Curtis Jones outlines how Steven Gerrard ‘reality check’ forced him into a major epiphany | OneFootball

Curtis Jones has revealed how a no-nonsense ‘reality check’ from Steven Gerrard had a profound effect on him in the formative stages of his footballing career.

The 24-year-old reached the landmark of 200 senior appearances for Liverpool in the victory over Brighton last weekend, with that being the third consecutive match in which he’s played the full 90 minutes.

It was nearly seven years ago that the Toxteth native was handed his first-team debut in an FA Cup defeat to Wolves, having stood out at academy level under the coaching of the former LFC captain – albeit not without a stern few words of warning along the way.

As he reflected on reaching the double century for Liverpool, Jones spoke of how a frank conversation with Gerrard as a teenager turned out to be the epiphany that jolted him into instigating the changes which later propelled him into a first-team regular.

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Jones opens up about ‘reality check’ from Gerrard

The 24-year-old told LFCTV: “Steven Gerrard has obviously been a huge part of my career and life. I say life because he was probably the first man to really have a pop at me at the academy and just changed me to think, ‘Yeah, I’m not better than anybody else’.

“It was a reality check, in terms of how I played and the role that he gave me. Steven would be the first to say that, once I overcame a thing where I complicate things and thought I was the man because I had a No. 10 on my back and things like that, I’d be the first man he’d pick on his team.

“That came with him. I’d always been a kid that was top of the age group, and at times I’d become a little bit passive, and Steven was the first one to give me a real, real check. Coming from a man like him who I idolised, I thought, ‘I’ve got to change if it’s him that’s telling me’.

“From there, he stuck with me and I stuck with him and we worked. A year after, I’m around the first team, and I’m stood here now on 200 games, so he’s obviously a man that I’d like to thank as well.”

(Photo by Lynne Cameron/Getty Images)

Jones clearly took Gerrard’s advice on board

Whilst never establishing himself as an automatic pick at Liverpool – his tally of 19 Premier League starts last season was the most he’s had in a single campaign – Jones has obviously done plenty right to reach 200 senior appearances at Anfield. Nobody gets to that landmark by accident.

His development from highly-rated breakthrough starlet to fully-fledged senior squad member has been terrific to witness, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has highlighted how our number 17 sought and duly took on board the advice from seasoned professionals at the club when making his way in the first team.

As a Scouser who got his senior bow in his teenage years and became an aspirational case study for academy players to try and emulate, Gerrard was perfectly placed to guide the Toxteth lad when coaching him in the underage ranks and issue some blunt advice when he felt it was needed.

It’s been evident from Jones’ performances this season in particular that he’s now a much more mature and consistent player, with Phil Thompson among those to heap praise on his exploits, and he’s proven to be more than good enough to start in Arne Slot’s XI.

A decade or so from now, it could well be our current number 17 doling out invaluable words of wisdom to Liverpool’s academy hopefuls, just as Gerrard did to him a few years ago. Hearing that advice is one thing, implementing it is another; and that’s exactly what the 24-year-old has done.

You can watch Slot’s full post-Brighton press conference below, via Empire of the Kop on YouTube: