Steven Caulker, who turns 34 today, revealed how the “worst game of my career” was followed by an unexpected move to Liverpool
The January transfer window opens on Thursday and it will be intriguing to see what, if anything, Liverpool do next month. The Reds may have undergone a massive squad rebuild in the summer after winning the Premier League, but one look at the bodies currently available to Arne Slot suggests his ranks could do with further reinforcements.
There was the welcome return off the bench from Conor Bradley and Cody Gakpo in the hard-fought 2-1 home triumph over basement boys Wolves on Saturday that stretched the defending champions’ winning run in all competitions to four matches.
And Dominik Szoboszlai will also return from suspension for the visit of Leeds United to Anfield on New Year’s Day.
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But it would be fair to suggest that Liverpool, who are now unbeaten in their last seven games, still look a little light in the defensive and attacking areas, the latter at least until Mohamed Salah, whose own future is still the subject of speculation, returns from the Africa Cup of Nations.
One obvious way the Reds could solve their selection problems at the back is by reviving a deal to sign Marc Guehi, whose £35m move to Merseyside from Crystal Palace on deadline day in September collapsed at the 11th hour. However, reports suggest the England international is willing to see out the final six months of his contract at Selhurst Park before agreeing a free transfer with one of his many suitors.
That does not help Liverpool in the here and now, of course, with captain Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate currently their only fit and available centre-backs given Joe Gomez is sidelined and Giovanni Leoni is out long term.
However, it’s been a hallmark of the club under owners FSG to wait for the right recruit.
But one time the club did look to cover a short-term lack of players was back in January 2016 when signing Steven Caulker, who turns 34 today, on loan from QPR.
Suffering a defensive injury crisis, then manager Jurgen Klopp had been left with veteran Kolo Toure as his only available senior centre-back, given Dejan Lovren, Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho were all out.
Midfielder Lucas Leiva was being tasked with fulfilling an unfamiliar role as a short-term fix while the lesser-spotted Tiago Ilori and unwanted left-back Jose Enrique had been the centre-back pairing days before Caulker’s arrival against Exeter City in the FA Cup.
But a few weeks later, Klopp was boasting a plethora of options. “Now we have too many centre-halves,” the German conceded ahead of his side’s Europa League clash with Manchester United in March 2016.
“The day before we put the squad list in we didn’t have any. Now we have too many and you think: ‘My God what have we done?’
“That was the thing we had to do at that time. Now we have to get into the next round with the players we have available.”
Caulker made just four appearances during his time at Liverpool, amounting to only a handful of minutes in the Premier League, with the defender infamously being utilised as a makeshift striker on each occasion, including the thrilling 3-3 home draw with Arsenal in which he played a part in Joe Allen’s 90th-minute equaliser.
His only start, and only appearance at centre-back, came in an FA Cup draw with West Ham United at the end of January, while two unused substitute appearances in February were the closest he came to featuring during the remainder of his temporary Reds career.
Caulker later admitted: “I’m not sure he (Klopp) actually knew me when I signed. Whether I was his signing or the club’s signing, I’m not sure.
“It’s actually really interesting… I played for Southampton against Liverpool. I had, officially, the worst game of my career. We lost 6-1, and two months later I signed for Liverpool. So, I don’t know how that happened, I still don’t know to this day but it happened.
“Two days later, I was coming on up front against Arsenal at Anfield. We got a late equaliser… not because of me but whatever, I played my part, I was on the pitch… just amazing.
“It was a great experience, and I’m grateful to have had those minutes up front and to have got the equalizer against Arsenal – what a moment.”
After his spell at Anfield, Caulker spent time with a variety of clubs. He moved to Scotland to play for Dundee before enjoying a stint in Turkey with four different teams. A spell at Wigan Athletic followed before he joined Spanish minnows FC Malaga City as player-manager.
Caulker, who won one senior England cap and played for Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympic Games before switching allegiances to Sierra Leone, then returned to Turkey, with Keçiörengücü, before moving to Iceland in the summer to join Stjarnan as player-assistant manager.
But earlier this month, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Cardiff City man, who scored on on his one and only appearance for England, volleying in from a Steven Gerrard free kick in a 4-2 friendly defeat to a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired Sweden, announced his retirement from football.
“It’s time to announce my official retirement from my playing career. Seventeen seasons, 17 teams and five different countries,” said Caulker.
“I had a good taste of Premier League football, played and scored for England, captained Sierra Leone, played in the Olympics, spent time as a player-coach, and met some incredible people along the way.
“Along with the highs, there have been some serious lows. It’s been a rollercoaster, to say the least.
“Today, I am very grateful for having experienced both sides of the coin, as it has helped me grow as a person.
“I would like to take this moment to thank everybody who has supported me along the way: family, friends, coaches and fans.
“I look forward to now focusing full-time on my coaching and using all my experiences to help guide the next generation. Let’s see what 2026 has in store.”
