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Steven Gerrard: I would have stayed at Liverpool if offered a backroom role Steven Gerrard: I would have stayed at Liverpool if offered a backroom role
(about 4 hours later)
Steven Gerrard has revealed he would not have left Liverpool over the summer if he had been offered the chance to join the manager Brendan Rodgers’s backroom team. Steven Gerrard has revealed he would not have left Liverpool over the summer if he had been offered the chance to join Brendan Rodgers’s backroom team.
Gerrard ended his long association with the club, whom he had been with since joining the academy aged nine, to move to Los Angeles Galaxy, having been in and out of Liverpool’s first team over the course of the 2014-15 season. Gerrard ended his long association with the club, whom he had been with since joining the academy aged nine, to move to Los Angeles Galaxy, having been in and out of Liverpool’s first team over the course of the 2014-15 season. Yet the 35-year-old says he would have accepted a bit-part role and continued into his 18th season at Anfield had he been included in the coaching setup, which was rejigged over the summer after Colin Pascoe was sacked as Rodgers’s assistant manager and Mike Marsh was not offered a new contract as the first-team coach.
Yet the 35-year-old says he would have accepted a bit-part role and continued into his 18th season at Anfield had he been included in the coaching set-up, which was rejigged over the summer after the assistant Colin Pascoe was sacked and the first-team coach Mike Marsh was not offered a new contract.
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Instead, Sean O’Driscoll came in as Rodgers’s No2, while another former Liverpool midfielder, Gary McAllister, filled Marsh’s role. Instead, Sean O’Driscoll came in as No2 to the manager, while another former Liverpool midfielder, Gary McAllister, filled Marsh’s role.
“Ability-wise, I could still play but physically I couldn’t play every game at my age,” Gerrard said in the Daily Mail. “I didn’t enjoy being sub last season. I didn’t enjoy not knowing if I would be in the XI or not.“Ability-wise, I could still play but physically I couldn’t play every game at my age,” Gerrard said in the Daily Mail. “I didn’t enjoy being sub last season. I didn’t enjoy not knowing if I would be in the XI or not.
“I might be contradicting myself here but what would have kept me at Liverpool into this season was the chance of shadowing Brendan Rodgers and his staff as well as playing. Those ideas were only mentioned to me after I had announced I was leaving.“I might be contradicting myself here but what would have kept me at Liverpool into this season was the chance of shadowing Brendan Rodgers and his staff as well as playing. Those ideas were only mentioned to me after I had announced I was leaving.
“I don’t know if I am going to be good enough to be a manager, or a No1, No2, No3 or No4. Liverpool replaced coaches Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh in the summer, so they were looking for a new No2 or No3, or No4. I would have been tailor-made to fill one of these roles as well as making myself available as a squad player.“I don’t know if I am going to be good enough to be a manager, or a No1, No2, No3 or No4. Liverpool replaced coaches Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh in the summer, so they were looking for a new No2 or No3, or No4. I would have been tailor-made to fill one of these roles as well as making myself available as a squad player.
“I could have been a good squad player, a good sub, as well as getting management experience that money can’t buy.”“I could have been a good squad player, a good sub, as well as getting management experience that money can’t buy.”
The former England midfielder, who had captained Liverpool for 12 years before his departure, admitted there are times he yearns to be back playing in the Premier League. The former England midfielder, who had captained Liverpool for 12 years before his departure, admitted there are times he yearns to be back playing in the Premier League. “Yeah, I do miss it. I miss everything about it,” he added. “When I switch on the TV and see the stadiums, with 50, 60, 70,000 people – the aggression, the intensity, the tension; I am jealous. I miss the buildup, competing with better players, I miss being Steven Gerrard, Liverpool captain, and walking out in front of my people with that pressure and trying to get a result for them.
“Yeah, I do miss it. I miss everything about it,” he added. “When I switch on the TV and see the stadiums, with 50, 60, 70,000 people – the aggression, the intensity, the tension; I am jealous. I miss the buildup, competing with better players, I miss being Steven Gerrard, Liverpool captain, and walking out in front of my people with that pressure and trying to get a result for them.
“As much I am enjoying it out here, with a fresh challenge, I’d like nothing better than being 25 again and with 10 years ahead of me in the Premier League, playing for Liverpool, but I’ve had my time.”“As much I am enjoying it out here, with a fresh challenge, I’d like nothing better than being 25 again and with 10 years ahead of me in the Premier League, playing for Liverpool, but I’ve had my time.”