WE COULD BE LAST OF A DYING BREED - CARRA
Jamie Carragher fears the era when local youngsters can spend an entire career at one club may soon be consigned to history.
Carragher and Gerrard are among an increasingly rare breed who will have spent the best years of their playing days at one club.
Both have spoken of their intention to finish their top class careers at Anfield.
Ever since joining Liverpool's school of excellence, the duo have worked their way through the ranks and will be in their early thirties by the time their latest deals are over.
Carragher still hopes to stay at the club even longer than the four years he committed to on Monday.
But he sympathises with those youngsters who will try to emulate him and Gerrard in future, recognising the competition to be established over a long period at one club is harder than ever.
"The way football is now it's obviously going to get harder and harder to stay at one club for your whole career," said Carragher.
"It's rare for a player to spend so much time at one club in the modern game.
"It used to be we'd have scouts looking for the best players in the city and the best in England. Now they look for the best players in the world, from countries which ten or so years ago wouldn't have had anyone in the Premiership.
"It's also been easier for me and Stevie because we're at a big club playing on a big stage every week and competing for trophies, so it's natural weÂ’d want to stay as long as the club wanted us."
Although Carragher will be 33 by the time his current deal expires, he doesn't believe this will the last time he puts pen to paper at Anfield.
"Signing for four years gives you the financial security, but I wouldn't presume it means I'll still be here when I'm 33 or that it means I won't be here longer than that. I hope I am. My idea is to earn another contract after this one. I don't want this to be my last."
dat's why i feel liverpool should focus on breeding a bunch of youth squad in liverpool youth camp.
gone were the days where pool has fowler, owen n gerrard. n nowaday, they keep signing foreigners n this might not be healthy sign.
That is one problem when u have a Spanish Boss deciding on the Academy issue ... which used to be run by Englishmen ....
Also ..... Ten years ago , i only see successful Academy like MU Academy and Liverpool Academy , young players only wanna join established academy like LFC Academy , better propspect ... now has got Boro , Newcastle , Bolton etc School of Excellence ..... most clubs has got their very own academy and very own scouting department hunting players from all over England ..... young players has got more options .. compare to previous years .....