06 June 2024 , 10:03
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Jamie Carragher nearly broke down in tears while discussing his son's injury problems.
The Liverpool legend had a near impeccable fitness record over the course of his lengthy career and admitted he couldn't understand how some of his team-mates seemed to get regularly crocked. But that all changed when his son, James, suffered a series of knee problems that threatened to dash his dreams of following in his father's footsteps.
Speaking to Ian Wright and Peter Schmeichel on an episode of The Overlap, Carragher, 46, appeared to well up as he spoke in detail about the stresses and strains of watching his boy, 21, suffer. "Twelve months ago I was in a dark place over my son's injuries," he said.
"I didn't get injuries. When I was at Liverpool I'd go in the treatment room and I'd see people on the bed, and I could never get this out of my head, I'd [think] they're faking it, they're not tough enough. Because I didn't get injured. I couldn't understand that people got injured... and then my own son went through it."
Carragher explained that James' knee problems flared up during the Covid-19 lockdowns, which meant he wasn't able to go to the hospital, get surgery or even see a physio, and they dogged him for two years. Carragher Jr started out at Liverpool but left the academy to join Wigan aged 15.
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His injury issues prevented him from breaking into the first team, so he went on loan to Oldham in 2022. But after just five games his knee blew out again, prompting an immediate operation. Hopes were high in the Carragher household that the surgery would fix the issue, but they were then dashed on the first day of pre-season ahead of the 2023/24 season.
"I'm thinking finally after two years he's been to see the best person in London, great," a visibly emotional Carragher remembered. "He starts pre-season, I'm on holiday, and on the first day, he phones me. And as soon as he phoned me... I knew straight away, my stomach [*gestures downwards*].
James Carragher's career has been blighted by injuries (Getty Images)"I booked a flight [home] that night. The holiday's finished for me. I've got to get home. He can't be at home alone with this. Seeing him and what we went through last summer to try and get to the bottom of it, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."
James, who, like his dad, is a centre-back, spent the next few months recovering, and after returning to full fitness in January was loaned out to Inverness Caledonian Thistle. There, he made 20 appearances in all competitions - his longest run of games in senior football.
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