Steven Gerrard's No 8 Liverpool shirt should be handed to a big new signing, says Phil Thompson
Tuesday 19 May 2015 13:36, UK
Phil Thompson believes Liverpool should hand Steven Gerrard's No 8 shirt to a key summer signing.
The outgoing skipper, who will play his final game for the club at Stoke on Sunday, inherited his squad number from Emile Heskey in 2004 but his move to LA Galaxy makes the iconic shirt available again.
Jordan Henderson, who is in contention to succeed Gerrard as Liverpool's club captain, could switch from number 14, while fellow central midfielder Joe Allen (24) may also be a candidate for the No 8.
However, Thompson believes the number should be reserved for a big-name summer signing,
"It would be difficult to hand it over to one of the current lads because it would be such a big responsibility," he said.
"I think Liverpool will take their time and keep it free until it’s time to submit the list to the Premier League. They’ll keep it to see who comes in and hopefully there’ll be a big enough signing to fill the shirt.
"My hero, Roger Hunt, wore the number eight in the 1960s, but the number seven has become the one that has been revered the most because it’s been passed on from Kevin Keegan to Kenny Dalglish and, in more recent years, Luis Suarez.
I don’t think Liverpool would even entertain the idea of retiring the number.
"There’s been some great players who have worn the number seven and the number eight has been passed around some fantastic players too, but it will now become a legendary number for Liverpool by the iconic status of Steven Gerrard.
"It still doesn’t carry the same weight as the number seven, but if someone can take up Stevie’s number and become another legend wearing it, then you never know."
However, despite the achievements of Gerrard in the No 8, Thompson doesn't see the club retiring the shirt.
"I don't think Liverpool would even entertain the idea of retiring the number," he said. "There’s been some truly legendary players at the club in the past and it hasn’t been done for them.
"It's something that is done a bit too prematurely and too easily by certain football clubs, in my opinion, and I don’t think the number eight should be retired."
Signings
With Gerrard leaving, Thompson is now eager to see whether Liverpool can land any big-name signings this summer to take the club forward.
"The season, as a whole, has been stop-start," he said. "But, on the plus side, we’ve had two cup semi-finals, and we still had a chance of Champions League football up until two weeks before the end of the season.
"We have to re-group and get some solid signings in. They’ll be scrutinised no doubt, through social media and websites, but we’ll all be waiting with bated breath."
