Steven Gerrard is the ultimate footballer in my eyes. Not only is he the inspirational captain of Liverpool but he is England’s best player as far as I am concerned, his drive and will to win takes over his sides and has carried them to victory on many occasion.

Gerrard is the perfect hero, born and bred in Liverpool, he is the club’s local lad who has come up through the youth to play a huge part in the team’s success over the last five or so years. Here, for the first time, he tells the story of his lifelong obsession with football, in an honest and revealing book which captures the extraordinary camaraderie, the soul-destroying tensions and the high octane thrills of the modern game as never before.

Gerrard first joined Liverpool as a trainee but played his first game for the club at the age of 18. This early appearance set the standard for Gerrard’s career, with him moving from strength to strength, rising from the baby faced debutant to the team’s inspirational lynchpin in a matter of years. Liverpool have had local heroes before with the likes of Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler, but I don’t think either compare to Gerrard, considering he is only 27 and is already a legend, I can only see his status on Merseyside increasing.

It is fair to say that Gerrard will define the Champions’ League final of 2005 as the greatest and proudest moment of his career. With his side trailing three nil at the interval, Liverpool required a miracle to even save their pride, never mind fight back and claim the title. But in true Gerrard fashion he powered his team on with a bullet header and literally dragged his team back from the dead. What happened that night in Istanbul is a fitting testament to the amazing power Gerrard has over his team, and the perfect reason why he will go down as one of Liverpool’s greatest all time player.

Off the field Gerrard lives a relatively private life, avoiding the press as much as possible and spending time with his family. Therefore this book is the perfect read for fans of Gerrard who are desperate to know how their heroes lives his life, what makes him tick and why he is one of the greatest players to emerge from Liverpool (and considering there has been a lot, there’s no bigger compliment).

He also speaks for the first time about his oh so nearly move to Chelsea and how his undying passion for Liverpool made him change his mind and sign a new contract with the Reds. This book isn’t all about his love for Liverpool though; he states his passion for the national side, as well as his devastation after another England failure on the big stage.

This book is everything you would expect from an honest hard-working hero like Gerrard, it’s filled with passion, an emotion that seems to be lost with most players nowadays. Players like Gerrard don’t come along very often; it’s hard to find someone with unbelievable skill, but at the same time, unbelievable hard work, loyalty and passion, he is a breath of fresh air to the world of football.

James Henderson

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