Symptom of the Universe

Ages ago, when he left the club, I wrote about Ronaldo and postmodernism, and suggested he would never be a true great (not the place to go into whether this opinion needs to be revised) because he was too self-aware, he desired to all the outward signs of greatness instead of just getting on and being great - he was great, but at one remove, unlike say, the natural, seemingly effortless brilliance of Messi.

I was reminded of that today, the postmodern face of football, inbetween laughing very loudly, when reading these comments from Steven Gerrard:

"It's a really positive signing. Let's hope he is the next Steven Gerrard," he told the Liverpool website.

"Good football clubs replace their best players. Liverpool need a new Gerrard and need a new Jamie Carragher."

Where to begin... At least Ronaldo was actually a brilliant footballer, and so when he saw himself in the third person there was some truth in what he had to say, what he saw of himself.  For Steven Gerrard to want someone to be the next Steven Gerrard is about as preposterous a statement as you could imagine.  I don't remember Ronaldo saying anything similar ever.  I've never known anyone say anything similar ever.

It's the ultimate example of postmodern reflexivity, Gerrard so encased in the language of the professional pundit that his self-image is external, he is not himself, he is only what Mark Lawrenson says he is.

And on a slightly more trivial note - don't all clubs replace their best players?  In fact don't all clubs replace all players...