Chelsea’s effective but remarkably unlikable manager Jose Mourinho has discussed our skipper ahead of today’s clash at Stamford Bridge…
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As we all know, Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool face a monumental task this summer in aptly replacing Steven Gerrard upon his MLS departure, but the Portuguese boss simply doesn’t think it’s directly possible.
“Steven is impossible to replace with another player,” the three time Premier League champion began.
“You have to replace with a team organisation, with a team philosophy, with a principle of play – not a player.
“Because if you replace, you replace with another one who is not so good and you cannot go in that direction.
“You cannot think ‘I will bring this guy to replace Steven Gerrard.’ You cannot think ‘I will bring this guy to replace Frank Lampard, to replace Paolo Maldini.’
“You can’t. You have just to try to organise a team in a way where the team can be successful without them.”
As often, Mourinho is spot on… Bringing in a central midfielder with the dedication, ability, inspiration and genius of Gerrard this summer is just not doable.
We’ve been linked with good players such as Miralem Pjanic (via the Metro) and Yohan Cabaye (via the Echo), but in truth, neither are anywhere near the level Gerrard once provided when at his peak.
Instead, Mourinho advises developing a team ethos and a ‘philosophy’ in the 34-year-old’s absence…
And he’s probably right. While we’ll need central midfield reinforcements when the transfer window opens, it is the ‘team’ (hopefully a motivated and tactically capable one…) which will eventually replace Gerrard.
The burden can’t be put on one man’s shoulders.