It’s needed a serious injury for Jamie Carragher to become properly appreciated.
Without their versatile and whole-hearted defender, Liverpool have struggled for consistency. No lesser an authority than skipper Steve Gerrard says Carra has been as big a miss as superstars Michael Owen or Harry Kewell.
Four months after breaking his leg against Blackburn, Carragher is back. He lasted 90 minutes for the reserves against Everton on Tuesday night and should be ready for first-team action within 10 days.
The England defender has remained positive throughout his ordeal and admits that Liverpool’s injury crisis has at least meant he’s not suffered loneliness during his rehabilitation.
"Milan Baros got a broken leg in the same match and we have been through each stage together," Carragher told us when we caught up with him.
"Michael (Owen) is a very good friend of mine and he has also been in the treatment room lately which has helped me but it hasn’t helped the team!
"At the moment, Stevie (Gerrard) is in there as well so we have a good craic although we don’t really want to be having a laugh and a joke in there – we want our best players on the pitch!
"It can get a bit lonely when you see the lads outside training and you’re on a bike or in the gym doing weights on your own. So the fact that Milan and I have done lots of it together has helped us."
Psychologically, Carragher tried to forget about the fact he would be out for months and tried to set himself achievable shorter-term targets to keep his spirits up.
"It’s important to set yourself little targets," he reveals. "The first one is to get out of your cast, then you are in a leg brace and your target is to get out of that. If you looked at it as four solid months, it would be difficult. So I looked at it in shorter spells to help me through."
Carragher doubts he will be involved at Spurs on Saturday but hopes a reserve match against Wolves on Monday will force him into contention for the FA Cup tie against Newcastle the following weekend.
"I think the toughest time for me is right now," he says. "It’s very tough to get a regular place at a club like Liverpool but having done the work to get fit, you need that extra push to get in contention. I am just desperate to get back involved.
"Some of the lads aren’t angels in training so I’ve already had a few tackles and know the leg is fine."
Carragher played at left-back for the reserves in a 2-0 win against Everton. And although his focus is on winning his place back with Liverpool, Euro 2004 also lies on the horizon.
"The main thing is playing for Liverpool. If I do well for Liverpool you never know what’s going to happen - I may have an outside chance if there are a few injuries," he says.
"I’ve played nine times for England and have a couple of real highlights.
"My best performance was probably playing for Peter Taylor in Italy when we had a really young side out.
"And nobody should forget my role in the 5-1 win in Germany – I came on for Paul Scholes with seven minutes left!"
Carragher turns 26 later this month. If anyone underestimated his qualitiesof leadership, versatility and reading of the game – they aren’t doing so any more.