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Craig HillJamie Carragher set to announce international retirement
July 10th 2007 05:31
Liverpool vice-captain and defender Jamie Carragher is set to announce his retirement from international football with immediate effect.
The main reason for the the lion-hearted centre-back's decision is due to his status in the national team's pecking order where he has failed to cement a place in the first-team despite making his debut for the national side back in 1999.
Despite playing a starring role for Liverpool in the club's 2005 Champions League triumph and helping the club to its third Champions League final appearance in three years last season, the 29 year-old has continually been over-looked for a starting berth for England.
Having played second fiddle to the likes of Sol Campbell, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry over the years, he has also been bumped down the pecking order by the likes of Jonathan Woodgate and young gun Ledley King in recent times.
The final straw came in the recent Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia when he was overlooked for a starting position at centreback despite an injury to Rio Ferdinand.
Instead, King was given the chance to partner Terry in the middle of the back four despite an injury-ravaged season.
"I thought I'd had a good season for Liverpool, especially helping Liverpool get to the Champions League final.
"Like any player I thought I deserved to play but not doing so made the situation crystal clear to me." he said.
Despite the loyal service he gave to his country including the high number of times he was asked to play out of position, his decision did not escape the wrath of Talksport radio presenter Adrian Durham who suggested he was a 'bottler'.
Incensed by the stupidity of Durham's remarks, Carragher telephoned the show to let rip at the moron: “Don’t ever call me a bottler on radio with thousands of people listening. I’ve had the stomach to fight for my place for the last eight years.
It’d be interesting to see if you’ve got any bottle and come down to Anfield or Melwood and say it to me and we’ll see what happens.
“I’ve never really played centre-half for England and, to be honest, I’ve never really played that well for England because I’ve played a lot of the time at full-back.
“At centre-half, I don’t think I’ve played as much as maybe I deserved. But that’s the manager’s choice.
“If Steve McClaren’s chosen people ahead of me then I don’t think anyone can really complain if I would rather concentrate and save myself for Liverpool games.
“He played Ledley King, who is a top player. But he’s been injured all season, so how would you feel in my situation?
“And when John Terry was out, Jonathan Woodgate played.
“I’m 29, I’ve been doing it for eight years and obviously I haven’t proved it enough, so it’s not going to change now, is it?
Needless to say, Durham was put in his place and quite rightly so.
England's loss is Liverpool's gain!
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