Newest Anfield prodigy aims to follow the lead of idol Gerrard
By Peter Lansley
the times
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on l'appelle "le nouveau steven gerrard"
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JOHN WELSH, the latest multitalented Scouse midfield player to roll off the Melwood conveyor belt, is flattered by being labelled “the new Steven Gerrard”, but he wants to play alongside his idol, not instead of him.
The England Under-21 playmaker scored his first “senior” goal in Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over Azerbaijan and gave an all-action display reminiscent of Jamie Carragher, when the Liverpool defender was a regular in Peter Taylor’s young England midfield in the late 1990s, Gerrard or Danny Murphy in their youth.
With the bustling, passing style, allied to the close-cropped hair and Merseyside accent, Welsh is a ringer for the present generation of England seniors emanating from Anfield. The 21-year-old, however, is intent on biding his time under Rafael Benítez, the Liverpool manager, and hopes that Gerrard, a target for Chelsea, will be around when he can command a first-team place.
“You always try and learn off the best players and Steve, for me, is one of the best players in the world,” Welsh said. “He’s one of my idols and you look at him, what he’s doing week in, week out. You try to model yourself on that. It’s brilliant to be compared to him.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen at the end of the season. Hopefully he’ll stay because I know he loves Liverpool. Whenever he makes his decision, it’s down to him. I’d love to play alongside him. Hopefully I’ll get my chance.”
It has been a big month for Welsh because he made his European Cup debut, as a substitute in the 3-1 win away to Bayer Leverkusen, before scoring the breakthrough goal as England overcame Azerbaijan at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, to reclaim leadership of their European Under-21 Championship qualifying group.
Welsh made his first appearance in the Premiership when coming on against Arsenal at Anfield last season, but first-team opportunities since have been few and far between. For a boyhood Liverpool supporter, however, who was welcomed into Steve Heighway’s youth set-up at the age of 8, this has been no great hardship.
“I’m at one of the best clubs in the world,” Welsh said. “I’ve always supported them from a child and I love the club. So I’ll be patient. I know there are a lot of good players there, but the gaffer has shown he’ll put the young kids in if they deserve it, so I’ll keep working hard. I’m only young and I know I’m not the finished article.
“To work alongside all these world-class players — Xabi Alonso, Milan Baros, Fernando Morientes, the list keeps going — you can only learn off them. When I’ve been involved in games, Carra [Carragher] and Stevie G [Gerrard] are always talking to you, helping you along, and in training they give you tips.”
Welsh has made feisty contributions for England Under-21 when coming on, but he got his chance to start on Tuesday because of injury to Gary O’Neil, a regular with Portsmouth. Those players appearing most frequently for their clubs inevitably tend to start for Taylor, but Welsh is not keen to leave Anfield, even on loan, for more senior action yet. “I suppose it is an option because you need first-team football as you go along,” he said, “but Rafael Benítez wants me to stay at Liverpool and I want to make it there.”
Taylor, in competitive matches, has completed an unbeaten first season back in charge of the under-21s. Having lost only three of the 23 matches he oversaw in his first stint, he has extended his record as England’s most successful under-21 coach. “I’m delighted with the players and for them to see themselves top of the table is great,” he said.
The under-21s resume their qualifying campaign with matches away to Wales and Germany, their nearest rivals, in September.
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