Topic: Liverpool in talks with Steven Gerrard over return to Anfield

[Fromola]

he reveals in the book that he came close to venting his displeasure at Rodgers himself.

“A sudden lump formed in my throat,” he said of the conversation in the manager’s office earlier in the week. “I had a split-second decision to make. Do I have a go at him?”


Fucking hell. I've been as critical of Rodgers as anyone on these boards but that is BANG out of order. How do you manage an ego like that.

Rodgers clearly tried it by kissing his arse all the time and trying to be his mate. Also he'd constantly blow smoke up his arse in interviews. Gerrard seemed to appreciate this (praises Rodgers' man-management).

Rafa just didn't care for egos.

[Loo Pan]

Did he put the club first when the cancers were here?

He stayed when others were fleeing the sinking ship. Could have gone and played for Mourinho's Madrid if he'd wanted.

Even if his opinions differ from other people's, I don't think anyone should question his devotion to the club.

[downtown]

On subject of Didi, I know some don't agree with his political views, but when him/McAteer/Fowler came to Toronto a few months ago, Didi was by far the most friendly and open and personal to us fans not treating us like robots engaging in convos, as opposed to others ))))

[conman]

Meh. None of it really surprises me. He's been idolized as being Mr. Liverpool year after fucking year, was bound to have a grand and fragile ego.

To be fair to him, he's carried this club as other owners, managers, and players have come and gone, some successful, most not. If he wants to throw any of them under the bus so be it, the honesty is refreshing.

For those saying he should never be offered any sort of coaching role here, why the hell not? Even if his opinion flies in the face of the fans, and he's got an ego problem - he's always put the club first. If he can show he's a coach who can win contribute to winning titles in the Liverpool way, I'm sure he'll one day be considered for a position. His opinion on his past coaches or Hodgson isn't going to change that ffs.

you sure about that?

[conman]

He stayed when others were fleeing the sinking ship. Could have gone and played for Mourinho's Madrid if he'd wanted.

Even if his opinions differ from other people's, I don't think anyone should question his devotion to the club.

Sure, he did a remarkable about of good things for us on the field.

First of all, he nearly left in 04 and 05. So his devotion isn't 100% and that's fine.

He did stay at the club when all others were leaving, which is commendable. However when you lift the lid a little, you will remember that Hodgson was his man & even to this day, he sticks up for him. So it's unlikely he would leave when some others were fleeing.

How about we compare Stevie to Pepe Reina or Rafa Benitez, especially in light of many of the points below, and tell me which players loyalty or should I say devotion to Liverpool football club, should i value more.

Stevie didn't say anything to quell the media witch hunt against Rafa & our club. Pepe did. Rafa was busy saving the club.
Stevie didn't speak out against H&G who came close to bankrupting our club. Pepe Did. Rada Did.
His performances in 09/10 were questionable to say the least, though that could be his injuries.
If he had a hand in pushing Rafa out, which is very very plausible, then he directly contributed to the fall of Liverpool football club.

[kkhaku]

you sure about that?

We're all a bit quick to forget the loyalty aren't we? Mate, no other player in his class stayed with us. For whatever reason, almost every single world class player in our past left us in or around their peak.

Stevie could have chosen any club side in the world. Instead he often times carried this team on the pitch...through 3 different owners, 5 different managers, players from shite to world class coming and going, transition after transition. The club is almost unrecognizable from Houllier's days, but Stevie remained, still the captain, still almost singlehandedly winning games, still adapting to what each manager asked of him.

His ego isn't that much of a surprise considering. I don't agree with his opinions, and I think the book was a bloody stupid idea. But I'm not going to sit here as a supporter and doubt his commitment after an 18yr career with us.

[andspecks]

Honest question here.

Why does Gerrard have to like Rafa on a personal level? His relationship with Rafa Benitez is completely different to Rafa's relationship with the fans. So why the anger when his opinions don't match your own? He had a completely different experience when it comes to Rafa.

Not once does he say Rafa was anything but a brilliant manager. He even admits that Rafa's colder approach (and Capello's) usually mean better results. He calls Rafa the best manager he's played for. He completely credits Rafa for getting him to play to the heights he did. He clearly respects Rafa as a manager. He even says Rafa could have won tournaments with England. If that's not praising Rafa's talent then I don't know what is. He talks about plenty of warm moments he had with Rafa in the rest of the book, of course the Daily Mail aren't going to print you that part.

If people want to criticize him for having a go at Rafa for the facts rant then fine. Stevie didn't have to comment on it. Though I wouldn't be surprised if he was pressed to while being interviewed for the book, though of course that's just a guess. The Xabi Alonso thing was down to Rafa according to Xabi Alonso himself so Stevie seems to be in the right to criticize Rafa there because Rafa's treatment of Alonso had a big effect. (No one rips into Alonso in nearly the same manor for saying similar about Rafa.)

You can sit there confidently saying he's clearly lacking in intelligence, but talk to anyone who actually knows him and isn't just angry cause he's said a few things about Rafa, and they'll tell you otherwise. Not that it matters or anyone will be changing their opinions on it but hey.

[The 1989 Brit Awards]

For those saying he should never be offered any sort of coaching role here, why the hell not? Even if his opinion flies in the face of the fans, and he's got an ego problem - he's always put the club first. If he can show he's a coach who can win contribute to winning titles in the Liverpool way, I'm sure he'll one day be considered for a position. His opinion on his past coaches or Hodgson isn't going to change that ffs.

I'd think his opinion on past coaches or Hodgson would matter, if he's thinking of becoming our coach, no?

'cause you know, he could be that kind of coach.

[kkhaku]

I'd think his opinion on past coaches or Hodgson would matter, if he's thinking of becoming our coach, no?

'cause you know, he could be that kind of coach.

Really?

Have you even thought about the steps that need to occur for Gerrard to actually become manager of this club? 'Cause you know it ain't happening tomorrow or nothing.

We're looking at probably 10 years down the road. If he goes into coaching. If he's a successful manager in other leagues and other clubs. If there's an opening at LFC. 'Cause you know people developing successful managerial careers might just alter their opinions and form new ones.

And you're talking about his current opinion of Roy fucking Hodgson. A manager who a 20yr professional world class player has worked with extensively for club and country. A manager who was a dreadful failure at Liverpool but by almost all counts is much more successful then our current manager.

Yes it really matters. God forbid they ask him that at his interview. Boot right him out the door. Hodgson loving prick. 

[The 1989 Brit Awards]

Really?

Have you even thought about the steps that need to occur for Gerrard to actually become manager of this club? 'Cause you know it ain't happening tomorrow or nothing.

We're looking at probably 10 years down the road. If he goes into coaching. If he's a successful manager in other leagues and other clubs. If there's an opening at LFC. 'Cause you know people developing successful managerial careers might just alter their opinions and form new ones.

And you're talking about his current opinion of Roy fucking Hodgson. A manager who a 20yr professional world class player has worked with extensively for club and country. A manager who was a dreadful failure at Liverpool but by almost all counts is much more successful then our current manager.

Yes it really matters. God forbid they ask him that at his interview. Boot right him out the door. Hodgson loving prick.

It doesn't matter if it's a long way or not to Gerrard becoming manager, the point is people arguing about his opinions (which are currently on the mass media) and correlating that to his already expressed interest in getting into management. Yeah sure, anything could happen, he could change his opinion, he could not, the moon could fall down tomorrow...hypotheticals, the discussion right now is about his outlook and opinions right now.

I for one think Hodgson ain't that malign as most almost think, but I do think he's that exact average (or maybe a bit above) manager who goes round and round not accomplishing anything really but just kinda being there. I'm not Rodgers' biggest fan right now, but I think it wouldn't be impossible for him to win leagues in Sweden. In any case let's say sure, Hodge's more successful than Rodgers: in any case Gerrard's then hailing another unsuccessful manager, playing up his supposed man-management (what did that achieve, really?). I then take his wonderful management insight opinions, combine with who he's rooting louder for in the management abilities, and add that to his interest in managing he's already expressed before and I say: "yeah, not having that: good luck Stevie"". It's a valid position and I'm not for ultra-chastising Gerrard's all around persona as you seem to imply with your last 2 sentences.

His opinions could represent the "all heart no tactics" mindset people like Tim Sherwood seem to give off, so yeah, again, it's a valid opinion to say that based on them I wouldn't want him as manager, little manager, kid manager (or whatever is not 50 years away), at Liverpool.

[Fromola]

We're all a bit quick to forget the loyalty aren't we? Mate, no other player in his class stayed with us. For whatever reason, almost every single world class player in our past left us in or around their peak.

Stevie could have chosen any club side in the world. Instead he often times carried this team on the pitch...through 3 different owners, 5 different managers, players from shite to world class coming and going, transition after transition. The club is almost unrecognizable from Houllier's days, but Stevie remained, still the captain, still almost singlehandedly winning games, still adapting to what each manager asked of him.

His ego isn't that much of a surprise considering. I don't agree with his opinions, and I think the book was a bloody stupid idea. But I'm not going to sit here as a supporter and doubt his commitment after an 18yr career with us.

Gerrard's loyalty was commendable over the years, but he was indulged an awful to stay by the club. The club made it worthwhile (short of us winning the league). Under Rafa things were going great on the pitch until his last season and Gerrard at least undermined him by refusing to publicly back the manager, as club captain. He could have left in 2010 but only committed his future AFTER Roy Hodgson and Joey Messi were signed up - as he genuinely thought he was going to be playing alongside a world class player and a top class manager.

The club did everything for Gerrard to keep him. Players like Fowler, Owen, Torres for varying reasons were more forced out. Reina was treated awfully.

[conman]

We're all a bit quick to forget the loyalty aren't we? Mate, no other player in his class stayed with us. For whatever reason, almost every single world class player in our past left us in or around their peak.

Stevie could have chosen any club side in the world. Instead he often times carried this team on the pitch...through 3 different owners, 5 different managers, players from shite to world class coming and going, transition after transition. The club is almost unrecognizable from Houllier's days, but Stevie remained, still the captain, still almost singlehandedly winning games, still adapting to what each manager asked of him.

His ego isn't that much of a surprise considering. I don't agree with his opinions, and I think the book was a bloody stupid idea. But I'm not going to sit here as a supporter and doubt his commitment after an 18yr career with us.

I'm not talking about the fact that he stayed, players come and go and thus his commitment to us was never 100%. But it was pretty damn high.

Read my follow up post,

[conman]

Gerrard's loyalty was commendable over the years, but he was indulged an awful to stay by the club. The club made it worthwhile (short of us winning the league). Under Rafa things were going great on the pitch until his last season and Gerrard at least undermined him by refusing to publicly back the manager, as club captain. He could have left in 2010 but only committed his future AFTER Roy Hodgson and Joey Messi were signed up - as he genuinely thought he was going to be playing alongside a world class player and a top class manager.

The club did everything for Gerrard to keep him. Players like Fowler, Owen, Torres for varying reasons were more forced out. Reina was treated awfully.

you fuckin bitter mug!

[Joxer]

Does anyone have the PDF of this book?

[kkhaku]

It doesn't matter if it's a long way or not to Gerrard becoming manager, the point is people arguing about his opinions (which are currently on the mass media) and correlating that to his already expressed interest in getting into management. Yeah sure, anything could happen, he could change his opinion, he could not, the moon could fall down tomorrow...hypotheticals, the discussion right now is about his outlook and opinions right now.

I for one think Hodgson ain't that malign as most almost think, but I do think he's that exact average (or maybe a bit above) manager who goes round and round not accomplishing anything really but just kinda being there. I'm not Rodgers' biggest fan right now, but I think it wouldn't be impossible for him to win leagues in Sweden. In any case let's say sure, Hodge's more successful than Rodgers: in any case Gerrard's then hailing another unsuccessful manager, playing up his supposed man-management (what did that achieve, really?). I then take his wonderful management insight opinions, combine with who he's rooting louder for in the management abilities, and add that to his interest in managing he's already expressed before and I say: "yeah, not having that: good luck Stevie"". It's a valid position and I'm not for ultra-chastising Gerrard's all around persona as you seem to imply with your last 2 sentences.

His opinions could represent the "all heart no tactics" mindset people like Tim Sherwood seem to give off, so yeah, again, it's a valid opinion to say that based on them I wouldn't want him as manager, little manager, kid manager (or whatever is not 50 years away), at Liverpool.

Fair enough. The validity of your opinion was never in question, I just see it as extremely presumptuous and short sighted. If I'm not mistaken, you're basically using his opinion of Hodgson to determine whether you feel he's a valid managerial candidate for LFC. I'm not going to sit here and say Hodgson is a successful manager, but something like 10 titles between Sweden and Denmark, and two European cup finals with Inter and Fulham, he's done his fair share to earn the respect of those he's managed, whether through tactics or man-management. Gerrard seems to think Hodgson is a good coach and could have turned it around. I, like most supporters disagree. What bothers me is that difference of opinion somehow means Steven Gerrard, who hasn't even done his coaching badges yet, for all his accomplishments and connections with this club, means that you wouldn't want him managing.

Can you begin to see how daft that is sounding? Or is it just me?

[lorenzo23]

Meh. None of it really surprises me. He's been idolized as being Mr. Liverpool year after fucking year, was bound to have a grand and fragile ego.

To be fair to him, he's carried this club as other owners, managers, and players have come and gone, some successful, most not. If he wants to throw any of them under the bus so be it, the honesty is refreshing.

For those saying he should never be offered any sort of coaching role here, why the hell not? Even if his opinion flies in the face of the fans, and he's got an ego problem - he's always put the club first. If he can show he's a coach who can win contribute to winning titles in the Liverpool way, I'm sure he'll one day be considered for a position. His opinion on his past coaches or Hodgson isn't going to change that ffs.

Like when he wanted Rafa gone for Roy? If not mistaken he said in interview it was most likely right/right time for Rafa to leave.

Gerrard is Human like the rest of us, I never understood why people assume players being played won't be selfish like everyone else. I suppose its always better to believe that their are hero's in this world like we are told while growing up. One thing is for sure there is none on a football pitch.

[Mr Kipling]

"I saw the team for the match vs Madrid, and I said "where is Stevie?""

The same could be said during most of the games he played in last season. Bet his BT buddies never mentioned that though

[SlowRap]

Rodgers clearly tried it by kissing his arse all the time and trying to be his mate. Also he'd constantly blow smoke up his arse in interviews. Gerrard seemed to appreciate this (praises Rodgers' man-management).

Rafa just didn't care for egos.

And by playing him when he shouldn't have been

[BlahBlah]

I shudder at some of the criticism towards Stevie here.

[*]

I thought he stayed because of death threats to his family?

[stevensr123]

I shudder at some of the criticism towards Stevie here.

Indeed, bunch of fannies. So what if he didn't like Rafa on a personal level, And so fucking what he said a few things in his book?

Fact - He praises Rafa Multiple times in the book and said Rafa played a huge part in making himself a better player.

Fact - Rafa has been gone from Liverpool for years now, move the fuck on from things that happened so long ago. It's become tendentious the amount of blind support. By support I mean absolutely destroying anyone that says a bad word about him to the point of slagging of an utter legend of a player in gerrard.

I'm sure Rafa is big enough to not need everyone defending him at every corner.


In terms of the other stuff gerrarde has said though, He sounds like an idiot at times.

[rob1408]

He scored a good goal for Galaxy last night, they've moved top of the Western division.

[Narwin Dunez]

I'm sure Rafa is big enough to not need everyone defending him at every corner.

Get him in net then, we're shite at defending corners.

[PhilV]

I am lost for words at this book, think everyone in the previous pages summed up my thoughts... I just can't get my head around on... what were you thinking, Stevie?

Releasing this book with how bitter and negative it is at this time... none of it makes sense and makes him come across so incredibly insecure and self centered.

He will make a top manager when he retires, the same way Simeone made a top manager after he retired. Hopefully we'll see him in the Anfield dugout after he establishes himself in management.

Xabi Alonso, Liverpool Manager

I like the look of that

[Historical Fool]

Fair enough. The validity of your opinion was never in question, I just see it as extremely presumptuous and short sighted. If I'm not mistaken, you're basically using his opinion of Hodgson to determine whether you feel he's a valid managerial candidate for LFC. I'm not going to sit here and say Hodgson is a successful manager, but something like 10 titles between Sweden and Denmark, and two European cup finals with Inter and Fulham, he's done his fair share to earn the respect of those he's managed, whether through tactics or man-management. Gerrard seems to think Hodgson is a good coach and could have turned it around. I, like most supporters disagree. What bothers me is that difference of opinion somehow means Steven Gerrard, who hasn't even done his coaching badges yet, for all his accomplishments and connections with this club, means that you wouldn't want him managing.

Can you begin to see how daft that is sounding? Or is it just me?

It's not just you. Gerrard is the most well placed to make that distinction, and if he really feels that way and has expressed it in his book, then he probably sees something good in and respects Hodgson (seeing as he has played under him for both club and country) and his managerial methods that people who haven't been managed by him don't.

I don't agree that Hodgson wouldn't have turned it around. He would have, I feel. We might have had an underachieving season, but I feel that it would have been slightly below par, or high midtable, rather than the relegation that most doom-mongerers predicted. The squad value was just too high to fall much shorter of that. In this, I'm with Gerrard.

With regards to the interview where he said that it was the right time for "Rafa" (Rafael Benitez) to leave, maybe it was. People have commented numerous times on how he looked much better after a long break, how the pressure of fighting a war with the board while managing the team had taken a negative toll on his health. So why does it make it wrong when Gerrard expresses this opinion?

Fine, so he's no longer a one-club man, but quite frankly, his attitude and loyalty to the club shouldn't be questioned at all.

[rob1408]

I am lost for words at this book, think everyone in the previous pages summed up my thoughts... I just can't get my head around on... what were you thinking, Stevie?

Releasing this book with how bitter and negative it is at this time... none of it makes sense and makes him come across so incredibly insecure and self centered.

Xabi Alonso, Liverpool Manager

I like the look of that

To be fair, you can hardly hold Gerrard accountable for the publication/serialisation date. 

[fowlermagic]

Ex player has issues with an ex manager...tosser. Countless of fans wanting the current manager to taking a running jump....amazing loyal shower of ......gits.

[Fromola]

It's not just you. Gerrard is the most well placed to make that distinction, and if he really feels that way and has expressed it in his book, then he probably sees something good in and respects Hodgson (seeing as he has played under him for both club and country) and his managerial methods that people who haven't been managed by him don't.

I don't agree that Hodgson wouldn't have turned it around. He would have, I feel. We might have had an underachieving season, but I feel that it would have been slightly below par, or high midtable, rather than the relegation that most doom-mongerers predicted. The squad value was just too high to fall much shorter of that. In this, I'm with Gerrard.

Rafa got sacked because finishing 7th was deemed unacceptable. If we'd finished 5th he'd have been sacked. If Hodgson 'turned it around' by finishing 7th-10th why would that be acceptable?

Hodgson was never a Liverpool manager. It's staggering that Gerrard thought/thinks he was good enough for us, when even the likes of Reina, Agger and Torres clearly knew he was out of his depth and not up to it.

And what was it Rafa said about him while he was here? "Every press conference is worse than the last one".

To be fair, you can hardly hold Gerrard accountable for the publication/serialisation date.

Does it really need to be serialised in the Daily fucking Mail?

[kcbworth]

A bit confused... it seems that forming all of your opinions from Andy Gray & Richard Keys is the same as "having a (justifiably) overinflated ego due to his years carrying the club".

How the hell are the 2 remotely related?

[kcbworth]

I don't agree that Hodgson wouldn't have turned it around. He would have, I feel. We might have had an underachieving season, but I feel that it would have been slightly below par, or high midtable, rather than the relegation that most doom-mongerers predicted. The squad value was just too high to fall much shorter of that. In this, I'm with Gerrard.

The reason we didn't like Hodgson was he seemed to be completely out of touch, and at times in open contradiction, to everything it means to be LFC.

Gerrard seems to be showing some scarily similar traits

[kcbworth]

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=264022.0

[kkhaku]

Rafa got sacked because finishing 7th was deemed unacceptable. If we'd finished 5th he'd have been sacked. If Hodgson 'turned it around' by finishing 7th-10th why would that be acceptable?

Hodgson was never a Liverpool manager. It's staggering that Gerrard thought/thinks he was good enough for us, when even the likes of Reina, Agger and Torres clearly knew he was out of his depth and not up to it.

And what was it Rafa said about him while he was here? "Every press conference is worse than the last one".

Does it really need to be serialised in the Daily fucking Mail?

Without sounding condescending about it, the opinion of Steven Gerrard about the managerial skills and capacities of Roy Hodgson, hold FAR more weight than your and my opinions about the same matter.

If Gerrard, who worked with the man at LFC and England, probably knows personally almost every other Premier league player who worked with him, had a much deeper perspective and insight as to what went wrong in his time here and why ... I'll take his word for it...and even if I continued to vehemently disagree because I'm such a knowledgable and passionate supporter that my opinions could not possibly be compared to a 20yr veteran of the game and leader to his peers, I definitely wouldn't use the opinion against an eventual return to management at LFC for Gerrard.

[Sangria]

Without sounding condescending about it, the opinion of Steven Gerrard about the managerial skills and capacities of Roy Hodgson, hold FAR more weight than your and my opinions about the same matter.

If Gerrard, who worked with the man at LFC and England, probably knows personally almost every other Premier league player who worked with him, had a much deeper perspective and insight as to what went wrong in his time here and why ... I'll take his word for it...and even if I continued to vehemently disagree because I'm such a knowledgable and passionate supporter that my opinions could not possibly be compared to a 20yr veteran of the game and leader to his peers, I definitely wouldn't use the opinion against an eventual return to management at LFC for Gerrard.

Shankly used to judge the suitability of candidates for Liverpool jobs on their adherence to FA orthodoxy though, with the view that anyone who's been through the FA certification process was tainted by their probable views on how football was meant to be played. He preferred to look abroad for ideas, in particular the Latin countries.

[Historical Fool]

Rafa got sacked because finishing 7th was deemed unacceptable. If we'd finished 5th he'd have been sacked. If Hodgson 'turned it around' by finishing 7th-10th why would that be acceptable?

Hodgson was never a Liverpool manager. It's staggering that Gerrard thought/thinks he was good enough for us, when even the likes of Reina, Agger and Torres clearly knew he was out of his depth and not up to it.

And what was it Rafa said about him while he was here? "Every press conference is worse than the last one".

Does it really need to be serialised in the Daily fucking Mail?

I'm not saying that finishing 7th would have been acceptable. It probably wouldn't have been to FSG.
 But from a terrible start, would Hodgson have been able to turn it around? Maybe yes, maybe no. Gerrard thinks yes, the majority of people think no. I understand that. But surely Gerrard, being there and then, his opinion does have some weight.

These books are interesting for me not for the stories and gossip, but because they give glimpses into the lifestyles and thoughts of professional players, into dressing rooms, and give the lie to some things fans might think are true. That's the true value of such autobiographies. Maybe the details revealed aren't to everyone's taste, but they shouldn't be dismissed just because fans don't happen to agree with the depiction. After all, he was there. It's like someone telling Neil Armstrong that the gravity on the moon is exactly the same as Earth, because they were walking on it on tv.

[thom]

Regardless of what they did as players, Carragher's and Gerrard's silence at the time of H+G, followed by then criticising Rafa for speaking out against them, leaves a very, very, very sour taste.

They can call Rafa cold, calculating, stupid (and mixed in there somewhere 'the best manager we've ever worked with'!!!) all they want - but don't you fucking dare criticise that man for standing up to Ferguson and Man Utd, and even more specifically, for speaking out against what H+G were doing to the club. Don't you even fucking dare.

Someone said on this forum (maybe it was on another) - and I can't even remember which thread now because every thread seems to turn into a Rafa thread - but that they'd take to the grave with them the fact that a sizeable and vociferous section of our fanbase, along with these two 'Scousers', played an active role in the sacking of Rafa Benitez.

Our owners were c*nts, our board were c*nts, the media are always c*nts - but none would have had the balls to sack Rafa if it weren't for those two plus the fans.

And I was thinking deep and hard about this lately - you know what it's all about? The fact that we sacked a man of his managerial abilities (and then replaced him with an owl) is ONE massive big clusterfuck that's been touched upon many times.

But what really hurts me more, is that we let go of a man of his honour.

I don't care if he's the best manager in the world, or not - he's the MAN I want leading Liverpool.

My thoughts exactly. Couldn't agree more.

[Jshooters]

it gets worse:

http://www.football365.com/news/gerrard-mourinho-my-dream-liverpool-manager

Steven Gerrard has revealed Jose Mourinho as his “dream” boss, and he feels Liverpool would have won more trophies with the Chelsea manager.

Mourinho was linked with the vacant managerial role at Liverpool when Gerard Houllier left in 2004, but the job eventually went to Rafael Benitez – one of five managers who Gerrard played under at Liverpool.

The Reds won the Champions League and FA Cup during Benitez’s tenure at Anfield, while Gerrard actually rejected the chance to join Mourinho and Chelsea on numerous occasions.

“I never, ever regretted representing Liverpool,” Gerrard told the BBC. “I was the captain. I had huge responsibilities to try and make Liverpool successful, not Chelsea.

“Chelsea were in a much more powerful position with the owner that they had (Roman Abramovich).

“The dream for me would have been if Mourinho would have come and maybe sampled Liverpool for a few years.

“I’m sure he could’ve added a couple of trophies to my collection.”

Asked if he could ever envisage Mourinho usurping current manager Brendan Rodgers at Anfield, Gerrard responded: “Who knows? Who knows?

“Why wouldn’t he [be a good fit]? He’s one of the best managers in the world, so of course he would be a good fit.”

Gerrard continued his eulogy by hinting that he would be keen to work with the Portuguese when he completes his coaching badges.

He added: “Further down the line I am going to be available for coaching roles and I do want to learn from the best, so who knows?”

[kcbworth]

it gets worse:

Not sure that's worse per se, but just reinforces the whole shemozzle

[tubby]

Gerrard wanted to win the league, Mourinho won the league everywhere he went, Gerrard thought Mourinho at Liverpool would mean Gerrard was more likely to win the league.  Seems straightforward enough to me.

[Jshooters]

Gerrard wanted to win the league, Mourinho won the league everywhere he went and had a shit ton of cash to spend, Gerrard thought Mourinho at Liverpool would mean Gerrard was more likely to win the league, despite Liverpool being hugely financially constrained compared to Chelsea.  Seems ill thought out to me.

edited

[chanti]

Fook me Charlie

What a .....