Apropo de Liverpool, iată ce scria Carra în autobiografia sa în urmă cu trei ani, când era convins că jucase ultimul meci la națională:
Sitting on the England coach as it prepared to drive us away from the World Cup in Germany, I received a text message.
“Fuck it! It’s only England”. I’d just missed a penalty in the quarter-final shoot-out against Portugal. Around me were the tear-stained faces of under-performing superstars.
England’s so-called golden generation had failed. Again.
An eerie depression escorted us on the short trip back to the hotel, but as I stared at my phone and considered the implications of the comforting note, I didn’t feel the same emptiness I sensed in others.
There’s no such concept as ‘only England’ to most footballers, including many of my best friends.
Representing your country is the ultimate honour, especially in the World Cup.
Not to me. Did I care we’d gone out of the tournament? Of course I did. Passionately.
Did I feel upset about my part in the defeat? Yes. I was devastated to miss a penalty of such importance. Had I really given my all for my country? Without question.
I’ve never given less than 100 per cent in any game.
Despite this, whenever I returned home from disappointing England experiences one unshakeable, overriding thought pushed itself to the forefront of my mind, no matter how much the rest of the nation mourned. “At least it wasn’t Liverpool,” I’d repeat to myself, over and over.
The text messages of consolation I received on the coach included one from Kenny Dalglish. “I would rather miss for England than LFC,” I wrote back.
I confess: defeats wearing an England shirt never hurt me in the same way as losing with my club. I wasn’t uncaring or indifferent, I simply didn’t put England’s fortunes at the top of my priority list. Losing felt like a disappointment rather than a calamity.
The Liver Bird mauled the Three Lions in the fight for my loyalties. I’m not saying that’s right or wrong, it’s just how it is. You can’t make yourself feel more passionate if the feelings aren’t there. That doesn’t make me feel guilty.
If people want to condemn me and say I’m unpatriotic, so be it.