Coutinho has been one of the only bright points for Liverpool in a tough, long season
It was a strange night on Tuesday evening, as Liverpool gathered as a club for the annual awards ceremony, particularly after such a poor season. It was perhaps even more subdued by the fact that a living legend is leaving in a week and one of the club’s leading lights more-or-less handed in a transfer request the night before.
But that living legend at least believes there is a player at the club that is capable of being passed the baton when he leaves: Philippe Coutinho. The 22 year old Brazilian was awarded Liverpool’s Player of the Year, along with 3 other awards and Gerrard even used his own acceptance speech to praise the player.
He said: “I think this is his night. He’s cleaned up tonight on all of the awards and deservedly so, it’s an absolute privilege to share a dressing room with him.
“He’s the next big thing, for me, I hope he stays here for a long time and he can help win us some more trophies.”
All the talk in the early months of the season were about Gerrard’s future and the form of Raheem Sterling, but Coutinho stepped up in late 2014 and hasn’t looked back, collecting Player of the Month awards for fun and now wrapping up a personally outstanding season, despite the poor form of the team itself.
Gerrard continued: “From all the Liverpool players that are here and the ones that will be here in the future, you just want them to carry on all the club values,” he added.
“That’s to work as hard as you can for the badge and every time you put the shirt on give everything you’ve got.”
