It comes more naturally to some than others but as a general rule we demand those who get to live out our dreams, while getting paid handsomely to do so, put their bodies on the line, strain every sinew and push themselves through and beyond the pain barrier again and again without ever really appreciating the toll it can take. To feel the atmosphere; to cheer for them and of course to take a picture with the Bill Shankly statue and Shankly Gates." When I was a child, to be honest I didn’t watch that much football but of course when it was Champions League or a big game, I was watching Liverpool, the big teams and also the big players – and he was one of the biggest."

It was 15 years ago today that Liverpool signed a young Danish defender by the name of Daniel Agger. Liverpool defender started 'drinking and smoking' before red cards and angry falling out with manager after mystery illness The tattoo in question is scrawled in his native Hungarian across his arm, with the phrase: "Talent is a blessing from God, but without incredible will and humility, it is worthless."Chief among the Dane’s frustrations at his treatment was the fact he had twice turned down moves to Barcelona after seeking assurances from the Northern Irishman he was part of his plans. The Catalans had been keen to sign him during the two previous summers, with Manchester City also wanting to take him to the Etihad. “Whenever I had a good offer to go, I told Brendan that if he didn’t see me as part of his plans I’d leave but if he wanted me to stay then I’d fulfil my contract”, Agger said. “I loved being at Liverpool. My family loved it there. But if Brendan had said to me he wasn’t 100 per cent sure I would have gone. Brendan said he wanted me there but I don’t think he really did. How close was I to Barcelona? I had the contract in front of me. I just needed to put the signature on it. I could have done it as Liverpool actually agreed a price with Barcelona and I accepted my terms. I remember I had to go down in salary but I was fine with that. Dominik Szoboszlai has explained the influence that Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard had on his choice to take the no.8 jersey upon signing for the club. Ael ( pictured ), 31, said: "In the past I've done quite a lot of scripts bearing You'll Never Walk Alone. The Hungary international also revealed a special link Gerrard, when asked by the club why he opted to take no.8.

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 06: Fernando Torres of Chelsea is challenged by Daniel Agger of Liverpool during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on February 6, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) There is more of an awareness now of the damage caused by the cortisone injections many players of the 1960s and 70s used to regularly take to get them through games, with many suffering severe mobility problems in retirement as a result, but there is perhaps a misguided perception that in the modern game with all the sports science and top-level medical expertise involved that players can now continually smash through their physical limits without consequence. READ MORE: 'We can say that' - Jurgen Klopp makes surprise admission in open assessment of Liverpool slumpThis includes pictures of both his mother and father and a message in German that translates into English as "Family unending love". Read More Related Articles

Szoboszlai also spoke highly of his new club's history as a factor that led him to sign on the dotted line. I was petrified’ - Liverpool star went from Champions League heartbreak to tearful exit as a club legend PSV Eindhoven were swept aside with ease in the last eight and, for the third year running, Benitez’s men were pitched against Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in a major cup semi-final. A Joe Cole effort decided the first leg at Stamford Bridge in favour of the Londoners and Agger endured a difficult night after being targeted by Didier Drogba, coming in for criticism afterwards particularly from the Danish media who questioned the 22-year-old’s ability to play at the highest level. “You don’t need to worry about Daniel Agger, he’s going to be a top player for years to come”, Jamie Carragher told the assembled media before the Anfield second leg with manager Benitez also offering a ringing endorsement and big show of faith in his young defender’s capabilities. “Agger will learn from his experience against Drogba”, the Liverpool manager asserted. “Drogba can cause problems for some of the best defenders in the world. Daniel will be an even better player every time he plays in games such as this. He’ll have an outstanding game in the second leg. I’m sure of this. He’s that type of character.” This new design contained the words ‘Liverpool Football Club’ for the first time, as well as a shift toward the shield form that has since been a mainstay of the club’s emblem. This variation existed previous to its placement on the 1987-88 season’s kit. As rumoured on social media, Szoboszlai confirmed that he has a tattoo inspired by the Liverpool legend on his arm.

He said: "After tattooing this piece and through conversations with Javi, the club started to interest me. People talk about the Chelsea semi-finals but the last-16 tie against Barcelona was the best atmosphere I ever experienced at Anfield”, he told the Athletic. “That was one of the best Barca teams ever with Ronaldinho. They had won the Champions League the season before but somehow we managed to win 2-1 over there. I remember Carra and me looking at each other in the Camp Nou after we went 1-0 down and thinking, ‘This could be bad’. Carra and me complemented each other well. We were different types but we had a similar attitude and winning mentality. You could always rely on Carra. As a young player settling into a new team it was good to have someone like him alongside me. Football isn’t about what’s your top level, it’s about what’s your bottom level and his was very high. The noise at Anfield when we walked out for the second leg against Barca, I’d never felt anything like that. I saw in the faces of their players that they were thinking the same.” Agger himself knew he would have his work cut out to displace the central defensive duo who had marshalled Benitez’s side to European glory only months before but was keen to follow in the footsteps of fellow Dane Jan Molby who had established himself as one of Liverpool’s most popular overseas imports two decades earlier. "My aim is just to become a better player and win trophies and I hope Rafa can help me do that”, he said. “It is a big job to displace Jamie and Sami from this team but that is my job and I will fight for my place. I know it will be difficult to break into this team, they are the champions of Europe. I am aware of my countryman Jan Molby being at Liverpool. I know how good a player he was and what a great hero he was here, but if I can do anywhere near as good as him here I will be happy."