Alex Rogers bids farewell to Daniel Agger after the news emerged that the former Liverpool centre-back has retired from professional football.
Daniel Agger retired from professional football on Thursday, 2 years after leaving Liverpool, at the age of 31. Personally, I felt a little bit of my childhood died that day. I am just a young man, soon to be nineteen years of age, and Agger is one of the standout players I remember from my youth.
Agger, to me, is what professional footballers should aim to be like. I don’t mean all footballers should be terrific centre backs with a hammer of a left foot, I mean they should aspire to be like how Agger was off the pitch.
Loyalty meant a lot to Daniel, who famously turned down many European giants, including Barcelona, to stay at Liverpool.
“Liverpool have given me almost everything in my career” he told the media in 2013.”
In the modern footballing era, a player Barcelona want, 90% of the time they will get that player. It’s almost unheard of a player turning down Barcelona.
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When we bought Agger in 2006, he was the most expensive signing from a Danish club at £6 million. Rafa Benitez actually said that with the signing of Agger “our centre back position is sorted for the next ten years” – high praise from a great man.
By the end of Agger’s Liverpool career he was the vice captain and deservedly so, having been at the club since 2006. If in a parallel universe where Gerrard didn’t exist it wouldn’t be hard to think that Agger would’ve been a fearsome captain for the Reds.
I think what made me love Agger as much as I did was because he was a man of the people, a self proclaimed scouser and also a very down to earth man. I think Agger realized that he had a job people would kill to have and was very humble knowing this.
Agger had his fair share of great moments in the Liverpool shirt. That goal against Blackburn stands out to me as one of the best. In the game where Liverpool won 4-1, Agger scored Liverpool’s 3rd goal near the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. After the goal, The Great Dane paid an emotional tribute to the 96.
Agger was sold too soon. It was clear his relationship with Rodgers played a part in his departure. I remember the exact day we lost him, I was truly devastated. Mostly because it was so unexpected. But I’m pleased he went back to his boyhood club, Brondby.
Agger’s retirement was also too soon. But it’s not shocking as Agger had always suffered from injury. If he felt it was time to stop then who knows more about himself than him? Many people argue if Agger should be called a Liverpool legend, but to me it’s very clear cut. Agger to me is a legend and I thank him for his service to this club and for making me love this club. Thank you Daniel.
Featured Image – Empire of the Kop