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Liverpool defender wanted revenge for broken leg

Jamie Carragher clearly doesn’t understand the art of releasing a football autobiography. Wayne Rooney was 20 when he released his so at 30, Carragher has left it far too late. He should be on his third or fourth instalment by now.

Secondly, you’re not supposed to reveal anything interesting. The footballer is supposed to bore the reader with stories about their greatest games and the amazing “banter” with teammates. Under no circumstances should you reveal that you didn’t care as much about losing in an England shirt or that you hate the Everton fanbase that you were once a part of.

Carragher obviously thought he hadn’t been controversial enough so in today’s Daily Mirror serialization he admits that after having his leg broken in a challenge by Lucas Neill, he seriously considered allowing his mates to assault the Australian defender:

When my leg was broken in an horrific tackle by Lucas Neill in September 2003, my mates were ready to hunt him down if I gave the go-ahead.

A few weeks later I received a phone call. “You won’t believe this, Jay. We’re in the Trafford Centre and Lucas Neill is walking straight towards us. What do you reckon?” Did I really want Neill to take a crack? “There’s only one problem,” added the voice. “Little Davey Thommo is with him.” That was that. I could hardly let one of my best mates, David Thompson, now a Blackburn player, become a witness to an assault. Besides he’d have recognised the attackers. The impromptu mission was aborted and I sent a text to Thommo telling him Neill should give him a hug of thanks. As word got back to Blackburn about the near miss, or should that be hit, their coach Terry Darracott, a Scouser, appealed to one of my friends to call the boys off. I agreed.

Neill had the chance to join Liverpool last January and when he chose to sign for relegation-threatened West Ham instead, he was accused of only moving for the money. In light of this revelation, it looks like Neill made a wise decision.

Tagged With : Assault • Autobiography • Daily Mirror • David Thompson • England • Everton • Jamie Carragher • Liverpool • Lucas Neill • Thommo • Wayne Rooney • West Ham United

