Jamie Carragher: The one-club defender who has lived and breathed Liverpool

AT lunchtime on Saturday, Jamie Carragher is scheduled to play his 600th game for Liverpool at Portsmouth. Sportsmail's Andy Townsend and four of Anfield's big names pay tribute to the remarkable one-club defender who has lived and breathed Liverpool since he was nine years old.

RAFA BENITEZ'TO BE at one club for such a long time and to play 600 games is absolutely amazing and shows the passion and commitment.
'Before I came here, I watched a lot of games and was analysing




'He wanted to be a central defender and he was keen to learn; you can see that he has improved and improved every single year. He is a top professional.


'That is the difference between him and other players. Some have different qualities but he analyses, he reads the games well and he can adapt to different situations.
'It can be difficult for defenders to get recognition. For strikers and midfielders, it is easy because everyone can see their goals. With defenders, you tend to see only own goals and mistakes getting highlighted.

'But, during the time I have been here, Carra has done really well. He is one of the best defenders in England.'

STEVE McMANAMAN'

MY FIRST real memory of Carra was in the team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1996. He was a great character. With that voice you could hear him a mile away. It was extra special for me and Robbie Fowler to see him come through as it was another good young local lad.

'Over my period in the team, he must have played in four or five different positions but his attitude was impeccable.

'He was always eager to learn but, equally, Carra was never afraid to mix it with the older lads and he would put himself about in training - people always talk about his tackling.

'To get to 600 games in this day and age is an outstanding achievement; it shows how well he has looked after himself and why he has been at the top of his profession for such a long time - that he can still play three times a week is a testament to his ability

DIDI HAMANN'

HE'S a fearsome competitor, and was always a hard worker from a young age. There were other players blessed with more talent and Jamie had to work for it. Although he started in the first team at 18 or 19 it's amazing that he's reached 600 games.

'When I went to the club he was playing right back, left back, centre midfield, anywhere he could get a game.




'After Rafael Benitez took over he transformed Jamie into one of the best centre backs in the Premier League. Benitez took his game to another level, and there haven't been too many better centre halves in England during his career.
'You soon realised how much the club meant to him


IAN RUSH

'WHEN I was coaching the strikers at the club under Gerard Houllier, I used to see Carra. He's a great basic defender who doesn't do any fancy stuff. His commitment is second to none.

'You don't get many defenders idolised by Liverpool supporters but he is. He'll throw his body in anywhere to stop the opposition and, if the ball needs to go into the stands, he'll put it in the stands.

'There's just so many defenders in the Premier League who cannot defend. They have plenty of skill on the ball but they cannot defend.

'Carragher's one of the oldfashioned ones. You need a mixture of both. Don't forget, he started out as a striker at Liverpool!

'But the move from right back to central defence a few years ago was great for him. At centre back, he is fantastic. He's one of the greatest defenders Liverpool have ever had.'

ANDY TOWNSEND'

HE made his full debut against Aston Villa when I was there and I think the impression he made on me is best described as a vicious assault!

'He walloped me six feet up in the air in a game Liverpool won 3-0 at Anfield. What you always recognised when you played against him was that he was a genuine competitor. If you conjure an image of him it is not of someone gliding along majestically, it is of someone with his hands on his hips gasping for his last breath and then lunging into a tackle to deny a goalscoring opportunity.

'He has not been the most cultured or skilful centre half, far from it, but in terms of effort there have been very few as giving as him.

'But Carragher is as good a club player as you will find and I have long admired his attitude.'He has lived the dream for many Liverpool lads, and he deserves all the credit he gets.'

The Carragher file

Date of birth: January 28, 1978.

First game: Middlesbrough (a) January 8, 1997; lost 2-1 League Cup.

First goal:Aston Villa (h) January 18, 1997; won 3-0.

Liverpool career: 599 games (578 starts), 52,094 minutes on pitch,
7 goals, 4 own goals, 73 yellow cards, 3 red cards.

Honours: FA Cup 2001, 2006; League Cup 2001, 2003; Community Shield 2001, 2006;
UEFA Cup 2001; Champions League 2005; Super Cup 2001, 2005;
FA Youth Cup 1996.

England honours: 34 caps (27 Under 21 caps).

Did you know?: Liverpool have kept clean sheets on
Carragher's 100th, 200th,300th, 400th and 500th appearances.