Jamie Carragher is to be honoured with the One Membership Award by Athletic Membership and can go to Bilbao to gather the prize. It’s given to a participant from any crew who has demonstrated an actual connection to the area of their membership, representing simply that one facet.
Carragher, who made 737 appearances for Liverpool throughout his lengthy enjoying profession, will obtain the award at Athletic’s dwelling sport in opposition to Girona on September 24. Chatting with Carragher at Anfield in regards to the honour, his pleasure at this surprising prize is apparent.
“People talk about medals and trophies, but one of my biggest achievements is playing for a club of the stature of Liverpool for my whole career,” he tells Sky Sports activities. “That is something I am proud of and to be recognised in this way by another club is special.”
The One Membership Award is uncommon in soccer in that Athletic have a good time gamers from different groups. Winners embody Paolo Maldini of AC Milan, who Carragher confronted within the 2005 and 2007 Champions League finals. A ladies’s award was additionally launched in 2019.
His Sky Sports activities colleague Gary Neville is eligible having been a one-club man for Manchester United. Will Carragher be recommending him subsequent? “I will but there may still be 10-year curfew before he can go to Spain after what he did to Valencia,” he jokes.
“But I have seen Maldini is on the list. Wow. It is a special football club, isn’t it? I was obviously first aware of the club in the 1980s when I was a kid and Howard Kendall left Everton to go and manage Athletic. How they go about things, it is just unique.”
Athletic’s Basque coverage
Whereas different golf equipment import gamers from all around the world, Athletic have been steadfast in sticking to their coverage of choosing solely Basque gamers linked to the area. In of itself it’s outstanding. However much more so as a result of it has not stopped them thriving.
Together with Actual Madrid and Barcelona, Athletic are certainly one of solely three golf equipment to have been a everlasting presence in LaLiga and this season they’re returning to the Champions League. “You cannot quite believe the success that they have,” says Carragher.
“I think anybody looking from afar, even if you are not a supporter of Athletic, you see it and you think, wow, that is special, imagine if my club was like that? We all love transfers, of course we do, but it is something special that a club can do that.”
‘I might by no means go away Liverpool’
Was there ever a chance of Carragher leaving Liverpool? “I would never have gone,” he says. “When I was younger, I would have gone on loan if I needed to but I was playing for the first team at 18 or 19.” What about on the finish? A season elsewhere, maybe?
He acknowledges that his nice good friend Steven Gerrard did simply that, going out to Los Angeles. Nevertheless it was not for him. “I think in my situation, it would just have been daft. It would be really strange to lose that just for the sake of an extra 12 months,” he explains.
“I think the longer you are inside a club, the more you are aware of that one-club-man status. I was aware of it. Once I had established myself at Liverpool, I never wanted to go anywhere else and I did think it would be pretty special just to finish my career there.”
Dropping that connection
Different Liverpool academy graduates have made completely different selections. Former team-mates Steve McManaman and Michael Owen left Liverpool of their prime to make the transfer to Actual Madrid. Simply this summer time, Trent Alexander-Arnold has made that very same change.
Carragher resisted any temptation to gather his award at Athletic’s dwelling sport in opposition to Actual Madrid – not least as a result of it occurs to fall in 2026 and the award is for 2025. However whereas he respects that everybody has the fitting to decide on, he stays dissatisfied.
“That is one of the reasons why I spoke so passionately about Trent Alexander-Arnold moving on. I felt he could be another one. Those players like Trent gain something, of course they do. But to be a one-club man, that would have been really special for him.”
Maybe that’s the key level. McManaman received the Champions League twice with Actual Madrid and has no trigger to remorse his choice. It could be the identical for Alexander-Arnold. However whereas these gamers achieve from the expertise, they do lose one thing too.
“It was always the Liverpool way for me. I did not experience those other things, finding out how other clubs worked. I did not have that and I suppose it would have been nice to have those different experiences. But I am glad I did what I did, to be honest.
“It’s unlucky as a result of they’re nice gamers however some individuals simply do not need that very same reference to one membership, actually. Or one thing occurs and that’s them carried out. It will likely be attention-grabbing how the supporters react when Trent comes again with Actual Madrid.”
Watching Carragher make his way through the crowds at Anfield, posing for photographs, exchanging hugs and handshakes with supporters and staff, you realise what a precious connection it is. The odd Arne Slot ribbing aside, this is his home.
“I might not say I’m universally beloved by each Liverpool supporter simply because I stayed right here for the entire of my profession,” he acknowledges. But there are not many of us out there who played our whole career here.” And there may be life after soccer to contemplate.
A bond with the membership for all times
“When you are an old man in football, you are still a young man in life. I know that more now. When you get into your mid-thirties, you are still a young fella, really, but you are seen as this really old, experienced guy in football. There is a long life ahead of you.
“That’s the reason, once I assume typically about individuals making selections to depart golf equipment, I do assume you must take into consideration a legacy. Hear, getting essentially the most out of your profession is extra necessary than something. Profitable trophies, incomes cash, enjoying for large golf equipment.
“But I do think at times there are certain moves that players make where I think, you are a long time retired. And sometimes being well thought of at a particular club, maybe being a one-club man, I think in some ways it is more of an accomplishment, really.
“Have a look at Stevie. I imply, he may have gone to Chelsea and he may have received much more trophies, there isn’t a doubt about that. However when he seemed again on his profession, would individuals take a look at him the identical manner? I do not assume so. It might have left a nasty style.”
Whether there will be many in the Carragher mould in the future remains to be seen. But profit and sustainability rules are certainly not helping. Clubs are actively encouraged to move on graduates for pure profit. “It simply doesn’t really feel proper to me, that state of affairs.”
The result could be fewer and fewer candidates for the One Club Award. “It will be tougher,” agrees Carragher. Cherish them whilst you can, as Athletic are doing. As a result of soccer loses one thing with out them. And footballers lose one thing too.
