Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard‘s move to LA Galaxy looks set to be confirmed on Wednesday. Press Association Sport understands a deal to take the 34-year-old to the Major League Soccer at the end of this season is now close to completion.
However, contrary to reports Gerrard has not been given leave to travel to the United States to finalise the move and has not flown to America as all the necessary requirements associated with the deal have been done in this country.
Gerrard admits had the club offered him a new contract last summer he would not be bringing an end to his long association with the Reds. However, the midfielder insists he does not want to “point the finger” at anyone for his impending departure.
A contract offer was not made to Gerrard, who turns 35 in May, until November – by which time he had already been told by Brendan Rodgers his playing time would be managed.
Such a tactic had already seen him left on the bench for Liverpool’s Champions League match against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu and that, combined with the delay in offering him an extension, resulted in the player coming to a decision about his future.
“If a contract had been put in front of me in pre-season I would have signed it,” he told the Liverpool Echo. “I’d just retired from England to concentrate all my efforts on Liverpool. I didn’t want my club games to be tailored.
“My injury record had been fantastic for the past two and a half years and I had a great season from a personal point of view last season.
“It’s all ifs, buts and hindsight now. That period between the summer and the end of November gave me thinking time.
“There’s no blame and I’m not angry about it. There are other people in the squad and the club had other things to worry about. There is no finger pointing from me towards the manager or anyone else at the club.”
Gerrard admits he is keen on a management job in the future but stressed even if Liverpool had made him the offer of a coaching position with his new contract he would not have accepted it.
“It wouldn’t have made any difference. I’m not ready for that yet. I’ve just got my C Licence and I’m about to start my UEFA B Licence at the end of January,” he added. “You can’t just roll into something. I only want to become a coach, an assistant or a manager if I am good enough and believe I can help and do well.
“I want to get my qualifications over the next couple of years while I’m away and try to learn the coaching side of it.
“Then I’ll decide whether I want to be a coach or stay involved in the game when I stop playing. Management is a possibility for the future. It’s a dream and aspiration of mine.
“Hopefully after I finish playing I’ll be in a position to serve Liverpool again.
“But I don’t want to manage Liverpool or any other club because I’ve been a good player or because I’m Steven Gerrard.
“You have to get a certain level of experience over a period of time. If I feel I can do well at it then I’ll go down that route.”
PA
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