Former Liverpool FC skipper Steven Gerrard has claimed that being benched in the match against Real Madrid made him consider his future. He also revealed how badly he was affected by that slip against Chelsea FC.
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For the first time since 1998, Liverpool FC will start a season without the name of Steven Gerrard in their squad list. The Englishman made over 700 appearances for the club in 17 wonderful seasons. It is fair to say that things will never be the same at Anfield.
Gerrard decided to end his Liverpool career and move to MLS to play for Los Angeles Galaxy as the Merseyside club hesitated in offering a new contract to the midfielder. Brendan Rodgers had earlier spoken to Gerrard about managing his playing time with the team, and now the former England international has revealed that Rodgersa decision to not start him against Real Madrid in the Champions League, forced him to consider his future.
a This was round about the time when I was doing a lot of thinking about whata s next for me because Ia d had a couple of initial chats with Brendan saying to me a Ia m going to start managing your games and I have to look after you and I want you to be fresh and I dona t want you to be playing three games in a week because you may be tireda and stuff like that.
a But this situation was a bit unique because it was Real Madrid and I wanted to play, and when I was told I wasna t playing, for the sake of the team and the squad and my relationship with Brendan, I took it and I accepted it.
a But I sat on that bench devastated because I wanted to play so, it is one of those situations.
a It sort of pushed me making a decision to move on and try something different.a a The former Liverpool star said in an interview to BT Sport.
Steven Gerrard also spoke about the infamous a slipa he suffered against Chelsea, which helped the London club in winning the League title from Liverpoola s grasp. That slip meant Gerrard had to finish his career at the club with everything but a league title. The 35-year-old spoke about how difficult it is for him to get over that moment and revealed how memories of that moment a killsa him inside.
a The slip happened at a bad time, it was cruel for me personally.
a Therea s not a day that doesna t go by that I dona t think about a what if that didna t happen?a Would things have been different? Would it have turned out different?
a Maybe it might of, I dona t know. But even still it happened after half an hour and we still had the time to get the draw we needed and the inexperience showed from myself having not been in many title races and the inexperience of the team.
a Our reaction was to go chase it and hunt it down and try and make up for that cruel moment and we lost our way.
a We went gung-ho instead of being more controlled and maybe just being a little bit more calculated in the way we went about it for the equaliser.
a I think, yeah listen I think youa ve got to be thick skinned and take a bit of criticism along the way. Ia m not scared of any criticism or any cruelty.
a I understand the moment and impact it had it kills me, dona t get me wrong, inside it kills me and it will do for a long time.
a I think to myself a if Ia d have got that league it would have been the icing on the cakea .
a But what helps me with it is that Ia ve got the cake.
a Ia ve achieved a lot of dreams with a team that has never ever been the favourite. Ia ve had some incredible moments from a young kid on a council estate.
a Ia ve got memories, good memories that will live with me forever but that is one moment that will always hurt me until the day I go and ita s because if Ia d have got that moment, Ia d have achieved every dream with Liverpool. And as a man it hurts.a a Gerrard explained.