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Benitez praises Carragher
08/03/2007 13:08 - (SA)
Liverpool - Jamie Carragher's contribution to Liverpool's Champions League victory over Barcelona has drawn rare praise from manager Rafael Benitez, a man more comfortable praising team efforts.
Such was the individual prowess shown by Carragher, said Benitez, that it merited a special mention and begged the question why the 29-year-old is not an England team regular.
Liverpool lost 1-0 at home to Barcelona on Tuesday night, but their 2-1 victory a fortnight earlier meant they booked the place in the quarter-final draw.
During a tense 90 minutes at Anfield, Carragher - who has seamlessly overcome the trauma of scoring a penalty in the World Cup quarter-final shootout defeat by Portugal and then missing after being told to retake it - managed to shackle the combined talents of two-time world player of the year Ronaldinho and three-time African player of the year Samuel Eto'o.
It drew fulsome praise from a usually reserved Benitez.
"It surprises me that Jamie is not a regular in the England team," said the Spaniard of the player who has won 32 caps, of which only 18 have been in the starting line-up.
"I don't like praising just one player after a performance like that against Barcelona. Everyone contributed. The team, all of them, were giving something to the team in a brilliant night.
Important to the side
"But it was an astonishing performance from Jamie. When defenders like Jamie have to play against world-class players like Ronaldinho, it is important that they do not make mistakes - and he didn't.
"He is such a good defender against the very best players and, yes, it is a surprise that such a really good defender does not play every game for his country."
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard - like Carragher one of the only two regular homegrown Liverpool players in the side - agreed with Benitez's assessment of Carragher's performance and importance to the side.
Gerrard said: "Over the two legs, Carra has been phenomenal.
"Maybe there are a few outside Liverpool who are surprised by how good he has been but it is no surprise to me or anyone else who has seen him just get better and better every season.
"I look around at the defenders across Europe and the rest of the world and I really do not see anyone who is better than him. I definitely would not swap him for anyone.
"I also know the England manager Steve McClaren was in the crowd at Anfield against Barcelona and after seeing a performance like that, it is going to make his next team selection very interesting."
- AFP
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