Curtis Jones. The Prince who was promised.
ARTICLE BY MATTY
I remember first hearing about Curtis Jones when he was with the U-18s, his coach couldn’t
stop gushing with praise for the young midfielder. The name of that coach? None other than
the greatest player to ever wear a Liverpool shirt, the one and only Steven Gerrard. Gerrard
called him a “top, top talent”, “improving all the time”, wanting to work, wanting to learn,
soaking up everything he got like a sponge. Now who does that sound like? None other than
the legend himself. I could go on and on about Gerrard, his incredible goals that became
legend, his ability to always come through in the clutch, or his amazing adaptability over the
years, from being a young and aggressive RB to a goal scoring midfielder to a leader and
defensive beast. I could go on about Gerrard being my favorite player, being the legend I chose
to grind for in FIFA Mobile, or his massive influence on Jordan Henderson. Yet before he left for
Rangers to gain the skills necessary to one day lead Liverpool as a manager, Gerrard left us
one last gift: his successor. And as you can see in the above picture, Curtis Jones is already
writing his name in the legendary moments of Liverpool FC.
I remember again, after the Champions League triumph in Madrid that Jones was on the bench
for, how Rhian Brewster stole the headlines. He was to be the next Robbie Fowler, a brilliant
goal scorer that would give us a boost in the next season. Yet I knew Jones was just as good,
so good that I knew right then and there that we had found Gerrard’s successor at long last.
There are two angles I wish to discuss before I go further: why I wanted a successor to Gerrard
and what that would entail. Gerrard is a tragic figure for me, and that’s likely one of the reasons
I wish he can come back as manager one day. Gerrard never won the Premier League and
oftentimes played for teams far below his talent level; he could’ve left us for more accolades
than that brilliant night in Istanbul, with Chelsea even offering to buy him. Yet he stayed. He
was loyal to the bitter end, fighting with every breath he took for the badge he wore for 20
years. So you see, being the successor to Gerrard didn’t just mean you had to have the silky
skill and goal scoring (here’s looking at you, Naby). You had to fight for the badge, you had to
be loyal and strong, and most importantly you had to carry the team on your back when they
needed you to do so. I wanted a Gerrard successor because for me that would make things
right, as if Stevie were really there celebrating as a player with Virgil and Hendo and the rest of
the boys. And yet Jones, at the tender age of 19, already is showing all of the characteristics
necessary to be the successor I so longed for. Look at the games against Ajax in the
Champions League and Everton in the FA Cup. Stevie always knew how to make something
out of nothing, carrying the team to glory when it arguably wasn’t deserved. What did Curtis
do? He pulled off two decisive, crucial, world-class strikes to save the day. The wonder boy,
Curtis Jones. The prince who was promised.
Let’s move on a bit, shall we? After the pandemic lockdown, Curtis’ tenacious work ethic was
put on display as he crushed the first team in training, so much so that he earned game time
towards the end of the year. Even in those little cameos, you saw moments of brilliance. Take
his first Premier League goal against Burnley for example, a simple tap-in mere moments after
nearly stunning all those watching with a strike from outside the box, barely dealt with by Pope.
Then came this year, where the entire team was left rudderless after Christmas as we tumbled
down the standings. Much like Gerrard powering through with sub-par performances around
him, Jones entrenched himself as not only a first-team player, but as a future star. There he
was, the spark that lit the flame in most games. While he wasn’t leading us to victory, snagging
us from the jaws of a draw or defeat, he was still standing out and doing the most with what he
had. It was the story of his life after all. The boy who grew up in the same town as Fowler was
often playing a level above his age in the Liverpool academy, yet he still was the standout. He
learned from an early age what it was like to have to carry a team, what it was like to clearly be
the most talented player on the pitch. In a way, this recent stretch was a return to his youth,
bringing out the combination of intense desire and brilliant skill that has made him a permanent
starter for the future.
So what does the future hold for our young Gerrard? If things go back to normal, he will be a
key figure in next season’s title fight, going after the accolades Gerrard never could. While we
still may look back with a tear in our eye, wishing for Gerrard to have won more, we can take
solace in that a new player, with all the characteristics that made Gerrard the legend he is, is
making his mark for a team of champions. Yes, Curtis Jones is far more than just another youth
player. He is the prince to Gerrard’s king.
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