Steven Gerrard Says He May Have Stayed at Liverpool for Right Offer

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has revealed he would have stayed at Anfield had the club offered him a job inside the organisation as a player-coach, and he left the door open for a return at some point in the future.

The LA Galaxy midfielder sat down with Lee Clayton for the Daily Mail in advance of the first chapter of his book coming out on Saturday, and while Gerrard talked fondly of his time with the Reds, he acknowledged he was “surprised” the club didn't offer him the opportunity to stick around:

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“Liverpool replaced coaches Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh in the summer, so they were looking for a new No 2, or No 3 or No 4. 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.”

Asked if he is resentful, Gerrard says: “I was surprised a role wasn’t mentioned when chief executive Ian Ayre sat down with my agent but maybe it might happen one day. I’d have stayed on as a squad player if I’d had the chance to learn more about management or coaching. I left with all the doors still open, but yes, I could still have been at Liverpool now.”

As Gerrard writes in his book, why couldn’t Liverpool have done for him what Manchester United did for Ryan Giggs?

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Gerrard spent his entire senior career with Liverpool, leading the Reds to the Champions League title in 2005, when he played an instrumental role in the come-from-behind win over AC Milan.     

He remained one of the club's most pivotal players until last season, when old age finally seemed to catch up with him.

Gerrard still made 25 starts in the Premier League, per WhoScored.com, but it was clear he was no longer the same player from a physical standpoint, something he realised as well, per Clayton: “Ability-wise, I could still play but physically I couldn’t play every game at my age.”

While everyone expected Gerrard to retire at Anfield—the place he called home for his entire career—he instead opted for an adventure in MLS with the LA Galaxy. But he didn't hide the fact he misses his former life:

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Yeah, I do miss it. I miss everything about it. 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 build-up, 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.

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Now 35 years old, Gerrard told Clayton he believes his current situation is “right” for him, as he gets to play the game he loves without someone recognising him on every street corner.

Looking at the current Premier League situation, the veteran believes it will be tough for Liverpool to finish in the top four, and the health of Daniel Sturridge will be key. He likes Chelsea's chances of repeating as champions despite their iffy start, warning people never to write off Blues manager Jose Mourinho.

Tom Jenkins/Getty Images

He really likes Manchester City, however, calling the team a “juggernaut” after the signing of Kevin De Bruyne and their sensational start to the 2015-16 campaign: “I know Jordan Henderson and James Milner, honest lads, will be sitting there thinking now, “We’ve got our work cut out here.”

It's rare to see player-coaches do their thing on the highest level, but in the case of Gerrard, it may have actually worked. The veteran was such a popular figure among the fans and his team-mates, there's no question he would have demanded tremendous respect, whether he wore a suit or the iconic red kit.

The Reds have had a solid, if unspectacular, start to the 2015-16 season, but the current crop of midfielders took a beating at the hands of West Ham United in Week 4. The Guardian's Barney Ronay gladly took a shot at Jordan Henderson, seen by many as Gerrard's successor at Anfield:

Gerrard's leadership and years of experience could have been a helpful tool during the 2015-16 campaign, although one has to wonder whether he would have been OK with taking on a smaller role as a player after being Liverpool's top star for so long.

There's little doubt fans will welcome him with open arms if he one day decides to return to Anfield, and a future as Reds manager seems likely if he so desires. For now, he seems perfectly happy playing his football with the Galaxy, even if part of him wishes he were still at Anfield.

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