Steven Gerrard has revealed that Liverpool could have kept him had they offered the club legend a part-time playing role while shadowing Brendan Rodgers and his staff, the current LA Galaxy man told the Daily Mail.
“What would have kept me at Liverpool into this season was the chance of shadowing Brendan Rodgers and his staff as well as playing,” said Gerrard. “Those ideas were only mentioned to me after I had announced I was leaving.”
Gerrard didn’t go as far to say he was bitter, rather surprised that such a role wasn’t offered to him by Ian Ayre.
“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,” he continued. “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.”
The Galaxy’s new no.8 recognized that Liverpool were in search of new backroom staff and feels he would’ve been a great option:
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.”
Gerrard would’ve happily been a squad player under those circumstances.
“I could have been a good squad player, a good sub, as well as getting management experience that money can’t buy,” he said.
The 35-year-old says he still has the quality required to compete in the upper echelon of world football as the Premier League is, but also admits at his age he wouldn’t have been able to compete in every match.
“Ability-wise, I could still play but physically I couldn’t play every game at my age,” Gerrard says. “I didn’t enjoy being sub last season. I didn’t enjoy not knowing if I would be in the XI or not. I didn’t enjoy when Liverpool were in the Champions League, the idea that I might have to miss matches. I struggled to get my head around it.”
Even though he’s enjoying life in Los Angeles and MLS, Gerrard misses the Premier League.
“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,” said Gerrard.
The former Liverpool man misses his old life.
“I miss the build-up, competing with better players,” he admits. “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.”
