STEVEN GERRARD: THE COMPLETE PLAYER

"DO you see that young lad with a haircut nearly as bad as yours? Watch him." My introduction to the genius of Steven Gerrard arrived courtesy of Liverpool's Academy staff in 1998.

The venue wasn't as romantic as Anfield. A 10-minute glimpse of training at the youth team's temporary home at Liverpool University secured enrolment into the teenager's expanding fan club.

Gerrard patrolled the middle of the park, sprayed 60-yard passes with either foot, peppered the goal from 25 yards and covered every acre of grass with limitless energy. At 17, he already looked a thrilling mix of the aggression of Graeme Souness, the skill of Kenny Dalglish and the stamina of Ronnie Whelan.

Proud, knowing glances poured out of my guide, who took glee from allowing a naive outsider to be privy to the club's home-grown secret.

"Don't write about him yet. It puts pressure on the boy," former academy director Steve Heighway later warned. Some luck. Any subsequent mention provoked senior Kop figures into fits of uncontrollable enthusiasm.

"I told Gerard Houllier he won't need to buy a world-class central midfielder. He'll inherit one," said ex-chief executive Peter Robinson.

CUP OF CHEER - Steven Gerrard with the 2005 Champions League trophy he won for Liverpool

"He'll be our player of the year next season," predicted Michael Owen.

"He's going to be the best midfielder in England," new skipper Jamie Redknapp added.

Houllier's 'off the record' briefing went further: "The best young talent I've seen since Zinedine Zidane."

Gerrard has made Houllier's observation sound more profound ever since. He is what he promised to be: the complete, modern footballer.

The process of fulfilling such talent has not been without trauma.

Growing up under intolerable public pressure can take its toll. In 2004 and 2005 he retreated into his thoughts and temporarily concluded he had to escape the burden of carrying his club's hopes.

He stayed when he realised the initial euphoric feelings of clutching a winners' medal at Chelsea would wither into emptiness.

He was also persuaded by the prospect of an Anfield future paved in gold; hypnotised by the hollow promises of multi-million investment.

As he continues to crave that elusive league title, Gerrard has had more cause for anger than most at a decade of ownership farces which have wasted so much of his precious playing time.

He owes a lot to Liverpool, but the club is more indebted to him.

They wouldn't have qualified for the Champions League without Gerrard in 2004, nor won it in 2005. West Ham would be the FA Cup winners of 2006 but for the Liverpool skipper's contribution. The list of fixtures when his intervention rescued the team stretches into the dozens.

If he'd had enough of such responsibility, it wouldn't just have been Chelsea chasing his signature. AC Milan, Inter, Real Madrid and Manchester United have tried to sign the Liverpool captain recently. All were privately rebuffed by the player before they could reach the speculation stage.

Rafa Benitez's triumph this season has not been just to make Fergie sweat to regain his crown, it's been to ensure his skipper heads into this summer in anticipation rather than trepidation.

Zidane recently acclaimed the talents of England's new Player of the Year. The French midfielder should now feel as flattered by the comparison with Gerrard as the Liverpool skipper was ten years ago.

• Benitez to make Carlos his top target
• SAMI HYYPIA HOWLER
• STEVEN GERRARD IS WRITE CHOICE
• LIVERPOOL £350M AMNESTY
• TONY MOWBRAY SELL FEAR
• RAFA BENITEZ £64m SPREE
• STEVIE IS STILL GEED UP
• RAFA BENITEZ WIELDS AXE

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