Steven Gerrard: Anfield Icon Can't Count on Being Kop Kingpin Under Dalglish

Steven Gerrard headed for his summer break laughing his socks off at Manchester United’s Champions League demise and singing the praises of Kenny Dalglish.

As he completes rehabilitation on a second groin operation and looks ahead to a first Premier League campaign under the Scotsman, he is the picture of optimism.

And on the face of it, he has many reasons to be cheerful.

Dalglish first stabilised a side that had become a wreck, then all but took it into Europe. In the process, he brought in two brilliant young strikers in Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, who quickly made the support forget the loss of Fernando Torres.

The old pass-and-move tactics are back—budding stars have burst onto the scene from the reserves. There is upwards of £50M at the disposal of Dalglish over the summer to augment the squad. Jordan Henderson (the first of the newcomers) and new owner Fenway Sports Group have turned the previous American regime into nothing more than a bad memory.

Gerrard himself, having spent so long carrying the team on his back, has had his first proper rest in the decade since he broke through. He should be fresh as a daisy come August, even if he has now turned 31.

So, for the moment he can feel good about the whole thing. Except that, for the first time in at least five years, he can no longer count on being the kingpin of The Kop.

For Dalglish, since he got back, it has been all about democracy.

For him, the team and the result comes first, second and third. Individuals and their egos are down the pecking order.

That is the Liverpool Way—the old way, the way that made Liverpool five-time champions of Europe and 18-time league title holders—a way that Dalglish has gone to great pains to make clear is the raison d’etre of his second coming.

So, given that Raul Meirles turned out to be a bargain at $16M following his entrance from Porto, and given that his midfield partner Lucas Leiva was made player of the year by the fans, Gerrard’s position of omnipotence is already diminished.

Henderson’s expensive entrance from Sunderland—where the 20-year-old was touted as a possible future great—only further complicates matters for him.

That Stevie G will not at least start the new season in the side, and as captain, is unthinkable.

Fully fit, he remains one of the great midfield driving forces of world football; the energy he adds is unquestionable.

But if Dalglish’s democracy is to be maintained, Gerrard can no longer be an automatic choice, no matter what.

One of the problems under Rafa Benitez was that the Scouser was deemed irreplaceable. When he didn’t play, the team didn’t play.

Dalglish would never countenance a one-man team. He wants and needs alternatives if he is to mould Liverpool into Premier League contenders and restore the club to a major European force.

If that means that despite Gerard's heroic contribution over the past years, he has to sit out games, then that is how it will be—and it has to be remembered that his contract expires in two years. He is also no spring chicken.

Henderson did not snub a bunch of other big clubs just to be in the chorus line. Charlie Adam, another highly talented midfielder, is also expected to move to Anfield from Blackpool.

He will know that he will face competition for a place, but he won’t join Dalglish’s revolution merely to make up the numbers.

Liverpool’s squad, by August, promises to be much more fluid and talented than in recent years. Almost, in fact, since Gerrard first became a regular in 1999.

During that time he had no peers and not many more rivals. No longer. 

When Dalglish was a player and manager the first time, there were no automatic selections—there was no preferential treatment for him, for Graeme Souness, for Ian Rush, Kevin Keegan or any of the other great names.

They had to earn their place. And then they treasured their place. That was the way it was.

That policy, that democracy, was what made Liverpool great. If they are to become great again then Gerrard, even as captain, can no longer just walk—and sometimes even limp—onto the team.

That might not be good for him, it might just make him question why loyally giving so much for long has left him with nothing but a body showing premature signs of fatigue.

But it might just be what helps make Liverpool winners again and, for Dalglish, winning is the bottom line. He would not be there otherwise.