KOP News # 1219

'Stevie deserves armband'

16th May 2012 - Latest News

Phil Thompson believes Steven Gerrard should be given the opportunity to lead England out at Euro 2012 and is hoping that former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson will give the No.8 his chance when the squad is announced this afternoon.

Both Thompson and Gerrard have lifted the European Cup as Liverpool captains and both have played their part in leading the national team.

Thompson skippered England six times throughout an international career that yielded 42 caps while Gerrard was given his first shot at the captaincy in 2004 and since then has pulled on the armband 15 times.

Gerrard, who has 90 caps to his name, led England out at the World Cup in South Africa 2010 and Thompson wants to see the 31-year-old do the same at this year's Euro finals in Poland and Ukraine.

"I think Stevie should be given the captaincy. Without doubt," Thompson told Liverpoolfc.tv. "It's nothing against Scott Parker because he's a fine player, a good player, but he doesn't have the pedigree that Gerrard has.

"I don't remember Parker playing in Champions League finals, FA Cup finals and in huge games like Gerrard has over the years. Also there's the number of caps that Stevie has. Everything should point to him being named as captain.

"I would like to think Roy Hodgson will look at it very differently to Stuart Pearce and I would think and hope that Gerrard will get that choice today. He thoroughly deserves to lead England out at the Euros."