THE scene was familiar: two men, stood on the touchline before an important Liverpool game, speaking animatedly about what the night might hold in store.
On one side, was the master, passing on his wisdom, offering reassurance and giving pointers whenever possible; on the other was the apprentice, listening intently and hanging off every word.
Gary McAllister and Steven Gerrard may have ceased to be team-mates in the summer of 2002 but, to see them interacting in Budapest’s Ferenc Puskas Stadium, it was just like old times on Tuesday evening.
Gerrard has never made any secret of the esteem in which he holds McAllister, a man whose class, guile and goalscoring ability made him an Anfield legend, and during the early part of his career, would frequently pick the Scot’s brains.
On away trips, the only seat Gerrard wanted on the team coach was the one next to McAllister and such habits clearly die hard, judging by the way the skipper made a beeline for his great friend before the Champions League clash with Debrecen.
Respect in this relationship, however, is mutual; McAllister has charted Gerrard’s progress from promising novice to midfield thoroughbred with great pride but had to do a double take when one statistic was put to him this week.
When he strides out at Goodison Park on Sunday, Gerrard will represent Liverpool for the 499th time, an achievement which – in a day and age when players swap clubs at a dizzying pace – his mentor stresses should not be taken lightly.
“It’s a great testament to him,” said McAllister. “When I look at players like Stevie and Carra, as well as Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes at Manchester United, you can’t help but have the greatest respect.
“When you play for Liverpool, every game you are expected to produce your very best in must win games and the pressure is always on you. So it’s a fantastic achievement to get to that record, particularly with him and Carra both being local lads.
“It was clear to see he had talent from word go. I’ve watched him develop and he just keeps getting better; his decision making is getting better and he is still improving.
“That comes from playing important games in the Champions League and Premier League and being a leading player for England. Gerard Houllier started him off on the right so he could learn his trade away from the hurly-burly in the middle.
“But it was pretty clear his best position was always going to be in the centre. Of course he could still be effective on the right as he is in his position behind Torres but, first and foremost, he’s just an outstanding midfielder.”
Thanks in no small part to McAllister. Though he may play down the influence he had on Gerrard, there is no disputing his words and actions left an indelible mark on the England international.
“Steven just used to talk about football,” he recalled. “There were never any heart-to-hearts or think tanks, it was all just general stuff really. From my point of view, it was just as interesting listening to him talk about the players he rated and admired.
“He liked to tackle and that was with him from when he was a young boy. He trained the way he played, which was totally committed. Yes, there were a few risky tackles but it wasn’t anything malicious, it was just general competitiveness.
“But he did a make a decision that he could not keep getting involved in them. Apart from anything else, he didn’t want to be in a position where he might have hurt himself and that’s come with experience.”
Which brings us neatly back to McAllister. Experience is something Houllier wanted in the summer of 2000 but few could have predicted his Bosman signing from Leeds United would have turned out to be such a huge success.
Playing a key role as Liverpool chased a Cup treble the following spring, McAllister’s goals were crucial in wins at Bradford, Coventry and in the UEFA Cup semi-final against Barcelona, while he was named Man-of-the-Match in the Dortmund final against Alaves.
Yet ask any Liverpudlian for their best McAllister memory and, inevitably, every answer will be the same – a 40-yard free-kick, injury-time winner against Everton in April 2001, which breathed fresh life into the 2000/01 campaign, is unsurpassable.
McAllister, not surprisingly, smiles warmly at the memory and he hopes the feelings which that strike invoked will be similar on Sunday, as Rafa Benitez’s side look to put their Champions League misery behind them in style.
It has been an exceptionally difficult autumn, one that has tested the patience of even the most fair-minded supporter, but McAllister is convinced a win on enemy territory, coupled with the return of key personnel, will see normal service resume.
“I used to watch derby matches from afar and when I signed, it was the first game I immediately looked for, as I’d heard so much about it,” said McAllister. “It was special to be involved and that game at Goodison (on Easter Monday 2001) was quite interesting!
“I scored a couple of goals at the end of that season but purely because of the stature of the fixture, that was the most special. I’ll never forget running to the supporters and seeing the looks of almost disbelief on their faces. It was the same when I turned to the bench.
“It was some feeling. It’s going to be a tough game but it’s probably the perfect one to have after the disappointment on Tuesday. Rafa won’t have to motivate the lads, they know how important it is.
“They’re a long way behind Chelsea but, at the minute, all they can do is look to peg back the teams immediately ahead of them. There’s a long way to go. Liverpool have got a very good team when everyone is fit and I’m sure they will be fine.”
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