John Barnes interview: Why I disagree with Jamie Carragher on Trent Alexander-Arnold, how he CAN win the Ballon d'Or at Liverpool... and my message to fans after Curtis Jones abuse
John Barnes interview: Why I disagree with Jamie Carragher on Trent Alexander-Arnold, how he CAN win the Ballon d'Or at Liverpool... and my message to fans after Curtis Jones abuse
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‘I could do with one of those contracts!’ quips John Barnes when asked about Liverpool’s expiring trio. Couldn’t we all?. Football has changed since 1987, when he joined the Reds and became Britain’s highest-paid player on £10,000 per week. Plenty has stayed the same in recent years, though, including the tightrope walked by Liverpool’s local lads done good.
![[Trent Alexander-Arnold faced strong criticism from some supporters after the draw with Manchester United earlier this month]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/25/01/94496439-14323631-image-a-3_1737767915241.jpg)
Yes, adulation from the Kop beckons, chants in your name, murals, legendary status. But you also risk the wrath of some followers if there's a chance of you leaving. Just ask Trent Alexander-Arnold, like Steven Gerrard and Steve McManaman before him. Earlier this month, after an off-day against Manchester United, the lad from West Derby who has given 20 years of dedication to the Reds faced a torrent of abuse. He ‘could not give a f***’ and must be ‘taken out of the team,’ according to some philosophers on X. All of this in the face of a contract saga and flirtation from Real Madrid, of course.
![[Barnes believes all the power rests with the players and that Liverpool have done all they can]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/25/01/94496445-14323631-image-a-4_1737767974168.jpg)
Curtis Jones has faced similar vitriol this week for daring to give a cautious and balanced explanation for why he felt Eden Hazard, one of his childhood role models, was 'better' than Mohamed Salah. He was branded a 'disgrace' and warned his 'poor judgement' could derail the team's title chase and jeopardise the Egyptian's contract negotiations.
![[Barnes disagrees with Jamie Carragher's suggestion that Alexander-Arnold would have invited Madrid to make an offer]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/25/01/94496459-14323631-image-a-5_1737768351247.jpg)
We’ll address that in due course, but it’s the situations of Alexander-Arnold, Salah, and Virgil van Dijk which are the overriding threats in an otherwise serene season. Some point fingers at the club for not tying them down sooner, others at the players for perceived greed or discontentment. Barnes takes a firmly pragmatic view, if slightly pessimistic.
![[Liverpool's promise on the pitch and an adoring fanbase are two compelling reasons to stay]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/25/01/94496617-14323631-image-a-6_1737768442413.jpg)
