Do A Carra And Quit England, Stevie

I make no apology for the length or bluntness of this article as it is a point that still needs to be rammed home to certain individuals who just don't understand the majority stance by Liverpool supporters in relation to the national side.

I wrote an article in July entitled 'Who Cares About England?' which reiterated the phrase 'we're not English, we are Scouse' following Jamie Carragher's decision to retire from international football. It was an article that was generally received well by the supporters who read it but not so much in some quarters with individuals contacting me to say that I was in the wrong thinking that players should put their club before their country as is their want in a society where freedom of speech is unrestricted.

However, once again the club versus country debate has been reignited this week with Steve Gerrard wanting to play through the pain barrier for England, something that will keep him sidelined for several forthcoming Liverpool games. Steve McClaren has told Rafa Benítez that he has a duty to put England before Liverpool on this issue and former England manager Bobby Robson has backed up this claim.

I can't help but wonder at Gerrard's motivation behind playing for England when he wants to win the title with Liverpool. He seems to laud praise on their supporters in his autobiography by comparison to his comments about our supporters. The book itself is one big England love-in with constant references to his international team mates 'Lamps' and 'Wazza'.

Why does Gerrard love playing for the national side so much? Why does he think their fans are so great in comparison to Anfield's famous 12th man? Forgive my ignorance but don't all England supporters follow club sides when the international football takes a back seat? I bet that if it was one of their key players wanting to play for them instead of resting up in preparation for his side's next set of games as every player should do, would they still take this approach? Aren't the national side just a money-making exercise by The FA that gets wheeled out every time Brian Barwick and his cronies at Soho Square decide to disrupt the Premiership fixture list and inconvenience clubs as well as risking key players in meaningless friendlies and qualifiers?

In my opinion, Gerrard should take a leaf out of Jamie Carragher's book and retire from international football. Club comes before country. Ignore Steve McClaren and what he says, Liverpool Football Club pay your wages and have done for all your professional career. The least you can do is repay them by prioritising the club that has stuck by you despite all the on/off sagas you've had with Chelsea. For once in your life, stick two fingers up to McClaren and England. What does he know about club management?

He was assistant manager to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United not so long ago and he didn't see the inconvenience of having players called up to international duty with the risk of picking up an injury and the same happened when he was manager of Middlesbrough. The most he had to deal with was Stewart Downing being called up who, in reality, didn't play that much because he was the assistant manager to Sven Goran Eriksson and would make the changes for him, thus saving his own player's neck and risking the likes of Gerrard against lesser opposition who went all out to score against the Three Lions.

If Gerrard wants to win the title as captain of Liverpool he should act like one and prioritise club matters before his international career.

This piece first appeared on the ever-excellent www.shanklygates.co.uk