Move over Ince, Gerrard is the new Guv'nor
By Martin Lipton
When an emotional Kevin Keegan left the post-match Press conference after England's win over Germany, the first man he walked into was Gerard Houllier. The pair hugged and embraced. Houllier knew how much the victory meant to Keegan and wanted to let him know his pleasure.
Houllier's smile was all the wider because of the 29 minutes which had proved beyond doubt that Steven Gerrard is not only strong enough physically for international football at the highest level but also mentally.
Congratulated on the performance of his protege, Houllier stopped, turned and said: 'Yes, he did well. But he is at a good club.'
It was possibly even more gratifying for Houllier that Gerrard's youthful endeavour had helped Paul Ince through the part of the match when his legs were beginning to go.
Ince had publicly castigated the French coach at the beginning of last season for selling him to Middlesbrough. Houllier refused to respond. Gerrard did that for him, in deeds rather than words.
Against Germany, Gerrard became Ince's salvation - allowing the older man to take the odd breather as he closed down, put his foot in and kept things ticking over at the heart of England's midfield.
Keegan agreed that the Liverpool youngster's display had belied his 20 years and the fact he was making only his second appearance in England colours. 'Steve gave us a cameo performance of what the future of England looks like,' said Keegan. 'The sad thing is that we've not been able to get enough of him at this level before the tournament.'
For all that Ince has never given less than his all for England, Keegan must decide whether the time is right for the future to become the present. Houllier has already made that decision at Anfield and the success of Gerrard's first full season in the Premiership was the reason he is in Keegan's party already, his maturity demonstrated superbly back in March when he orchestrated the England Under 21 side's play-off win over a vicious Yugoslavia side in Barcelona.
The Frenchman is not the only Premiership boss with that view. Sir Alex Ferguson - perhaps with his own agenda in mind after his famous labelling of Ince as a 'big-time Charlie' - believes Keegan should now take the plunge on Gerrard.
Before the tournament, Ferguson said: 'Paul has tremendous attributes, notably his contagious self-belief, his ball-winning aggression and the battle-hardened attitude produced by many years of international football. 'But his legs aren't what they were and his eagerness to set off on foraging runs can leave him stranded, with those ageing legs struggling to carry him back to where he should be. 'Gerrard is physically and technically precocious. He has a good engine and displays remarkable energy on the pitch. He already reads the game quite well, he can pass and is quick.' Ferguson's words were prescient.
Against Portugal, Ince, left on his own as he attempted to take on gifted, marauding opponents, was by-passed - and he suffered. In Charleroi on Saturday he was more effective, the relative lack of mobility of the Germans and his own fierce determination enabling him to keep his head above water.
Even so, he still needed to be occasionally baled out by Dennis Wise and the defensive ruggedness of Sol Campbell and Martin Keown as he sprinted desperately to get back in position. It was only with Gerrard's arrival from the bench to bolster the midfield that Ince was able to restore complete equilibrium.
As Ferguson had also predicted, Gerrard adapted instantly. 'If you brought him on and gave him a job, his head would come up and he would do the right thing,' said the United boss. 'People are already comparing him to Roy Keane but I reserve my judgment on that one. I would hate to think Liverpool have somebody as good as Keane!'
Keane filled Ince's 'Guv'nor' mantle at Old Trafford and Gerrard is ready to do the same at England level after taking over his role at Anfield. They are different characters. While Ince speaks as he plays, a stream of staccato words that have to be replayed at half-speed to be fully heard, Gerrard retains a poker face, hiding his feelings behind his smile. It is a sign of self-conviction.
His Liverpool clubmate Dietmar Hamann, on the receiving end of one crunching tackle from Gerrard in Charleroi, said approvingly: 'One day he will not only play regularly for England, he will also captain the side. 'He is a boy who has everything a good midfield player needs - strength, pace, courage and good running.' Yet, Ince does have something that Gerrard lacks - experience of the big occasion.
While everybody remembers Michael Owen's wonder goal and David Beckham's red card against Argentina in 1998, it is easy to forget the contribution Ince made that night in Saint-Etienne. Time after time he was back, snaking in a leg to dispossess Juan Sebastian Veron or Ariel Ortega, somehow keeping himself going through two hours of sheer tension.
Ince also knows this is his last major tournament and his determination to go out with his head held high ensures that his commitment will be as total against Romania as it was against Germany on Saturday. Ince gets the nod against Romania, although Gerrard might reflect that the Middlesbrough man only lasted 33 minutes when England met Romania in Toulouse two years ago.
It is likely that Gerrard will be called upon at some stage. It is certain he will be primed and ready. Once he is installed as England's midfield holder, it will take something really special to dislodge him.