Liverpool have some amazing coaches within the club but a real special part about the team is the presence of some real leaders like James Milner.
Writing in his book ‘Intensity’ (via The Mirror), Pep Lijnders described the role of our vice captain ahead of kick-off in the Champions League final against Real Madrid: “I walk in and see him standing there and he was like ‘if you don’t have full commitment, if you don’t have full conviction, just think about what all these staff members standing here are doing day by day for you guys to perform, that will give you the two or three percent that you will need’.
“As I said before, he could have my title tomorrow, assistant manager. The club are made around these players, around these characters. They are so much more than just football players. They are examples, they are truly legends. Not legends how you perceive it, but legends in terms of ultimate team players, and that makes them winners for life in my opinion.”
It’s not a surprise yet still very impressive to hear the role of the 36-year-old in our squad and many could vividly imagine him stepping up within the dressing room.
The events outside the Stade de France were no doubt worse for the fans in attendance but they would have affected the players’ preparation for the match too.
We can only imagine the frantic scenes within the dressing room as they had the kick-off twice pushed back for the big game against Real Madrid.
Jordan Henderson is the captain of the club but, much like the relationship with Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, his deputy has a huge role to play.
It didn’t lead to the result that we all wanted but it did provide another opportunity for the Leeds-born veteran to prove himself as a tremendous human being and such a vital part of this club, once again.