There comes a time in everyone's life when you realise you can't look up to footballers any more because you're so much older than they are.
I think that moment arrived for me yesterday when I was sat in the trophy room at Anfield watching Fernando Torres being unveiled as a Liverpool player.
I knew he was only 23 and I knew his nickname was El Nino (The Kid) but I hadn't realised he looked so young he seemed almost pre-pubescent!
Seriously, I looked at him and thought "he'll be alright for the youth team in about three years".

As well as reminding me that I'm now older than just about every current Liverpool player - thank God big Sami Hyypia's still around - Torres' visible youth made me worry about whether he would be up to dealing with the arl' arses of the English Premiership.
I could just picture the yard dogs lining up to kick him and Torres disappearing into his shell, wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into.
Thankfully, a conversation with a couple of Spanish journalists put my mind at rest. Not only is he tough, they told me, he also likes a battle.
As the hottest talent to emerge in Spanish football for over a decade Torres had to get used to being targeted by players who lacked his ability.
And in the country that produced the infamous Beast of Bilbao, Andoni Goikoetxea, that's as tough an uprbringing as you can get.
Spanish defenders have never taken any prisoners. Their number one rule is hack down first, ask questions later.
Just think of the likes of Ayala and Milito and then ask yourself will the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Kolo Toure really give Torres sleepless nights?
The Spaniard has now flown back to his native Madrid to tie up one or two loose ends and he will return to Liverpool next week to begin pre-season training with his new club.
And if he does have any worries about coping with the physiaclities of the English game, no doubt Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger and big Sami himself will help his acclimatisation process with a few well directed kicks.
The Kid is going to have to get used to the man's game - and quickly.

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