“Better late than never as Gerrard gets his MBE” reads the headline in The Times today. The article gets better, if you can imagine that, as you read on. “At last, one of Liverpool’s great quests for a significant honour has been realised. Nineteen months after their thrilling victory in the Champions League, Steven Gerrard, has been appointed MBE in the New Year’s Honours List. There was anger and disappointment in the red half of Merseyside when Liverpool’s comeback against AC Milan in Istanbul did not prompt official recognition, unlike England’s Ashes-winning cricket team. Rick Parry, the club’s chief executive, complained publicly, a campaign endorsed by The Times. That wrong has now been rectified.”
Now I remember the outcry last year over this. Liverpool had come back from a seemingly impossible situation to win the European Cup, and as pleased as the country might have been for them, there was utter disbelief when members of the team weren’t recognised in the New Year Honours List. This would have course struck Manchester United fans as strange, as when they had won the European Cup, again in extreme circumstances just a few seasons before, nobody batted an eyelid. That evening at the Nou Camp, in a squad of sixteen, ten of their players were British. Gary Neville, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Andy Cole, Ryan Giggs, Teddy Sheringham, David May, Phil Neville, Wes Brown, Jonathan Greening. (Paul Scholes would have been included, and played in all the games leading up to the final, but missed the night against Bayern Munich through suspension.) Is there something I’m missing?
Maybe if we look at Steven Gerrard’s contribution to football and his achievements, things will start to make more sense.
Gerrard:
Club – 252 appearances
Country – 52 appearances
Honours – 2 FA Cups, 1 European Cup, 2 League Cups,1 European Super Cup, 1 UEFA Cup
Gary Neville:
Club – 527 appearances
Country – 84 appearances
Honours – 6 league titles, 3 FA Cups, 1 League Cup, 1 European Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup
Paul Scholes:
Club – 513 appearances
Country – 65 appearances
Honours – 6 league titles, 3 FA Cups, 1 League Cup, 1 European Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup
Ryan Giggs:
Club – 692
Country – 54 appearances
Honours – 8 league titles, 4 FA Cups, 1 European Cup, 2 League Cups, 1 European Cup Winners Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup
Teddy Sheringham:
Club – 516 appearances
Country – 51 appearances
Honours – 3 league titles, 1 European Cup, 1 FA Cups, 1 Intercontinental Cup
Now this isn’t me stamping my feet demanding that Manchester United players get recognised in the same way. That’s a fight for them to take on if they so wish. This is me questioning whether seriously such a fuss can be made over Liverpool players’ lack of “rightful” honours, when not a word was said, and still hasn’t been said, on United players missing out. Is this country really that blinded?
Methinks there is a certain ammount of barrel scraping with this article.
What has being British got to do with anything?
You also neglect to point out that people have to be nominated for such honours, having done so myself, so maybe the darlings of Old Trafford should look at themselves when wondering why none of their British, Danish, Irish, Tobagan (sp) players were honoured.
Then again ‘Sir’ Alex got knighted for one European Cup, what would you suggest we give Bob Paisley? a bank holiday? his picture on a stamp? his own country.
One European Cup in 20 years as opposed to 3 in 9 years (or one every 3 years in simple terms) some would say the older format was harder than the current version, but then the media and the like seem to forget that.
This is a Munich website
Steven Gerrard is a better player than all of them wasters u mentioned. Thats why u can’t stop singing songs about him.
Looks like logic only seems to be deluding pathetic blog writers supporting the mancs that claim to know about football but in reality know nuts about it, masked by their envee and hatred on the best team in UK. Till the mancs beat Liverpool’s overall record, they will still be considered the 2nd best team and thats fact.
Shankly famously said about the referees and rules of the beautiful game, “The trouble with referees is that they know the rules, but they don’t know the game. “ The same can be said of many whom claim to know the game but in reality know shit and try to preach about logic in football to everyone else.
Go look above in what the earlier writers had writen. Some had already mentioned that some of the players should have been honoured, but in reality none of these players you have mentioned match Gerrard individually. Furthermore, I do not see you writing anything above to agree or support the fact that Paisley deserved his knighthood. All you have been doing in your replies is trying to evade the topic like a rat by claiming its an old issue and nothing with regard to the current times. You gracefully admited nothing but showing your one sided views of the mancs, thats all you did in reality. As one of them mentioned, it was never your idea to ever acknowledge Paisley when you wrote this article and stop pretending like you did.
And do not come up preaching about logic here. You clearly know nothing of what it means nor are you in a position to speak about it by only insisting to look at views which suit you. Till the day you open a topic to agree that what Paisley achieved is far far more greater than all what Rednose has achieved plus being acknowledged for his tremendous contribution to British football, you can just print this article and frame it up to make yourself happy. It is such a shame and pity that a manager everyone knows is far by the greatest manager to breathe football is overlooked by someone not even worth a mention compared to his calibre. Truly common sense and logic does not prevail among some people.
Munich bastards
Again, more irrelavent history. The history of Manchester United vs Liverpool has no relavence to this topic. I’ve made you aware of where your simple logic is lacking, yet you insist on going off topic. Why?
We have some of you chatting on about Paisley, and the rest of you talking about Munich. Neither of those things have anything to do with the matter in hand.
This topic is about Steven Gerrard being awarded an MBE, whether he is worthy of it, and which other players should have been awarded it. I still struggle to understand what you’re failing to understand on that. If you want to talk about Paisley, go and find a blog willing to print what you have to write. If you want to talk about the article, then again, go ahead. But can you manage to do so without sick comments about Munich? I hope so.
Most have already mentioned their views on Gerrard. Just 1 or 2 have mentioned about Munich and that does not make all. So with the majority already given their views on Gerrard, and you cannot seem to accept it, too bad.
The only reason why Paisley was brought into the picture was to look at a bigger picture on those that have been honoured and those that have not, since you brought it up in the first place comparing Gerrard with players that make no sense on Gerrard. I doubt Gerrard cares much about the players you mentioned and the same can be said vice-versa. If its about Gerrard, then just stay on topic on Gerrard. If you want to compare on players you feel deserve to be honoured as Gerrard was, then I see no wrong in Liverpool fans wondering how the greatest manager of all time in the UK, Bob Paisley has been ignored for his unmatchable career as a manager while Ferguson took more than double of his time and still cannot match Bob Paisley’s record of European Cups, the reason Ferguson got knighted in the first place.
I think its pointless putting any more comments in here considering the writer himself is ignorant to facts and only wants facts to look all well and beautiful to one side of the picture. I suggest you putting this up in some manc forum or not putting Liverpool tags in this site next time to only attract mancs that can all harp, moan and cry with the same ideologies as the writer himself, and that should make all the mancs happy.
Lol you sound very bitter man. Don’t get your knickers in a twist eh.
“Just 1 or 2 have mentioned about Munich and that does not make all.” – at no point did I say all of you were talking about Munich. Is that where the problems lie here? You can’t actually read what I write, and instead, invent things in your head to suit your argument?
You think Paisley should have been knighted. Great. Go and talk about it somewhere that is relavent. I’m sure there are plenty of Liverpool message boards talking about how Paisley was robbed and about Munich. Let your hair down there, rather than talking about issues that have nothing to do with the topic. As I’ve said time and again, Paisley has nothing to do with Gerrard’s MBE, and the United players who should have been awarded it for achieving much more than Gerrard.
The fact that Liverpool fans greatest arguments revolve around Paisley essentially prove what I was saying. That United players were shunned for an MBE. Why Liverpool fans seem so determined to argue against logic is beyond me. I guess that’s just Liverpool fans for you
The reason Gerard was singled out to get the MBE was for his personal contribution to drag Liverpool back from 3 goals down in an European cup final, and to finally win it.
The other Manc players mentioned did no such feaf of individual brilliance, but won all their awards as a collective.
If that entire 2005 Liverpool team had gotten awarded, then you may have reason to complain and / or contrast against the better records off those names you mentioned, who as I said earlier, won their achievements as a collective.
To say that Gerard won the award due to historical achievements is disingenious and a complete red herring.
And I guess its only the mancs that can never accept nor realise that another player, more so from Liverpool deserve to be accoladed as an individual compared to the players you have mentioned which are no where a player Gerrard is as an individual. Then again, knowing that it comes from the bitter mancs proves facts does not excist in their make-believe world of theirs.
Likewise, if you feel the manc squad of ’99 should be knighted, then by all means great news for you .. why not refer your grievences and despair to the relevant authorities rather than crying like a big baby on the Internet?
Pretty hypocrical to only claim one side can do that and this side cannot do so, but then again as I just mentioned, we are speaking to our beloved MAN-Usa friends which only think the world revolves around them. Good luck with your crying and moaning. Hopefully you would be able to sleep on the New Year better.
Scott the Red,
Got to be honest I got bored reading these replies anyone who writes about Munich is scum in my eyes. I assume you feel the same about the cretins who sing the “You killed 39″ song?
The ’99 Mancs not getting recognition is the fault of Manchester United Football Club, no-one else.
As I said in my first post on this matter, such awards come as a result of NOMINATION they are not chosen directly by the Queen or Parliment, how else do you think a lollipop lady from Rotherham can be awarded an MBE for services to school children? do you think the Queen sees her on the school run and think “yew neeew wot Fillip, one is going to award heeerrrr” (obviously meant to be a posh accent)
If YOUR club fails to nominate players then it’s YOUR clubs fault, not Gerrards, not Liverpools but YOUR club.
If you want I could probably dig out the nominations I’ve had to make and you can fill it in for Messrs Giggs, Scholes, Neville and Sheringham, should you feel that way inclined.
As for Paisley, well, anyone who knows an ounce about football would know he deserved a knighthood and no, knighthoods cannot be nominated, they ARE selected by Government/Queen.
ollick, thank you for your comment. It’s as encouraging to see a Liverpool fan dismiss talk of Munich as it is to see a United fan dismiss talk of Hillsborough. Thankfully there are enough of each other who can despise a club whilst still retainin human nature. It is important.
I hear what you’re saying about players having to be nomintated for an MBE. Had no United players from the 99 team been nominated or received the award I’d have no choice but to agree with you. However, Peter Schmeichel has an MBE, and I can’t see a reason why he would be nominated, whilst Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Andy Cole, Gary Neville etc. weren’t. This isn’t an issue of nomination, rather an issue of who was awarded with the honour.
At no point have I blamed Gerrard, or even said he didn’t deserve it. My only point is that if Gerrard has been awarded this, so should several other United players. The press went barmy last year over this, whereas nothing was said when United won the Treble. Yes Paisley should have been knighted if Ferguson was, and equally, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville etc. should have been given an MBE if Gerrard was. The country went crazy last year when he wasn’t, but nobody thought twice when United players weren’t.
MUNICH BASTARDS
I don’t know why the comparison is being made. However i will try to refute your statement: “This is me questioning whether seriously such a fuss can be made over Liverpool players’ lack of “rightful” honours, when not a word was said, and still hasn’t been said, on United players missing out. Is this country really that blinded?”
It is obvious that, with stastistics, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Teddy Sheringham and Gary Neville have achieved much more for and with Manchester United than Steven Gerrard for Liverpool. However, your statistics are not based on the appropriate timeline which is unfair to the Merseyside player. Steven Gerrard started his career in 1997, when the four gentlemen you name were well in their prime (Scholes started in 1991, Giggs in 1990, Neville in 1991, Sheringham in 1982) and are playing till date. Obviously, their statistics of today are liable to show better reading.
Also, we must take into account, the pressure on the guy, the dependence of the team on him, and his value to the club at the time. It is for these reasons too that he has been singled out by the club.
I don’t deny that the Manchester United players should have been honored with the same. But that was never your point, was it?
Yeah! It makes me laugh – you United fans wondering why Stevie G was honoured yet Neville and co weren’t!! Well the biggest oversight by far was Paisley’s – it was a downright absolute disgrace that he was never given a knighthood 3 European Cups in 9 years and if he had not stepped aside for Fagin it probably would have been 4 European Cups. Let’s not kid ourselves anyway, Gerrard inspired Liverpool back from the dead against a class side in probably the most exciting football match ever. United fluked two of the scrappiest goals in a game they were totally out-played in. There is a big difference – Liverpool’s win will be talked about a long time after United’s win.
What a load of bollocks!
Looks like our manc friend is really frustrated with this, considering he and his fellow Prawn Brigade have only seen his team win the mickey mouse cup in the past 3 seasons.
What does he prove by comparing players that are at least 6 years older than Gerrard in the overall medal and appearance tally? Did all those manc and ex manc clowns mentioned above have more than 500 games at the time when they won the CL way back in ’99? The only ‘extreme circumstances’ I remember in ’99 was 2 fluke goals in the dying minutes of the game when they were raped for the first 89 minutes by Bayern Munchen. Obviously Liverpool winning will overshadow your so called triumphant win because they made the whole believe that nothing is impossible and will forever be spoken off. I doubt any other sporting feat would be able to beat what happened on that eventful night of May 2005.
Get over it sad manc. Didn’t your flukey team get some awards as well at that time? By right, the more than 1 player from the CL winning team of 2005 should have got awarded, not this year but last year it self. So do not come and talk about
I can sense a deep feeling of frustration as ussual from the mancs, if given a chance they would have sold their mother if they got an opportunity to have Steven Gerrard in their team.
Steven Gerrard is 26. When United won the Treble (which of course, beats what Gerrard achieved in Istanbul) Gary Neville was 24, Paul Scholes was 25, Ryan Giggs was 26.
When Ryan Giggs was Steven Gerrard’s age he had achieved:
5 league titles, 1 European Cup, 3 FA Cups, 1 League Cup, 1 Cup Winners Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup. The comparison is embarrassing.
This is the usual comeback from Liverpool fans, to chat on about Paisley. Sorry, just wondering, does that have ANYTHING to do with Gerrard’s MBE and the current lot of United players who haven’t been awarded with anything? No? Yeh I didn’t think so. Nice attempt though. Shame you failed miserably to justify why Gerrard should be honoured for having a career that doesn’t compare with the United lads. How many times has Gerrard won the title again? How many times has he handed in his transfer request?
Gerrard winning the award whilst players like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes haven’t be recognised completely devalues it. Oh well, at least Gerrard can say he won SOMETHING this season.
What has Paisley got to do with this? Then why not ask what has Gerrard got to do with the mancs mentioned in the article? Surely if you want to bring out facts, ALL the facts should be brought out right?Thats the only sad thing the mancs can come with when ever they are given facts and figures. Paisley won 3 European Cups and 1 Uefa Cup while Alex the Rednose Raindeer won 1 and got knighted? Paisley won 19 trophies in his 9 years as Liverpool manager while Rednose is ONLY NOW going after 20 years in charge at level trophy count. Do you see the difference between the best manager in the history of England compared to the great pretender?
Well manc, do not be too sure you’ll are definte to win something this year, nothings certain in football. Lets see who has the bragging rights end of the year. After all, I’ve had 2 great seasons to talk about to my fellow Prawn Sandwich Brigade pals
Yes, the facts did get brought out, when Sir Alex Ferguson was knighed 7 years ago. I know Liverpool fans have a reputation for living in the past, but this is getting ridiculous.
Gerrard has JUST been awarded with something that based on facts, several United players should have been awarded with years ago. Plenty of arguments came around 7 years ago on the Paisley vs Ferguson knighthood, and I was more than happy to discuss them then. But this is getting ridiculous now.
I suppose instead of you losing an argument, dragging up the past, and trying to find SOME relevance in it makes sense. But unfortunately, Paisley and Ferguson’s knighthood has nothing to do with the fact Gerrard has just been awarded for something players who’ve had far superior careers have missed out on. I thought it was a pretty simple concept. Obviously not for some.
Aren’t you living in the past then to suggest players that won the trophy 7 years ago then, suggesting to your logic? Go get a life. If you want to bring history into the picture, don’t cry when others bring history that tells the bigger picture. History does not revolve in what has only happened in the last 7 years if you want to bring it up then, and from my last check, football was not created 7 years ago either.
If you are not happy about speaking about history and only happy when history is only brought into the topic when 1 side looks good in the picture, then I suggest looking at the present and it can be said that Gerrard is one of the best of his generation of players playing in England. If not for Gerrard playing for Liverpool, it can be said there could be a high possibility of what Liverpool achieved from that miracolous come back in the CL 2005 against AC Milan as well as winning the FA Cup in 2006 might not have materialised. After all, Gerrard is only the second player to have his name tributed in the history of the FA Cup Finals, which was known as the Gerrard Final due to his outstanding performance against West Ham. Besides that, Gerrard’s leadership as Captain Marvel is an inspiration to the current generation of younger players. Not many players can win a big game single-handedly, and I can dare say he and Ronaldhino are the 2 players in the world today that can single-handedly destroy opposing teams.
Don’t you think those reasons could be relevant in them choosing to honour him for an OBE rather than behaving as a sore goat.
Simple logic seems to be escaping people here.
7 years ago when Ferguson was knighted, Liverpool fans brought up history, talking of how Paisley should have been knighted. Fair do’s, I agreed with them. It made sense that if Ferguson was to be knighted for what he’d achieved as United manager, then so should have Paisley. End of story.
Now, present day, December 2006, Gerrard has been awarded with an MBE. So this again, leaves for history to be looked at. Again, it seems as though there has been an injustice.
The two incidents though have nothing to do with each other. They don’t cancel each other out. One doesn’t make the other acceptable.
So as I gracefully admitted that Paisley should have been knighted, I struggle to see why Liverpool fans have such a problem admitting that United players, who have achieved more than Gerrard, should be given an MBE as well. It is logical that players like Neville, Scholes and Giggs, to name a few, have their great achievements (greater than Gerrard’s) acknowledged and awarded. It’s a shame the shirt those players wear means you can’t see common sense.