Liverpool’s Gerrard and Carragher will play a vital role, says Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers expects Liverpool duo Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher to play a key role in the rebuilding process at Anfield

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By TSR staff Friday 6 July 2012, 12:34 UK

Steven Gerrard became Liverpool captain in 2003PA Photos

steven gerrard

Brendan Rodgers believes Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will play a vital role in helping the new manager reverse Liverpool’s ailing fortunes.

The 39-year-old was appointed as Kenny Dalglish’s successor in May after Liverpool finished in a disappointing eighth position in the Premier League last term.

Rodgers, who led Swansea City to safety in their first season in the Premier League, revealed that he plans to work closely with the captain and vice-captain as he looks to start the rebuilding process at Anfield.

“I believe your senior players are vital,” Rodgers told Liverpool’s website. “Those two are the life and soul of this football club; they’ve been very important members of the group here for a number of years.

“I enjoy working with both youth and senior players. I like to work well with everyone but obviously have close relations with the captain and the vice-captain. Those players, like them all, will play important roles in our future going forward.”

Rodgers heaped praise on Gerrard, who is currently on holiday after leading England to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012, and the Reds boss is hoping the 32-year-old can stay injury-free in the coming season.

“He’s on his break at the moment, a well-deserved break – he was wonderful in the [European] championships. But he has very kindly wanted to come in and have a coffee and have a chat over things.

“He’s a great role model for this club, a wonderful, inspirational player and obviously a great captain on and off the field.

“He obviously missed a lot of last season, which I know was frustrating for him, but it meant he was getting back up to fitness at the end of the season. He had a wonderful championship, which was great and bodes well for us for this season.

“You can sense from the outside that Liverpool is very much in his heart, he really is the soul of this football club.

“He’s maybe not the loudest on the field but captains are different. Some are more vocal, some are just pure inspirational in terms of their actions and he’s very much that.”