By Steven Northover
Former Liverpool midfielder and record-breaking Premier League appearances holder James Milner announced his retirement from professional football last week, ending a storied 24-year career.
The Leeds-born midfielder, who has won almost everything you can win in the league game, joined Liverpool in the Summer of 2015, and would arguably become The Reds' best free transfer - and almost immediately became an important part of a faltering Liverpool squad under, by then, beleaguered Brendan Rodgers.
His importance to the team was almost instant, and he was made vice captain at the start of the 2016/17 season. However, Liverpool's form continued to falter, and Rodgers was sacked by October.
Rodgers replacement requires no introduction, but under Jurgen Klopp, Milner went on to play the football of his career. Born with innate fitness, speed, and the ability to track and tackle the opposition, Milner was the perfect for Klopp's aggressive Gegenpressing playing style.
"It was intense. He loves his job and loves football. He is passionate. He wants to be out there on the field with you." Milner on Klopp, 2018 (Liverpoolfc.com)
Credit: Liverpool FC
Indeed, in the first couple years of the German's reign at Liverpool, Milner became something of an archetype of what a ‘Klopp-type’ player. Milner bought into Klopp's early ‘do or die' style of play - notably in a 3-1 comeback win in October 2015, where Milner's ability to press and his work rate won plaudits.
Along with the emergence of Jordan Henderson, who up to that point appeared to find the captain's armbands something of a heavy weight to bear, Milner became part of the Red's ‘engine room', and the driving force for the success to come. As vice captain it was job to maintain discipline within the squad, handing out fines and making the major decisions. With himself and Jordan Henderson acting as ‘lieutenants’ under Klopp's hierarchy, and instilling the kind of mentality the German (and the fans) had grown to expect.
Credit: RFI
Publically, never seen as a ‘talker’, and famously being called boring, Milner allowed the players around him - Mohammed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, Sadio Mane (et al) - do the ‘flashy’ stuff, whilst he used grit, determination, and an aggressive defensive play, often sacrificing his own game for the betterment of the team - notably playing almost an entire season as first choice left back, before the arrival and emergence of Andrew Robertson.
Ultimately, James Milner was never the kind of player to pull the passing numbers of a Steven Gerrard, or score the goals of a Mo Salah, or show the flair of a Roberto Firmino - but he didn't need to. He was bought to Liverpool to add guile and solidity to Liverpool's midfield.
He did that, but also much more.
He became part of a core of players who went on to be the archetype of player that every Liverpool player should strive to be - intense, unrelenting, aggressive, but also intelligent and open. Something that a number of players of the club should, arguably, be paying attention to.
Credit: Liverpool FC
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