Alex Ferguson has revealed his admiration for retiring Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, labelling the 35-year-old a fantastic player .
Carragher, who has made 736 appearances for the club, announced his plans to retire at the end of current campaign while still at the top of his game.
He found first-team opportunities hard to come by at the start season, but he has been an ever-present under Brendan Rodgers since January.
And retiring Manchester United manager Ferguson was full of praise for the man who has lined-up 33 times against his side throughout his career.
He s absolutely a player I admire, Ferguson told Liverpool s official club website. He s the epitome of a loyal, dedicated player who Liverpool have been lucky to have for more than a decade.
He s been a bedrock of their defensive qualities for years and years.
I loved him. He s a fantastic example for any young lad that wants to play the game. He s been a really, really good professional.
Carragher joined Liverpool in 1990 as a 12-year-old and has gone on to make the second-highest number of appearances in the club s history. He made his first-team debut 1997 and formed a solid defensive partnership with Sami Hyypia under Rafael Benitez.
During his many appearances against United he has had highs and lows, scoring two own goals during a match in 1999 but also being part of the side that won 4-1 at Old Trafford in 2009.
He may not have always stood out in games but Ferguson believes that his hard work and commitment were two of his best characteristics.
He s absolutely the type of player a manager wants, he added. I used to rave about Brucie (Steve Bruce) and the nine years he had with us, and I think Jamie Carragher is that exact same mould can play with injuries, gets knocked about and gets back up, hardly misses a game.
You re lucky to have players like that. I was lucky to have Steve Bruce and he is the same type of player. A fantastic player.
