STEVEN GERRARD HAS admitted that he would have signed a new contract with Liverpool if one was offered during the summer.
The 34-year-old confirmed on Friday that he will not renew his contract and will leave at the end of the season, with the star set to head to Major League Soccer, where LA Galaxy have been widely tipped to be his next club.
Gerrard will bring to a close a 26-year-old association with his boyhood club in June, prompting many to pay tribute to his achievements, but the 34-year-old has now admitted he would have recommitted.
“Yes, if a contract had been put in front of me in pre-season I would have signed it,” he told Liverpool Echo.
“I’d just retired from England to concentrate all my efforts on Liverpool. 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. The club had other things to worry about.
“Liverpool have been unbelievable for me since I was eight-years-old. This club has helped me fulfil my dreams over and over again. The memories and experiences I’ve had I wouldn’t swap for anything.”
Gerrard, though, has hinted at returning to Liverpool following his summer exit, adding: “I enjoy a very strong relationship with Liverpool and I don’t see that coming to an end. I hope to serve the club again one day.”
Blah blah blah …. See ya …
It’s easy for him to come out with this now when he has already decided he’s leaving. If he really wanted a new contract last summer, he could have just said I’m leaving if you don’t give me a new contract.
I don’t see why Gerrard feels he should be treated any differently than any other professional footballer? Liverpool have stated that they want to keep him but that he won’t play every game. Unlike other professionals i.e. Lampard, who acknowledge that this has to be the case to help maximise their performances for the team, Gerrard has decided to throw a strop and leave. And everyone seems to be blaming Rodgers, Liverpool and the owners for this as opposed to Gerrard himself.
Don’t get me wrong, he is a legend for the Club but Gerrard is about Gerrard first, Liverpool second no matter what he says. Everyone seems to forget that he quite publicly tried to force a move to Chelsea in ’05 and would have gone but for winning the Champs Lge.
I’m not a Liverpool fan but I think if he doesn’t want to stay for the good of the Club, you might be better off without him.
The headline should be, I would have won so many medals if I joined Chelsea.
Would Liverpool not just hand over Gerard to Galaxy now and spare us this crap.
Enough about this guy.Enough.