Big noise is having a say once more

13 April 2012

What strikes you when you see Gary McAllister up close for the first time is not the deeply-lined brow or the long-receded hairline, but how curious he looks from head on. His ears point outward and upward, forming a swooping incline and drawing attention to his broken nose. For a while you cannot quite place the resemblance. Then the connection clicks. He looks like Concorde.

How appropriate, then, that the 36-year-old midfielder is Liverpool's big noise of the moment. His sensational recent scoring streak has seen to that, just when Liverpool seemed in danger of another late season fade-out after their Good Friday defeat by Leeds.

You can take your pick of his goals since then, but that last-gasp thunderclap of a free-kick against Everton best encapsulates the difference McAllister has made since he joined Liverpool for exactly nothing from Coventry at the end of last season. It wasn't just that he put the ball in the net to convert a useless draw into a priceless win. It was the shock value of what he did with the ball from 40 yards that sent Liverpool's self-belief soaring skyward.

It makes it all the more incredible that a player of such skill and, it must be said, such years has never played in a Cup Final. The closest McAllister has ever been is the sixth round with Coventry.

"Of course, this has been one of the best seasons of my career,'' he agreed, in that low Scots burr which lends him a surprising intensity. "It's been very enjoyable. If you'd said to me when I was fighting relegation at Coventry that I'd end up enjoying this type of season I would never have believed you. It's nice that it's come at this time of my career. I've been playing so long, I'm really appreciating it all now. After four years at Highfield Road I know what the feeling's like at the other end of things.''

Scoring against his old side last month gave McAllister scant pleasure. The fate of his ex-Leeds and Scotland team-mate there weighs heavy on his mind.

"I'm a Liverpool player and I'm fully focused on the job here, but my thoughts are definitely with Gordon Strachan,'' McAllister said. "When I get time to think about it, I do wonder how things must be at Coventry at the moment. They've been in almost as much trouble before now and survived. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for them. I feel for them. But I'm a Liverpool player and I've got to concentrate on what's happening here.

Besides, I want to enjoy it because it doesn't happen that often.''

Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier insists his rotation system still applies to McAllister, scoring streak or no. But there isn't too much doubt that the manager is pretty smug about his acquisition, and especially praises the Scot for his attitude to fitness in a squad which is largely so much his junior.

"My approach to fitness didn't start when I arrived at Anfield,'' explained McAllister. "It's built up over years. It probably first started when I got to Leeds. Howard Wilkinson really opened my eyes. Before that I just played my football. When I joined him, he put the benefits into my head. He asked me: 'If you want to be a good player, then why not be a good fit player?' My life changed completely because of that.

"Playing with Gordon (Strachan) at the end of his playing days made a difference too. Far from letting his training tail off and miss sessions, he did the opposite and trained harder, just to show the other players that age wasn't a problem. That's something I learned from him. I don't want other players looking at me saying, 'Why is he getting days off?' Anyway, I feel great.''

For now he is uncertain how long that dedication may prolong his career. He plans to get some coaching badges under his belt, but he is clearly not looking forward to the end of his playing days.

"I don't know anything but football. It's hard to think too far forward. At the start of this season I wanted to get to the end of it before dealing with the future. Now the club and I have agreed another year. So I hope for the same if I get to the back end of next season. But I just don't know. At this age you can hit the wall quite quickly. Not playing for Scotland this year has helped. I've told Craig Brown that if he has 10 call-offs and there's no one else, then I'll play. But being captain was a lot of responsibility and maybe I took too much on board. The fact that's not with me anymore has probably given me another season.''

Another season like this one would be just the job. It is a long time since he received his Premiership winner's medal with Leeds.

"It would be nice if before I finished playing I could get a couple more medals. I'd like to have a few to look at in years to come.''

MORE ABOUT

Coventry

Liverpool

Merseyside

Big noise is having a say once more

Read More