Jamie Carragher has announced that he is to leave Liverpool Football Club at the end of the season and will be retiring from football.
The Reds defender has enjoyed a glittering career at Anfield, having joined the club’s youth system aged nine before going on to make his first-team debut in January 1997 against Middlesbrough. He has subsequently made more than 700 senior appearances for Liverpool, winning a host of major honors. He is second only to Ian Callaghan in the club’s all-time appearance table.
The 35-year-old has made the announcement this week to end speculation surrounding his future.
He will continue to concentrate his efforts on helping Brendan Rodgers‘ side achieve success in the Barclays Premier League this season and the on-going UEFA Europa League campaign.
“This will be my last season at Liverpool and my last as a professional footballer,” Carragher said. “I’m making this announcement now because I don’t want the manager or the club to be answering questions on my future when I’ve already decided what I am going to do.
“I will be fully committed between now and the end of the season to doing the very best for Liverpool Football Club, as I’ve done my entire career since joining aged just nine-years-old.
“It has been a privilege and an honor to represent this great club for as long as I have and I am immensely proud to have done so and thankful for all the support I have had. There are many memories I want to share and people to thank, but now is not the time for that.
“I won’t be making any further comment on this decision until the end of the season; all our focus and concentration should be on achieving the best possible finish in the league this season and trying to win the last remaining trophy we are competing in.”
Photo via Liverpoolfc.com
