to date—the UEFA Champions League. In the next season, he won the FA Cup and was selected in the PFA Team of the Year
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
. Carragher set a record for the most appearances in European competition for Liverpool in 2007.
Internationally, Carragher held the national record for most caps at under-21 level and earned his senior debut in 1999. Although he competed at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, he failed to pin down a first team place in the England national team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
. Carragher decided to retire from international football in 2007, with 34 senior England caps, and released his autobiography, Carra, in 2008. However, he came out of retirement after being selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
squad.
Club career
Born James Lee Duncan Carragher in BootleBootle
Bootle is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England, and a 'Post town' in the L postcode area. Formally known as Bootle-cum-Linacre, the town is 4 miles to the north of Liverpool city centre, and has a total resident population of 77,640.Historically part of...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, Carragher attended the former FA school of excellence in Lilleshall
Lilleshall
Lilleshall is a village in Shropshire, England.It lies between the towns of Telford and Newport, on the A518, in the Telford and Wrekin borough and the Wrekin constituency....
in his youth. Although a childhood Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
supporter he chose to join Merseyside rivals
Merseyside derby
The Merseyside derby is the name given to any football match contested between Everton and Liverpool football clubs, the two most successful clubs from the city of Liverpool in England...
Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and in 1996 was a member of their FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
winning team along with his friend Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
. He signed a professional contract in October 1996 and then made his first team debut under Roy Evans
Roy Evans
Roy Evans CBE was a Liverpool football player who eventually rose through the coaching ranks to become team manager.-Career:...
' management three months later in the second leg of the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
semi-final against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, coming on as a substitute for Rob Jones. Next came his Premiership
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
debut, again coming on as a substitute, against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. He then started the next game against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and marked the occasion with his first goal (a header in front of the Kop) in a 3–0 win to temporarily take the side to the top of the table, but Liverpool finished the season in fourth place. In the 1997–98 season, Carragher broke into the first team, making twenty Premier League appearances. The following season he cemented his place in the first-team squad, missing just four league games all season, and Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
awarded him his first full international cap. He has also cemented himself as one of Liverpool's greatest players.
Throughout his early years he was essentially used as a utility player spending time as a centre-half, right and left full-back and defensive midfield in a squad that was often negatively labelled the "Spice Boys
Spice Boys (footballers)
The Spice Boys was a media term used to describe a group of Liverpool F.C. footballers in the mid-late 1990s, seen typically as being composed of Jamie Redknapp, David James, Phil Babb, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler, Stan Collymore and Jason McAteer...
". Carragher, young and caught up with the negative media reputations of that squad initially, learned to shun the spotlight and focus on football as new coach Gerard Houllier
Gérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier, OBE , is a French football manager, who was last manager of Premier League club Aston Villa. He stepped down on 1 June 2011, following hospitalisation over heart problems towards the end of the 2010-2011 season....
used him consistently in a new continental side focused on discipline and a new era. Carragher's versatility meant he would be deployed to fill in wherever there was a hole, but ironically harmed his ability to hold down a first team position of his own. In 1999–2000 he played mainly as a right-back, this season saw one of Carragher's darkest Liverpool moments as he scored two own goals in 3–2 home defeat to Manchester United, then in 2000–01 he made the left-back position his own. 2001 also saw Carragher gain his first senior trophies: the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
, League Cup
League Cup
In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...
(scoring in the shootout in the final against Birmingham), Community Shield and European Super Cup
European Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
.
He hit the headlines in January 2002 during an FA Cup tie against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, when he threw a coin back into the stands that had been tossed at him, Carragher earned a red card.
He escaped an FA
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
misconduct charge after apologising, but did receive a formal police warning about the incident.
From 2002 till 2004, Carragher was hit by two serious injuries, firstly missing the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
for an operation on his troublesome knee and later due to a broken leg in the first half of the 2003–04 season after a tackle by Blackburn's
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
Lucas Neill
Lucas Neill
Lucas Edward Neill is an Australian Soccer player who currently plays for UAE Pro-League club Al Jazira. He is a full back. Neill had spent almost 15 years of his career playing in England. He represented Australia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, the 2010 World Cup in South...
at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
in the Reds' fifth game of the season. During this period, Carragher's place in the team was also threatened by signings of Steve Finnan
Steve Finnan
Stephen John "Steve" Finnan is a retired Irish international footballer who played as a right back. He is the only player to have played in the World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, all four levels of the English league football and the Football Conference.-Early career:Finnan was born in...
and John Arne Riise
John Arne Riise
John Arne Semundseth Riise is a Norwegian footballer who currently plays as a left wing-back for Fulham and the Norwegian national team. Riise spent seven years playing for Premier League side Liverpool before moving to Roma in 2008...
. However, he succeeded in retaining his place in the team, making 24 appearances in the first half of 2004.
Rafael Benítez
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....
moved him to centre-half where he managed 56 appearances alongside Sami Hyypiä
Sami Hyypiä
Sami Tuomas Hyypiä is a retired European Cup winning Finnish footballer who played in the centre back position. He last played for German Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen and was the captain of the Finland national football team. He joined Leverkusen in summer 2009, ending a ten year spell at...
. Carragher shrugged off the utility tag and established himself as a centre half. Carragher developed a reputation as a strong and positionally astute defender. His partnership with Hyypiä was central in Liverpool's 2004–2005 UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League 2004-05
The 2004–05 UEFA Champions League was the 50th season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, and the 13th since it was rebranded as the UEFA Champions League in 1992. The competition was won by Liverpool, who beat Milan on penalties in the final, having come back from 3–0 down...
victory. One of the most memorable moments of the match was when Carragher made two vital last ditch intercept into extra time whilst suffering from cramp. Carragher was voted as Liverpool's player of the year at the end of the campaign. He later went on to captain the team in their 2005 UEFA Super Cup victory over CSKA Moscow.
On 13 May 2006, Carragher played in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final against West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. It was his tenth final in as many years of club football. He scored an own goal in the 21st minute, but Liverpool went on to win 3–1 on penalties after the match finished 3–3 after extra-time.
On 9 December 2006, Carragher scored his first league goal since January 1999, in a match against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
. His central defence partner Daniel Agger
Daniel Agger
Daniel Munthe Agger is a Danish footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Denmark national football team. He started his senior career at Danish club Brøndby IF in July 2004, with whom he won the 2005 Danish Superliga championship. The Liverpool fans have created a song for him to the tune of...
flicked the ball on from a corner, and Carragher slid the ball under Fulham keeper Jan Laštůvka
Jan Laštuvka
Jan Laštůvka is a Czech football goalkeeper who currently plays for FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.- Career :Laštůvka started his career at Czech side FC Karviná and moved in summer 2000 to FC Baník Ostrava for four years. In 2003 he won the Talent of the Year award at the Czech Footballer of the Year...
at the far post. The goal was only his fourth in his Liverpool career.
In Liverpool's Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
semi-final second leg against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on 1 May 2007, Carragher set a record for the most appearances in European competition for the club. His 90th European match took him past Ian Callaghan
Ian Callaghan
Ian Robert Callaghan MBE is a former Liverpool footballer who holds the record for most appearances for the club.-Life and playing career:...
's 89 matches between 1964 and 1978. Carragher was voted as Liverpool's Player of the Year for the 2006–07 season by the fans and soon after extended his contract till 2011. That season also saw Carragher's international retirement, with the defender citing frustration with a lack of appearances under Steve McClaren
Steve McClaren
Stephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
.
The 2007–08 season saw Carragher reach his 500th appearance for Liverpool. He was made captain for this match.
On 18 May 2009, in the match against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, Carragher was involved in an on-field clash with fellow defender Álvaro Arbeloa and the twosome to be separated by team mates Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso
Xabier "Xabi" Alonso Olano is a Spanish World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Real Madrid as a midfielder.Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad, the main team of his home region Gipuzkoa. After a brief loan period at Eibar he returned to Sociedad where then manager John Toshack appointed...
, Daniel Agger
Daniel Agger
Daniel Munthe Agger is a Danish footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Denmark national football team. He started his senior career at Danish club Brøndby IF in July 2004, with whom he won the 2005 Danish Superliga championship. The Liverpool fans have created a song for him to the tune of...
and others. Manager Rafael Benítez
Rafael Benítez
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....
refused to comment any further on the matter. The former England defender later explained, "We want to keep a clean sheet and we want Pepe to have a chance of the Golden Glove for the fourth season running."
During the 2009–10 season
2009–10 in English football
The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...
, Carragher made a slow start and many questioned of his performances and whether he should remain in the starting line-up. He however put a solid performance against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
on 25 October 2009, keeping a clean sheet and silencing his critics and is the best defender in the game now.
On 31 October 2009, Carragher was sent off in a game against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
, this was his first red card in more than seven years.
On 19 December 2009, Carragher recorded his 600th Liverpool appearance, in a 2–0 away defeat to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
.
On 4 September 2010, a mixture of Liverpool players past and present played an Everton XI
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in Carragher's charity fund-raising testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
. All proceeds from the game at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
went to local charities through Carragher's 23 Foundation. He scored a goal for each side as his Liverpool team beat Everton XI 4–1, first by scoring from the spot for the Reds before converting a penalty own goal for the club he had supported as a boy after the break.
On 24 October 2010, Carragher scored his seventh own goal in the Premier League. Richard Dunne
Richard Dunne
Richard Patrick Dunne is an Irish footballer who plays as a defender for Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national football team. With Ireland he was a member of the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad and helped his team qualify for UEFA Euro 2012.Dunne began his professional career at Everton...
of Aston Villa, with ten, is the only currently active player to have scored more Premiership own goals.
On 28 November 2010, Carragher dislocated his shoulder in a 2–1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
, the game being his 450th Premier League appearance for Liverpool.
He was out for around three months with the injury as it required surgery. He returned on 6 February against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
.
On 24 February 2011, Carragher came on as a substitute against Sparta Prague at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
, to make his 137th European appearance, a British record.
On 17 April 2011, during a match against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
at the Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Ashburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
, both Carragher and John Flanagan
John Flanagan
John Flanagan was a sculptor who designed the Washington U.S. quarter dollar coin, which was issued in 1932. Flanagan's initials can be found at the base of Washington's neck. Flanagan designed both sides of the quarter....
tried to head away the same ball, resulting in their heads colliding and Carragher being knocked out. After 6 minutes of treatment Carragher was stretchered off and replaced by Sotirios Kyrgiakos
Sotirios Kyrgiakos
Sotirios Kyrgiakos is a Greek international footballer who plays for Wolfsburg as a centre back. He is known for his powerful heading.-Panathinaikos:...
.
On 9 May 2011, Jamie Carragher completed his 666th game for Liverpool, in 5-2 victory against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
.
Putting Carragher second in the list for first team appearances for Liverpool. He is behind only Ian Callaghan, who played a record 857 games for the Merseyside club.
International career
In 1996, Carragher had his first appearance for the England under-21 teamEngland national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
. Playing as a defensive midfielder, he became a regular for the team, and eventually captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
. In 2000, when he became ineligible for the team, he held the national record for most caps at this level, with 27. The record was eclipsed in 2007 by former Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson
Scott Carson
Scott Paul Carson is an English footballer who plays for Bursaspor as a goalkeeper.He joined the Leeds United football academy in 2002, making his full first team debut for Leeds against Manchester United in February 2004...
.
On 28 April 1999 he earned his first cap for the senior England team, as a substitute against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
. He made his full international début against Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
in 2001, and later came on as a substitute as England famously beat Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
5–1 in the Olympiastadion
Olympic Stadium (Munich)
Olympiastadion is a stadium located in Munich, Germany. Situated at the heart of the Olympiapark München in northern Munich, the stadium was built as the main venue for the 1972 Summer Olympics....
. Carragher missed the 2002 World Cup through injury, but travelled with England to Euro 2004
2004 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, better known as Euro 2004, was the 12th European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament for European national teams. It was hosted in Portugal, for the first time, between 12 June and 4 July 2004, following its selection by UEFA, in...
. He eventually ended up with no playing time, losing out to Ledley King
Ledley King
Ledley Brenton King is an English footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur. He is the longest serving player at the club and captained Spurs since 2005. He is currently contracted to Tottenham until 2012...
when a vacancy opened up. He was selected for the England squad for the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and was not in the original starting eleven, but came into the team after Gary Neville
Gary Neville
Gary Alexander Neville is a former English footballer. He is England's most capped right-back and was Manchester United's club captain for five years....
suffered an injury.
Carragher has played centre-back, right-back, left-back, and in the defensive midfield for England. Despite his many caps and regular squad appearances, he has never held down a consistent place in the starting eleven. Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
generally used two central defenders from John Terry
John Terry
John George Terry is an English professional footballer. Terry plays in a centre back position and is the captain of Chelsea in the Premier League...
, Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
and Sol Campbell
Sol Campbell
Sulzeer Jeremiah "Sol" Campbell is an English footballer who is currently a free agent. A central defender, Campbell has played for Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Notts County and Newcastle United, as well as the English national team.Born in East London to Jamaican parents, Campbell's...
in preference to Carragher, but occasionally used Carragher as right-back as deputy for Gary Neville
Gary Neville
Gary Alexander Neville is a former English footballer. He is England's most capped right-back and was Manchester United's club captain for five years....
, as he did during the 2006 World Cup.
On 1 July 2006 Carragher was one of three players to have a penalty saved by Ricardo Pereira
Ricardo Pereira
Ricardo Alexandre Martins Soares Pereira, OIH , simply Ricardo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Vitória de Setúbal as a goalkeeper....
, as England yet again succumbed on penalties to exit the 2006 World Cup in the quarter finals against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
. Carragher, who had been brought on as a substitute for Aaron Lennon
Aaron Lennon
Aaron Justin Lennon is an English footballer who plays as a right winger for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the England national team.-Early life:...
late in he game, scored with his first attempt but was forced to re-take his penalty by the referee, who had not blown his whistle. Carragher then saw his second effort saved.
On 9 July 2007 it was reported that Carragher was considering quitting the England squad. TalkSport
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
host Adrian Durham
Adrian Durham
Adrian Durham is a football journalist and broadcaster.-Career:Durham currently hosts TalkSPORT's "Drivetime" on weekdays between 4pm–7pm alongside ex-cricketer Darren Gough....
accused Carragher of "bottling it." Carragher confirmed on the show that he was indeed thinking about retirement, but he had already had two talks with England head coach Steve McClaren
Steve McClaren
Stephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
and would leave it until the upcoming match against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
to decide.
Carragher did subsequently retire from international football. McClaren attempted to persuade him to return to the International level on at least one occasion, whilst McClaren's replacement Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
has reportedly suggested that he would be happy to consider Carragher. Carragher's responses have suggested that he would not respond positively to any offers of a call-up. Carragher was said to have been unhappy at the failure of successive England managers to pick him at centre-back, preferring to use him as cover along the back four and even as a holding midfielder.
On 11 May 2010, Carragher was named in Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
's preliminary 30-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. Capello and assistant Franco Baldini
Franco Baldini
Franco Baldini is a former Italian footballer who is currently working as the General Manager under Fabio Capello for the English national team. He will become the general manager of AS Roma in October 2011.-Career:...
managed to persuade Carragher into reversing his decision to retire, "The FA got in touch a few weeks ago and asked if I would have a rethink, due to injury problems; I said I would make myself available" Carragher said. On 24 May, Carragher played his return match for England, in a friendly against Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
, which England won 3–1.
Carragher appeared as a substitute for an injured Ledley King
Ledley King
Ledley Brenton King is an English footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur. He is the longest serving player at the club and captained Spurs since 2005. He is currently contracted to Tottenham until 2012...
in England's opening World Cup game and replaced King in the following game versus Algeria
Algeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
, receiving a booking in each resulting in a one match ban. He was not selected for the knockout stage exit at the hands of Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, being dropped in favour of Matthew Upson
Matthew Upson
Matthew James Upson is an English footballer who plays for Stoke City in the Premier League. He is a central defender and he has played for England at full international level including at the 2010 World Cup....
. Although not formally stating his retirement, Carragher subsequently stated he would prefer to focus on Liverpool under Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified...
and that his international return had been a "one-off" due to injuries to other players
Personal life
Carragher was an ardent supporter of EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in his childhood and his teens, like several other high profile players to have worn the Liverpool shirt; including Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
, Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....
and Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
.
Carragher received the freedom
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of his home borough of Sefton for his local charity work and "the exceptional example he sets to the youth of today." He occasionally visits schools as part of his charity work, promoting the importance of family life.
Carragher is married to his childhood sweetheart, Nicola Hart, and has two children; James and Mia.
Carragher has no navel
Navel
The navel is a scar on the abdomen caused when the umbilical cord is removed from a newborn baby...
due to having been born with gastroschisis
Gastroschisis
Gastroschisis represents a congenital defect characterized by a defect in the anterior abdominal wall through which the abdominal contents freely protrude. There is no overlying sac and the size of the defect is usually less than 4 cm...
.
Carragher is a supporter of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and endorsed Andy Burnham in their most recent leadership election.
Liverpool's academy have signed Carragher's son for their Under 8 team
Controversy
On 28 February 2008, Carragher was arrested and cautioned for assault outside a school near his home in Crosby. Liverpool F.C. refused to comment.On 11 September 2008, Carragher's biography, Carra, was released, but controversial excerpts were leaked to the press beforehand. In one instance, Carragher claimed that his close friends were looking to assault Australian defender Lucas Neill
Lucas Neill
Lucas Edward Neill is an Australian Soccer player who currently plays for UAE Pro-League club Al Jazira. He is a full back. Neill had spent almost 15 years of his career playing in England. He represented Australia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, the 2010 World Cup in South...
. He also claimed that the incident was averted only because Neill was in the company of David Thompson
David Thompson (footballer)
David Anthony Thompson is a former English football player who played as a midfielder.During his career Thompson played for Liverpool, Coventry City, Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic, Portsmouth and Bolton Wanderers...
, one of Carragher's former team-mates, who Carragher did not want to "become a witness to an assault." Carragher sent a text to Thompson, "telling him Neill should give him a hug of thanks," suggesting had Thompson not been there, Neill would have faced an assault.
There was a popular rumour circling Merseyside for years prior to the release of Carragher's autobiography, that Carragher sported an Everton tattoo on his right arm, and that this was why he always wore long sleeved Liverpool shirts.
Carragher claimed he deliberately set out to injure another player in a practice session against former Liverpool team-mate Rigobert Song
Rigobert Song
Rigobert Song Bahanag is a former Cameroonian footballer who is currently a main consultant for the famous sports channel 'Orange sports'. Although receiving many propositions from top clubs, Song declined. Song played for Kosovo super league club KF Drenica, when his contract after season 2010/12...
because of the latter's mockery of his defending. "Song walked on to the training pitch with a smile on his face. He was limping off it with a grimace an hour later. The first chance I got, I did him. Never have I hunted down a 50–50 tackle with greater appetite. 'You're not fucking laughing now, are you, you soft cunt?' I said as he hobbled away."
He stated that, though he was fully committed when playing for England, international defeats did not affect him as much as club defeats with Liverpool did. Carragher ended his international absence to return for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after being persuaded by manager Fabio Capello. He never actually stated this time that he had retired or that he would never play again for his country, just that he would rather focus on his career with his beloved Liverpool for the time being and that his call-up to the England Squad was due only to injuries to other players.
On 4 September 2010, Carragher criticised former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
(who was in charge from April 1991 to January 1994; leaving the club just before Carragher signed for them) and blamed him for Liverpool's failure to win a top division title since 1990. The continued run of success by Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
(who have won 12 out of the 19 Premier League titles contested since the new league was formed in 1992) is often seen as the key factor in Liverpool's league title drought, but Carragher points out that it was Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
– not Liverpool – who were United's key challengers when they ended their 26-year wait for a top division title in the 1992–93 season
1992-93 in English football
The 1992–1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions....
.
However in a February 2011 Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
interview with Graeme Souness, it was revealed that Carragher had not made these comments. Carragher through Souness' fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Frank Redknapp is a retired English footballer who was active from 1989 until 2005. He is now a football pundit with Sky Sports, and an editorial columnist with the Daily Mail....
, issued an apology to Souness saying he never said what was claimed in the media.
Carragher's relationship with Rafael Benítez
Rafael Benítez
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....
was said to have suffered a breakdown in Benítez's later days at the club, with Carragher concerned about Benítez's conduct with other managers.
“We had situations like Martin O’Neill and Steve Bruce criticising Liverpool and they were right. We shouldn’t be getting involved with stuff like that", was said in reference to Benítez's often rocky relationships with other managers.
Carragher gave his fervent support to Benítez's replacement in Roy Hodgson. "The manager is the boss and we should be trying to impress him, not the other way around." This was stated by Carragher in response to the negative reporting on Hodgson's early tenure at Anfield.
On 6 March 2011, Carragher committed a foul on Manchester United player Luis Nani and the foul resulted in an injury on Nani's shin. Carragher tried to enter the Manchester United dressing room after the game to apologise but was denied by Manchester United staff.
Career statistics
|-|1996–97||rowspan="16"|Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
||rowspan="16"|Premier League||2||1||0||0||1||0||0||0||3||1
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|1997–98||20||0||0||0||2||0||1||0||23||0
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|1998–99||34||1||2||0||2||0||6||0||44||1
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|1999–00||36||0||2||0||2||0||0||0||40||0
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|2000–01||34||0||6||0||6||0||12||0||58||0
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|2001–02||33||0||2||0||1||0||16||0||531||0
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|2002–03||35||0||3||0||5||0||11||0||54||0
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|2003–04||22||0||3||0||0||0||4||0||29||0
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|2004–05||38||0||0||0||3||0||15||0||56||0
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|2005–06||36||0||6||0||0||0||13||1||572||1
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|2006–07||35||1||1||0||1||0||13||0||513||1
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|2007–08
Premier League 2007–08
The 2007–08 Premier League season was the sixteenth since its establishment. The first matches of the season were played on 11 August 2007, and the season ended on 11 May 2008...
||35||0||4||0||3||0||13||0||55||0
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|2008–09
Premier League 2008–09
The 2008–09 Premier League season was the seventeenth since its establishment in 1992. Manchester United became champions for the eleventh time on the penultimate weekend of the season, defending their crown after winning their tenth Premier League title on the final day of the previous season...
||38||0||3||0||1||0||12||0||54||0
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|2009–10
Premier League 2009–10
The 2009–10 Premier League was the 18th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. A total of 20 teams competed in the league, with Chelsea unseating the three-time defending champions Manchester United, scoring a Premier League record 103 goals in the process...
||37||0||2||0||1||0||13||0||53||0
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|2010–11
2010–11 Premier League
The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
||28||0||0||0||0||0||10||0||38||0
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|2011–12
2011–12 Premier League
The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012...
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472||3||34||0||31||0||139||1||680||4
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- 1 - He also played in the Charity Shield2001 FA Charity ShieldThe 2001 FA Charity Shield was the 79th FA Charity Shield, a football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was played on 12 August 2001 between 2000–01 Premier League champions Manchester United and 2000–01 FA Cup winners...
- 2 - He played two games in the World Club Championship2005 FIFA Club World Championship-Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Fifth Place:-Third Place:-Final:-Scorers: 2 goals Amoroso Peter Crouch Mohammed Noor Alvaro Saborio...
- 3 - He also played in the Community Shield2006 FA Community ShieldThe 2006 FA Community Shield was a football match played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 13 August 2006 between the 2005–06 FA Premier League champions Chelsea and 2005–06 FA Cup winners Liverpool. Liverpool won the match 2–1, with goals coming from John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch...
Team
LiverpoolWinner
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: 2001, 2006 - League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
: 20012001 Football League Cup FinalThe 2001 Worthington Cup Final was a football match played between Liverpool and Birmingham City at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Sunday 25 February 2001...
, 20032003 Football League Cup FinalThe 2003 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2002–03 Football League Cup, a football tournament for teams in the Premier League and the Football League. The match was contested by Liverpool and Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 2 March 2003...
; - FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
: 20012001 FA Charity ShieldThe 2001 FA Charity Shield was the 79th FA Charity Shield, a football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was played on 12 August 2001 between 2000–01 Premier League champions Manchester United and 2000–01 FA Cup winners...
, 20062006 FA Community ShieldThe 2006 FA Community Shield was a football match played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 13 August 2006 between the 2005–06 FA Premier League champions Chelsea and 2005–06 FA Cup winners Liverpool. Liverpool won the match 2–1, with goals coming from John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch...
; - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 20052005 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2005 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Liverpool of England and Milan of Italy at the Atatürk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on 25 May 2005...
; - UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
: 20012001 UEFA Cup FinalThe 2001 UEFA Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Alavés of Spain on 16 May 2001 at the Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany. The showpiece event was the final match of the 2000–01 edition of Europe's secondary cup competition, the UEFA Cup. Liverpool were... - UEFA Super CupEuropean Super CupThe UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
: 20012001 UEFA Super CupThe 2001 UEFA Super Cup was a football match between German team Bayern Munich and English team Liverpool on 24 August 2001 at Stade Louis II, the annual UEFA Super Cup contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup. Bayern were appearing in the Super Cup for the third...
, 20052005 UEFA Super CupThe 2005 UEFA Super Cup was an association football match between Liverpool of England and CSKA Moscow of Russia on 26 August 2005 at Stade Louis II, Monaco, the annual UEFA Super Cup contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup. Liverpool were appearing in the Super Cup...
Runner Up
- FA Premier LeagueFA Premier LeagueThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
: 2001–02FA Premier LeagueThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
, 2008–09FA Premier LeagueThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier... - FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
: 20022002 FA Community ShieldThe 2002 FA Community Shield was a football match played on 11 August 2002 between 2001-02 Double winners Arsenal and 2001-02 Premier League runners-up Liverpool. Arsenal won the game 1–0 in normal time. Gilberto Silva scored the only goal of the game in the 69th minute... - Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
: 2005 - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 20072007 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2007 UEFA Champions League Final was an association football match between A.C. Milan of Italy and Liverpool F.C. of England on 23 May 2007 at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece. The showpiece event was the final match of the 2006–07 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA... - FIFA Club World Championship: 20052005 FIFA Club World Championship-Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Fifth Place:-Third Place:-Final:-Scorers: 2 goals Amoroso Peter Crouch Mohammed Noor Alvaro Saborio...
Individual
- PFA Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
: 2006 - Liverpool FC player of the year: 2006–07