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Steven Gerrard’s second game of the MLS season ended in disappointment last weekend - as a calf injury against San Jose Earthquakes forced him off after four minutes.

It’s not the best way to start what is likely to be his last year as a professional football player.

The former Liverpool captain has sat down with Dan Rookwood from MR PORTER for a detailed chat about his life and his future.

The Reds legend says he has imagined being back at Liverpool in a coaching role alongside Jamie Carragher and believes both will work for the club again one day, reveals he will be able to seriously consider offers for football roles from Christmas onwards, and says Liverpool is where he belongs and where he will come back to.

He speaks about why he feels he disrupted LA Galaxy’s season when he arrived last year and why he’s not sure whether to play another season after this year or finally hang up his boots.

It’s a fascinating snapshot of his life in Los Angeles and where his future may take him. Have a read.

You had your first proper Christmas and New Year for a long, long time. What that was like?

SG : It was special because since I left school I’ve had commitments every Christmas since. You know playing in Premier League, the games get thicker and faster over the festive period. You don’t really get much chance to enjoy Christmas, so it was nice to be off duty, be around the girls, and really have some quality time off with the family. I could treat myself to a glass of wine and a beer and indulge in all the food without worrying about training the next day or a game on the horizon.

Then after a few weeks you were starting to sort of itch to get back into it again.

SG : Yeah we (LA Galaxy) went out of the play offs too early, that was a bit frustrating and disappointing to have the seven week break off, because it’s always nice to have your off season break, but I’m used to having like four weeks off maximum.

When it got round to the four week stage I was wanting to play again, I was wanting to train again. It was nice to have the option to go in and train with Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool team to keep ticking over fitness wise, but also to kick a ball again, because after two, three weeks, four weeks, you miss it, you want to get back out there.

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Was it weird being back at Melwood or was it ... ?

SG : The first day was, the first day I felt like I didn’t belong there really, even though I’d spent so much time there. Once you come out and then you back in it does feel a bit strange and weird, but the manager made me feel super welcome, all the players did. It was great to see all the old staff and once I got the first training session out the way, I felt comfortable, as if I’d never been away. I loved the couple of weeks, it was really nice.

In a way, going back sooner rather than later, kind of gets it out the way? If you left it a year or more before going back it might have got even more weird ...

SG : I spoke to many players who’ve been in that situation, who’ve come out and hadn’t been back for a long time, and they felt super strange going back, and didn’t really feel comfortable doing it. I never, ever want to feel that way.

I always want to feel as if, you know I can walk through the doors, and you know I’ve been at Liverpool since eight years of age, 27 years it was, so you should be able to walk through the doors and say hello to people who you’ve known for that time.

But it is normal and natural when you’ve come out of such a big institution, going back in to such a big organisation, is always going to feel a bit strange, but credit to the manager and the players, they made me feel really welcome, as if I was part of it.

Then obviously you had your trip to Australia (with LFC legends) That looked like it was good fun.

SG : It was brilliant. An exhibition match. It was a chance for me to get 90 minutes under my belt, part of my pre-season plans, but that all went out the window, you know? It was almost like a school reunion, but with footballers. I hadn’t seen some of the boys for many, many years. Players who we’d shared so many great times on a football pitch with, it was almost like a semi-stag do.

We had the stuff what we had to so and then it was, “Let’s meet in the bar and have a couple of beers and reminisce about all our good times together.” It was a special four, five days in Australia. It was a chance for me to tick Sydney off the bucket list, and I actually stayed for a couple of days after the game to have some free time there, and I really enjoyed my stay.

Beautiful city and the support we’ve got there is incredible, so it was good to mix with the fans as well, it was a good occasion, and we won. It all went well.

(Image: 2016 Liverpool FC)

An incredible line up. The team was just legend, after legend, after legend wasn’t it?

SG : It was surreal really.Growing up, you know, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 years of age, my dad constantly putting VHSs in and DVDs and saying, “Watch these guys. Learn off them.” These are real Liverpool players who score all the goals and all the success, Aldridge, Barnes, Fowler, Rush, you know?

Then you’ve got all the group that I played with, and we won the treble with under Houllier. We had Houllier as the manager, so it was a surreal moment in the dressing room and around the hotel because you’re sort of having thoughts like, “Imagine we were all 25, 26 together now, and this was our team. Imagine how successful we’d be with a forward line of Aldridge, Rush, Fowler, McAllister, Hamann, then having Carragher at the back again with Henchoz and Brucie Grobbelaar in goal, it was a surreal moment but so enjoyable.

You’re in LA, tell me what life is like here for you now, and what are the best things about living in the city?

SG : My life’s different now. It’s the same as far as football concerned. I train most days, and you know I love having a game at the weekend, I love competing, I love the football side of it. From a lifestyle point of view, it’s completely different. Living in Liverpool, around Liverpool and Everton fans, I’ve got to be careful where I go, when I go.

I obviously get recognised an awful lot more at home, in Liverpool, in the city, which I’m not complaining about, it’s just the way it is. I’m always going to go back there and live there because I love Liverpool, it’s my home, but the refreshing and the peaceful side of it over here is no one knows who I am, you know?

I can walk down the street, I can go to a coffee shop, I can go for a meal, I can take the girls to Disneyland or to the cinema and 99% of the people don’t know who I am. That’s a nice change, and it will be nice for me for an 18 month period, but as soon as I’m done here, I’m going to be heading back home because that’s where I belong.

All my family and friends are there, so I’ll always go back, like – that is my roots. I think it’s always nice to step out and look in, for a short space of time, and try different things in your life, different life experiences, and come out your comfort zone for a short while. That’s exactly what I’m doing, I’m looking in at Liverpool the city, I’m looking in at Liverpool the football club, and I’m trying a different culture, a different life experience for a short space of time, and I want to enjoy it, but I always know, whenever it’ll be, I’ll be going back.

(Image: Instagram / Steven Gerrard)

Are you tuning into the games at odd hours, getting up early? and I’m sure you’re on the texts to all your old team mates?

SG : Yeah, I just don’t like them 12:45 kick offs at home because it means me getting up at 4:45 am to watch them, but I’m a Liverpool fan, you know? I’m on the Outside now, I’m not a player anymore, so I support the team, I follow the boys, cheering them on. Obviously I’m interested in the games, how they go. I’m interested in the tactics. Even working for BT Sport, I try and watch as many Premier League games as I can because I need to stay sharp for when I’m back and I’m doing some analysis.

You seem very relaxed as a person right now. Do you feel more relaxed?

SG : I think it’s been noticeable for all my family, and certainly for me since I’ve come out of Liverpool and stepped back and looking in, it’s almost like a big, huge weight off your shoulders, a big pressure. I used to love that responsibility and that pressure, and if I could have it back, I’d do it tomorrow.

Do you feel like you need that pressure?

SG : That’s what I thrive on. You know, I’ve got it to a certain extent playing for the Galaxy and stuff, but when you’re the local boy in Liverpool and you’re the captain, you’re Captain of England, the pressure and the responsibility is far greater. I used to love it, and I wouldn’t change my journey for anything in the world, but I do feel lighter, I do feel like I’ve got more time, I do feel like I’m a better dad, a better person, a better friend, just because I’m living my life now with a little less pressure.

Do you think that when you do step back into that hothouse atmosphere as you hope to do, this period where you’ve got a bit of prospective, and stepped out of the pressure cooker, will help you?

SG : I think that will help me handle it better, yeah the experience. I think when you’re in that pressure and you don’t know any different, you make decisions and you react, and you take stuff home with you, and you think it’s the only thing in the world that’s important.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to play it down, but if I go back into that pressure situation, I need to learn to live my life and smile and enjoy being involved, and enjoy the pressure and responsibility. I did a lot of the times at Liverpool, but at times it got to me and I took it home, and probably haven’t been the best person to be around, around big defeats or if it hasn’t been going well.

It can burn you out. Kenny Dalglish went from player to player/manager to manager. Now, obviously the tragedy of Hillsborough took it out of him but he got to a point where he was like: “I can’t do it anymore.”

SG : I think football can do that to people, you know? It is that intense. It is that important. When you’ve been involved in football from eight years of age, it becomes your life, you know? You get in the mix and you can’t help but give everything you’ve got, and give your life to the game, and that’s what I’ve done up until this point, but it’s nice now to sort of enjoy the remaining years of my contract with a little bit less pressure, and enjoy it, and smile.

Still take it serious but don’t take it out on other people if it doesn’t go well, but I think it’ll only be a certain amount of time before I want it back, that pressure and that responsibility.

I think I’m born to be involved in football, and that’s just the way it is. As I say, three, four weeks without kicking a ball, I want to kick a ball, I want to be involved on the pitch, and I know once I retire, it’ll only be a certain amount of time before I want to be in the thick of it again.

Let’s just talk about the MLS and how you’ve found it. What’s the standard like? Do you find it frustrating? What are the fans like? You know, just tell us your overall impressions.

SG: The standard is different from the Premier League but it always going to be. The rules are different, you’re only allowed to have three people who break the wage structure. Whereas, in the Premier League, it’s a free for all, you can spend money on quality players from all over the world, and there’s no rules on the numbers. The standard in the Premier League is obviously ahead of the MLS, but it’ll take time, and with patience, it might get close, we’ll have to wait and see. My responsibility here is to try and help the MLS grow. It’s to try and do a job for LA Galaxy and help the younger lads in the dressing room, and try a get a little bit more success before I finally hang my boots up, but it is different than what I’m used to. It’s not as intense as playing in Liverpool. I think at this stage in my career it’s perfect for me to be out here for an 18 month contract.

READ MORE AT www.mrporter.com/journal

You know your team mates now, you’re coming in at the start of the season rather than half-way through. Do you feel more positive about what’s going to happen this season?

SG : When I come in half-way through the season, I think I disrupted the dressing room. I think it took time for me to settle. Obviously getting used the challenges on the road, and the travel, the heat, the humidity, the climate. Getting used to my team mates, the way I play. Them getting used to me. Me adapting to the staff, and the new tactics. Getting used to the surroundings, and settling down in LA with a young family.

I think now having been here for four, five months, I’m a lot more prepared, I’m ready for the full season. I think my form was a bit up and down in the last four, five months. I think you get judged differently over in America. It seems to me as if the media are only really in assists and goals, which I may need to adapt.

In England, I think the media, they analyse every aspect of the game. How much you run, how much you pass, how much you sacrifice. How much do you cover? How intelligent you are? What movements, assists and goals? They seem to analyse every single aspect. But with the designated players in America I get the impression that you get judged on assists and goals. It’s two areas where I’m going to have to going to maybe adapt and and try improve my numbers for people to look at me as a success here.

A league title is the only one that’s eluded you in your club career. How important is it for you to finish with a league title?

SG : I think it’s very important. It’s what I want. I want to go away with a league title at the end of the season. I’ve certainly got my eyes on that, and that’s the main prize that I want, but I don’t think that’ll make up for not winning the Premier League. I think it’ll ease it a bit, but I have to live with the fact that I had high and lows playing in the Premier League.

I done fantastically well achieving all my cup ambitions and me dreams, but I fell short when it came down to winning the Premier League, that will never leave me. I have to live with that, but there are other players out there, bigger names than me, that go their careers and don’t win a Champions League, you know? It’s life, I’m not feeling sorry for myself, I have to accept it and move on.

Winning the MLS won’t make up for not winning the Premier League, but it’ll certainly be a lovely prize to take home from the 18 month staying here.

How many more seasons do you think you’ve left in you as a player?

SG : Physically I could play in the MLS for this season and next, 100% for sure. Am I going to do that? Do I want to do that? Am I going to be offered the chance to do that? I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see. I have to listen to my body, and see how my form is from now until the end of the season, but I’m confident. I’m at a little bit at a crossroads at the moment, what to do, whether to call it a day at the end of the season, or whether maybe to do one more, but we’ll have to wait and see.

When that time comes, whether it’s at the end of this season or the end of next, what do you imagine you will do next?

SG : I’ve signed a three-year deal with BT Sport, so I’m going to do some analysis on the games. I’m really proud and happy to represent them and do some work there. I’m basically going to be open to see what offers come my way. The season finishes here in November. Most seasons in Europe finish in May. Maybe some football offers might come my way, maybe some coaching roles will come my way. It’s basically me being available come Christmas to offers. I’m doing my coaching badges and I’m on my A license as we speak. Hopefully I’m going to be in a position to consider some offers very seriously come Christmas.

Are you enjoying the punditry side of it? I mean as fans of rival clubs often bemoan, there are a lot of former Liverpool players as pundits, and there always have been. Why do you think that is? Is there something about Anfield that schools people in thinking about football intelligently?

SG : I don’t know. I’m not too sure why. I can’t answer that question really. Obviously over the last couple of decades, the Liverpool players have been through the highs and the lows. The majority of the lads that have got jobs are honest lads. Although we obviously love Liverpool Football Club, when you actually speak or have spoken over the years, you tend to give an honest opinion. I think fans from other clubs can relate to that.

The difficult thing about being a pundit is obviously when you’re covering Liverpool and it doesn’t go too well, it is very difficult, but people have got to understand and respect that you’re getting paid to have your opinion, and you can’t lie and you can’t say stuff that’s false. Sometimes people are not going to be too happy with that.

That’s the toughest thing about being a pundit is that you have to offer an opinion and you have to sometimes offer constructive criticism ...

SG : Of course, but if your criticism is constructive, it’s not personal, I don’t see why people have a problem with that. You know, all the way through my career I had people who’d pat me on the back. I had criticism and I never, ever got the hump if the criticism was constructive or it was true and it was right.

The only time your head goes is if people on the TV lie, and it’s personal, and you know that they’re going for you. Being involved in BT, I’m just going to try and be as honest as I can, and fair, and say what I see. If that upsets a few people along the way, it’s not personal.

Do you watch games in a different way now that you’re a pundit? Are you watching them in a more analytical way?

SG: I do when I’m in the studio. I think towards the end of my career I started watching as well, you know, a lot of football off the ball, not just following the camera and the ball. It’s difficult watching it on TV, but when you go to games you know, you watch how high defensive lines are. You watch the tactics, the formations. You watch why managers are making substitutions at certain times. You decide to learn all different types of aspects of the game.

With all due respect to supporters, and I’ve been a fan myself, you follow the ball and what happens. When you’ve been educated in the game from when you’ve left school, you notice an awful lot more than just on the ball. You notice what’s happening off it. You notice a player’s body language, why they’ve maybe gone down in that situation, why they’ve gone into for a tackle, why they’ve tried to go offside. You understand every, single aspect of the game

For Liverpool fans the dream team would be you and Carragher, not together in a pundit studio but in a Liverpool dugout. The Anfield Boot Room 2.0. Can you ever imagine doing something like that?

SG : I’ve imagined it a lot. Jamie’s knowledge of the game is superb. I know the amount of time and effort he puts into to the work that he does now. Also how much he loved the game when I played with him. I think we’ll both work for the club again at some point during the rest of our lives. When that will be, I don’t know. Will that be together? I’m not sure.

Would I work with Jamie Carragher again for Liverpool? Of course I would, without a doubt, but it’s for other people to make that decision. I think everyone knows, it goes without saying, that the club’s in our hearts and it’s difficult if the club come calling, but we’ve other things going on at the moment. It’s not as if we’re begging for it or desperate for it, but they know where we are.

Having read your book, when you where Liverpool captain, players could come and see you and some of them often did. Do you think that you’re a good manager of people?

SG : Yeah. In football terms – sure. I think a lot of players, without being big-headed, or some players who are maybe shy and quiet, maybe would be intimidated approaching me. But every, single player that’s come to me for help or guidance or has asked me questions or spoke to me, I’ll always be there for them.

I do think that is one strength I’ve got that if a player’s got a problem or an issue, or he’s not happy, or he wants to talk to me about a certain point, I’ll always try and help him. That is one side of coaching and management that you need.

You would have learned a lot from all the managers you’ve played under, and you’ve played under some great ones. As well as, I guess some other people around the game like (psychologist) Steve Peters maybe, on the psychology side of the game.

SG : I’m a believer that any certain help that you can get in the game that you can use to your advantage, use it. That’s the reason I always leant on Steve Peters.

I’m not this emotional wreck or insecure person where I need a psychologist or a psychiatrist, but I believe if there’s experts in them areas, why not use them and lean on them and try and help in your game? I always try and learn off different managers and coaches that I’ve worked with, and try and take their strengths.

Also I learnt some of the things that I haven’t liked and I wouldn’t use if I ever was in that position. I think the key to being a good manager is to be honest with your players, be approachable. Try and keep them happy, because you know you’re managing egos and brands nowadays, not just people.

You’ve got to make the training very enjoyable. You’ve got to be honest, and show your players respect. You’ve got to have an unbelievable, solid team around you. You’ve got to have eyes and ears that have got your back, that you trust, and that are going to help you manage that dressing room to the best.

I think if you go in thinking you’re going to do it yourself, and that you’re the world’s greatest, you’ll fail very quickly. If I was to be offered a manager’s job, I’d need an unbelievable number two, an unbelievable number three, a top sport’s scientist, a top physio. I’d need a team full of experts around me to be a success. That’s the way I see it.

(Image: Colin Lane)

For someone like you, who is without question, a Liverpool legend. Do you feel like there’s a risk to your legacy going back as a manager? You could just leave it as is, and the fans will always sing you name. But if you go back as manager and it all goes wrong…

SG : Listen, there’s a possibility it gets left as it is, but there’s also a possibility that one day my phone goes and someone says to me, “We want you to be Liverpool’s number three, two, one.” When you’re me, in my position and that question gets asked, that’s a question that you have to consider very, very seriously.

But I would only go into a role at Liverpool if I felt I was good enough, if I felt I could contribute. The supporters all around the world know that I’d go in there to give it a 110%. I wouldn’t be going in for the ego. I wouldn’t be going in for financial reasons, and if I did go in, I’d commit and give it every ounce effort I’ve got to do it.

There’s also a chance where I get them offers and I don’t think I’m good enough because I’ve been next to someone or I’ve had an experience where I don’t think it’s for me.

These are all the things, and the interesting thing about what’s going to happen next for me. I’m not worried about my reputation because my reputation as a footballer for Liverpool Football Club is there, it’s done. I don’t think failing as a manager or failing as assistant manager or as a coach would affect what you’ve done as a player, that can’t change. Could I be criticised as being a bad manager for Liverpool? Of course I can. And I’m scared of it? No.

Can you imagine coaching against Liverpool?

SG : I haven’t imagined it until this second. I’m always going to biased towards Liverpool, and the FA, because it’s where I spent all my career as a player, but when I retire from football, I am going to be available for people to offer me roles if they feel I’m one of the candidates. Would I go for another role in the game if any offers didn’t come my way? Yeah I would.

(Image: 2016 Liverpool FC)

I want to move on to talk about heroes now because that’s what the theme of this issue is about. Who were heroes growing up and why?

SG : John Barnes, Peter Beardsley, Ian Rush, John Aldridge, all the big names at Liverpool. When I got a little bit older, towards 13, 14, when I was about to sign a big contract, I used to idolise Robbie Fowler and Jamie Redknapp. Then a bit later on than that, Michael Owen sort of progressed into the first team before me.

I used to love watching Michael and Jamie Carragher. I’ve had many, many heroes along the way. Outside of Liverpool I used to love Gazza for England, he was the exciting player. Paul Ince, and then Zinedine Zidane and Gheorghe Hagi and Roberto Baggio, Romario, Ronaldo. I just love watching football and footballers that are superb at the sport. Zinedine Zidane is probably the number one.

Who are your heroes now?

SG : Nothing’s changed as far as football’s concerned. Spending time with Ian Rush and Aldridge and Fowler, they’re still heroes of mine, even though I’ve got to know them personally and shared the dressing room with them and a pitch, nothing will change there.

I don’t really have many heroes outside of the game. I respect everyone that’s good at their job. Film stars, you know, bands, U2, Coldplay. I look up to many, many people but I’m not really a celebrity type of person. I don’t try and go to celebrity homes, or hang about where they hang around. I keep myself to myself.

Do you see any celebrities around there?

SG : Yeah, I’ve seen quite a few. I was behind Bono in a coffee shop. He didn’t recognise or see me, but I obviously was right on him. I’ve been a U2 fan for a long time. I’ve met some of the people. I’ve met Chris Martin, Coldplay. Who else have I seen? I’ve seen all the Kardashians and Kanye West and Bieber, a few of the One Direction lads. I’ve bumped into quite a few along the way, but as I say, I respect them all.

You’ve got a lot of signed shirts in your house, I believe. Which are the ones that stand out the most and why?

SG : They’re actually in Liverpool’s Museum at the moment. I’ve lent a load of my memorabilia, my medals and my shirts , and my important pieces of collectable memorabilia from my career to Liverpool. They done like a museum [exhibition], because I’m in the middle of moving from rented houses and I’m building a house at the moment. But eventually when my house is done, they’ll have their own place where they’ll be for a long time.

It’s memorabilia that I’m really proud of and very lucky and blessed to have. For a local lad who grew up on a council estate in Liverpool to achieve and have the experiences I’ve had through football is incredible.

You know, I’m in a very, very fortunate position. You know, I think it’s important that the fans get the chance to go along and have a nose and see them. See all the other players, and the top players I’ve competed against or played with along the way. But obviously I want them back, they’re mine and they’re not going anywhere.

(Image: Colin Lane)

Are they all shirts of players that you’ve played against?

SG : A lot of them are. Different types, there’s a Maldini there, Shevchenko and Ronaldo, Messi, Saurez’s, Carragher’s, all the names. I’m not really a player who ever had me eye on a certain shirt, but if I shook hands with anyone and they mentioned it to me, I’d always swap shirts.

What does it feel like to be a hero to so many people yourself?

SG: It makes you feel proud and honoured. I’ve experienced both sides of it where I’ve lifted the best trophy you can probably lift from a club point of view, and I’ve also scored own goals where we’ve lost finals. I’ve obviously had very low moments along the way.

I’ve been involved in England teams where the nation expects and you’ve gone out on penalty shoot outs, so I’ve experienced both ends of the scales, the highs and the lows. But for me, the most important things about that, is how you’ve gone about it. Have you give everything you’ve got? Have you sacrificed? Have you worked hard, basically, done your best for both club and country? I can sit here and honestly say: “I’ve give it my best.”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

SG : It was probably from my dad when I was about eight years of age going to Liverpool’s Academy it’s called now, it was called Centre of Excellence, back in the day. There was a couple of times I didn’t really want to go, I wanted to stay In the house. It was maybe cold or I wasn’t feeling too great, and he said to me: “Look, if you want to be a footballer at the top, you’ll only get out of the game what you put in.”

In other words, if you don’t commit and give everything you’ve got to become a footballer, you’re never going to become one.

Do you have a motto that you live by?

SG : “You get out of life what you put in.” He told me that motto, that line, from a football point of view but I think it works in any field. You only get out what you put in. I think if you show respect to people along the way, you’ll get to the places you want to be.

Thanks very much.