Wednesday, 12th June, 2013
Former Liverpool forward Craig Bellamy has heaped praise on Reds skipper Steven Gerrard in his new autobiography ‘GoodFella’, and explained that the England international was a “cut above anyone” he has ever played with.
The 33-year-old Cardiff City player enjoyed two seasons at Anfield, the 2006/07 campaign, as well as the 2011/12 season.
He joined the Welsh side last summer and helped them to clinch promotion to the top tier of English football.
Speaking about his former team-mate Gerrard, Bellamy said that the veteran Reds schemer put too much responsibility on his shoulders at times.
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"Gerrard was everything I expected and more. He was a cut above anyone I’ve ever played with. He had so much in his locker”, Bellamy said.
“He is an immense player but because he is streaks ahead of everyone – even someone like [Xabi] Alonso – he put too much onus on himself to do everything.
“There were days we knew that if we were going to win, Stevie was going to have to be at his best. He knew that too, and that is a lot of pressure to carry around on your shoulders.”
The former Wales international also played with Uruguay striker Luis Suarez for one season, and he has nothing but praise for the former Ajax star.
"He was an incredible player and a lovely guy. He trained hard and worked relentlessly during matches. People talk about him diving but he took a hell of a lot of punishment, too.
“He would take his socks off after a game and his calves and his ankle would be black and blue from where he had been kicked”, Bellamy added.
The Uruguayan, who has a contract at Anfield until June 2018, has been widely speculated to make a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid this summer, after he revealed his desire to join Los Blancos.
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