James Milner in tears because a team-mate is leaving?! Well I never…
But that’s what almost happened on Adam Lallana’s last day, with the now Brighton midfielder speaking through his emotions on his departure to the south coast on a free transfer.
He told the Daily Mail: “I was kind of avoiding doing that interview as I just knew my emotion was building.
“I am an emotional person and I knew this was the end of a chapter for myself, my wife and the kids. The interview was just raw emotion. In life sometimes things are just sad, aren’t they? As a family we were saying goodbye to friends and leaving schools and stuff.
“So I got upset in that interview and then on the Friday at training I said goodbye and the manager gathered everyone round. The lads had done me a framed shirt and a nice quote from Hendo [Jordan Henderson]. I was crying so much that I was just laughing in the end.
“Then we started the warm-up and Milly [James Milner] said me crying had almost set him off. From a tough Yorkshireman, that’s quite something. So it was the perfect send-off really.”
Lallana was a much-loved figure in the dressing room, who at his best, before injuries set in, was a fantastic footballer for Jurgen Klopp, too.
Still last season, he scored a crucial goal against Manchester United, which won’t be forgotten in a hurry!
We wish him all the best at Brighton, and hope he turns it on against our rivals and has an off-day v Liverpool.
In his place, Curtis Jones will likely get plenty of minutes as a roaming, technical, and hopefully penetrative midfielder.
In many ways, he is Lallana reincarnate – so let’s hope he can stay fit and reach his potential.