Steven Gerrard might have turned his back on his beloved Liverpool in favour of a move to Chelsea in 2005 - had it not been for a heart-to-heart with his father, Paul. It was July 5, and Gerrard had helped his side win a historic Champions League crown only two months earlier. Yet he handed in a transfer request at Anfield, sparking scenes of widespread fury on Merseyside. In his autobiography, Gerrard described the day as the most emotional in his life, and with a move to Chelsea looking all-but certain, Paul Gerrard stepped in. Dad Paul, who lives in the tough, working class district of Huyton in north Liverpool, warned the midfielder that both he and his family would become outcasts in their beloved home city if he opted for a move to Stamford Bridge, and it was enough to persuade the England international to perform a dramatic U-turn over his transfer request and stay.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
