Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher realizes he's no spring chicken, but that doesn't mean he's ready to hang up his cleats anytime soon.
According to ESPN.com, Carragher was delivered a dose of reality on the morning after his solid outing against Chelsea, where he successfully stifled former teammate Fernando Torres. Though the morning newspaper headlines surrounding the Reds' performance were positive, Carragher noticed the word "veteran" was consistently used in front of his name.
"I picked up some of the papers after the Chelsea game and each one said 'veteran Carragher,'" he said. "It made me think 'God I've not got too long left, I know that at a minimum I have two and a half years left, and that time will fly.'"
The 33-year-old has seen quite an improvement in his team and in his own performance since returning from a shoulder injury, but that doesn't mean he's blind to the fact that he's one of the older players in the game.
The Reds' defender has been playing within the Liverpool organization since 1990, and even though he's been playing longer than most, he still wants to build upon his years at Anfield.
"I want to play for Liverpool as long as I can," Carragher said.
Liverpool head coach Kenny Dalglish is also in support of Carragher's longevity. According to Yahoo, Dalglish believes the assistant captain is "invaluable" to the club, and says he still has plenty to offer in his career.
"He's a fantastic influence in and around the place but if he's on the pitch he can be a far greater influence," Dalglish said. "He is everything that everybody knows he is. He is a great credit and asset to this football club, and he'll be invaluable to us going forward."
