Kop hero Gary Gillespie has hailed the impact of Daniel
Agger as the young Dane prepares to make his 50th Liverpool
appearance.
The former Reds centre-back believes Agger who'll reach his half
century if selected against Sunderland on Saturday - has the
potential to one day be held in the same esteem as the likes of
Alan Hansen, Tommy Smith and Emlyn Hughes.
"To have played 50 times for Liverpool by the age of 22 shows the
quality he has," said Gillespie, who amassed 212 appearances for
the club between 1984 and 1991.
"He has the potential to be up there with the likes of Hansen and
Smith and that's an accolade of the highest order.
"The thing that impresses me most about him is his ability on the
ball. He has the composure to pick out a pass or bring the ball
forward. I don't see that in a lot of centre-backs these
days.
"When he first arrived he looked a bit lightweight it reminded me
of when I first broke into the team. But he's filled out and worked
on his strength. He also reads the game very well for his age and
can cover ground quickly.
"The thing is, centre-back is a position where you only get better
with age, so there's a lot more to come from him yet."
Gillespie admits he's been surprised at how quickly Agger has
established himself in the first team since moving from Brondby 18
months ago.
"Sami Hyypia has been a legend for this club, but Agger has come in
and done fantastic. I still think Sami has a part to play at
Liverpool and there's certainly no one better for Agger to learn
from."
One of the best unknown signings since a certain John Arne
Riise
