NOVEMBER 21
Gerrard issues Blues warning

By Chris Stanton - Sky Sports

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard expects his side to challenge Chelsea for the Premiership title this season.

Jose Mourinho's hitherto imperious champions have suffered a recent blip in form with defeat at Manchester United giving hope to the chasing pack.

And despite The Blues bouncing back with an emphatic victory over Newcastle on Saturday, Gerrard believes Liverpool are well-equipped to capitalise on any chinks in Chelsea's armour.

The Anfield club's 3-0 win over Portsmouth last time out made it four wins from four and with Liverpool finally claiming a place in the top half of the table Gerrard has been emboldened.

"Chelsea, of late, have had a little bit of a blip so hopefully they'll keep dropping points and we can capitalise on it," Gerrard told Sky Sports News.

"All we've got to do is concentrate on what we're doing, keep on winning, keep moving up the table and we're all confident this season can be a success - hopefully we'll be delivering a trophy and getting involved in the title race."

Despite assertions to the contrary Gerrard insists that The Reds' exploits in Europe have not had a detrimental impact on their Premiership form.

"You get a good run in Europe and that gives you confidence and you can take that into league games," continued the England international.

"I think our wins in Europe have been bringing confidence to the team.

"The manager has brought in some tremendous players and the squad is looking really strong. I'm sure he will strengthen even more in January and we can be a good force this season."

Gerrard was sad to see Roy Keane leave rivals Manchester United but he insists the shock exit will not have too adverse an impact on Sir Alex Ferguson's challengers.

And when asked if manager Rafael Benitez would consider a move for Keane, Gerrard quipped: "I hope not, he might take my place.

"He's a magnificent player, it's sad to see him leave Manchester United.

"I've enjoyed some good battles with Roy Keane - I wish him every success with whatever he decides to do.

"Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal will still be there, the main challengers, but it's great to see other teams doing really well.

"The Premier League is looking really strong.

"No one wants to see Chelsea run away with it, obviously Chelsea do, but everyone else wants to see an exciting title race and that is what we have to aim for."

NOVEMBER 8
Gerrard eyes Anfield coaching job

BBC Sport Online

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has revealed he hopes to be a coach at Anfield when he retires.

The 25-year-old looked certain to join Chelsea in the summer, only to have a dramatic change of heart and sign a new four-year contract with the club.

Skipper Gerrard told Liverpool's website: "I'm always thinking about what I'll do after football.

"It's always been my idea to stay involved with this football club for as long as I can."

He added: "I've been here since I was eight years of age and it would be wonderful to think I could still be here after hanging up my boots. Whether that'd be in a managerial or coaching capacity I'm not sure.

"Of course, I'm still only 25 and the end of my playing career is still a long way off but the future is something that is constantly on my mind.

"Whatever happens I hope it is something linked with Liverpool."

AUGUST 25
Gerrard handed top Euro award

By Chris Bascombe - Liverpool Echo

Steven Gerrard was today named Europe's most valuable footballer.

The Reds skipper was given UEFA's prestigious award at a glittering ceremony in Monaco, edging out the greats of the modern game.

The decision was based on last year's Champions League performances when Gerrard's inspirational displays helped Liverpool become champions of Europe for the fifth time.

JULY 28
Goal-hungry Gerrard says title is his primary aim

By Peter Lansley - The Times

Steven Gerrard wants to repay Liverpool for standing by him during the best and worst summer of his career by scoring the goals that can lead them back into contention for the Barclays

Gerrard has responded to the turmoil that preceded his decision to remain at Anfield by launching into a scoring spree, six goals in the first three matches of their defence of the Champions League taking him to within seven of Michael Owen’s European record for the club.

But while Gerrard said that he is not concerned with overtaking his former team-mate after scoring his fifteenth goal in continental competition with a penalty in Tuesday’s 3-1 win away to FBK Kaunas, he is intent on beating his personal best of last season.

“That’s an area of my game I’ve tried to improve on over the last couple of years and I’ve started the season really well,” the England midfield player, 25, said. “I was happy with 13 last year and the idea this year is to try and improve on that.

“To be honest with you, Michael Owen’s record isn’t important to me — the team’s more important. It is nice to score and to catch people ahead of you in the goals, but more important right now is this job’s half done and we need to finish it off next week, because we’re all desperate to get into the group stage of the Champions League.”

Gerrard drew level with Terry McDermott as Liverpool’s leading midfield marksman in Europe and trails only Owen (22), Ian Rush (20) and Roger Hunt (17). Entertaining the Lithuanian champions next Tuesday in the second leg of their second qualifying-round tie appears another opportunity for him to fill his boots unless Rafael Benítez, the manager, decides to rest his captain, who was substituted with a muscle strain in Kaunas.

With the World Cup finals looming at the end of an 11-month season, Gerrard knows that it is in the interests of club and country for him to sit out some matches, but that does not come naturally. “I would like to play 77 games this season,” he said, “but I know that’s not going to be possible. The idea is to have big squads these days so the manager can swap and change the team.

“I spoke to him and he said there will be changes made. I’m sure when the time’s right he’ll rest me. I’d think I’d play the same amount of games as the other internationals and by the time the World Cup comes round — and fingers crossed we’ve qualified — I’ll be fresh.”

With last season having finished on May 25, when Gerrard lifted the European Cup in Istanbul, he could be forgiven for tiredness, but the confusion that followed over his future seems to have energised him and he has his sights set on improving on fifth place in the Premiership.

“It’d be nice to lift another trophy, but the main priority this season is to improve on our league performance and hopefully enter this title race,” he said. “The important thing is we forget what we achieved last season and stay hungry to succeed this season.

“I’m impressed with the signings we’ve made so far, but I do think we need cover for Jamie (Carragher) and Sami (Hyypia) because they can’t be expected to do the full workload by themselves.” Benítez remains on the trail of Jorge Andrade, but Deportivo La Coruña want £10 million for the Portugal defender.

JULY 10
Gerrard looks to the future

Sporting Life

Steven Gerrard has set his sights on Premiership glory after winning back his place in the hearts of Liverpool fans.

The Reds skipper helped the European champions to a 4-3 friendly victory at Wrexham on Saturday to end the most turbulent week of his life on a high.

The 25-year-old had indicated on Tuesday the time was right to quit Anfield, prompting angry supporters to burn a replica Gerrard shirt.

Having spent a sleepless night at his home agonising over leaving his boyhood club, Gerrard performed an astonishing U-turn in the early hours of Wednesday by deciding to remain a Liverpool player.

Significantly, the rapturous reception he received from Reds fans at Wrexham suggested his subsequent signature on a four-year, £100,000-a-week contract has won the Kop back round.

And with that in mind, Gerrard has now set his sights on capturing the only major trophy to so far elude him.

"It was great to get the shirt back on and hopefully in the coming season I can hit top form and deliver a trophy," he said.

"Hopefully I can go on and win that medal that I'm craving for, which is the Premiership, because that's the one I'm missing.

"Hopefully it will be this year, but if not it will happen in the four years that I've signed for."

Gerrard was left confused and depressed over the prospect of ending his 17-year association with the club.

But he insists he has no regrets about turning down the opportunity of a possible defection to Chelsea for the second time in 12 months.

"I feel as though I've made the right decision," he said. "It doesn't need me to say how tough it's been - you've seen it all yourself and what's been said in the papers with all the contract situation.

"It hasn't been good. I enjoy playing football but I haven't enjoyed all the stuff that has been happening over the past week.

"I want to put it all behind me now and forget about it."

The England midfielder admitted the failure to sign a new deal in the immediate aftermath of the club's Champions League victory in Istanbul served to fuel speculation he could leave Anfield.

"The speculation never went away because I had two years left on my contract and my situation at Liverpool wasn't healthy," he said.

"I think that's why all the speculation came back. I said after the Champions League final, I just wanted to sign a deal and end all the speculation.

"Now the deal is signed - four years and no clauses in it - so the situation I've been in this summer won't happen again.

"I want to concentrate on my football and winning more trophies for this football club and never being in that situation again."

JULY 7
From depths of despair to the dizzy
heights up on cloud nine

By Chris Bascombe - Liverpool Echo

It was a comeback as inspired as the second half in Istanbul.

Liverpool were effectively 3-0 down with only their pride left to restore as their rivals steamrolled over the club and its captain.

Then, just like his opening goal in Turkey, Steven Gerrard made the crucial intervention required to turn the club's humiliation into a triumph.

A phone call from the unfairly maligned agent Struan Marshall to Rick Parry shortly after 10.30pm on Tuesday night was as dramatic as Jerzy Dudek's penalty save from Andriy Shevchenko.

The secret remained intact until the dramatic announcement at 9am yesterday.

Even the Liverpool players, enjoying breakfast at the Melwood canteen, spat out their cornflakes in shock as the news flashed across their television screen.

There are those who'll cynically cry 'here we go again' following Gerrard's latest u-turn.

What's to prevent comments such as those pre-Olympiakos during the middle of the season? Or another period of soul searching next June?

However, while the similarities to last summer are undeniable, there are also crucial differences which will prevent a repeat in the seasons to come.

Unlike last summer, Gerrard is backing his commitment with a new contract.

This time, there will be no clause which allows him to rethink his position at the end of the season if the Reds fail to qualify for the Champions League.

His comments in the ECHO yesterday have effectively tied him to Anfield for the rest of his playing career - a point echoed by chairman David Moores and underlined by the captain last night when he said Liverpool 'deserved the next 10 years of his career'.

"He's here for life, " Moores said. "This will never happen again."

Had Gerrard signed on June 29, it would have been an easy decision for him. By yesterday, agreeing a contract with Liverpool took courage.

He knows he'll be accused of indecision and will need to win back the hearts of a minority of supporters. Far better for everyone he can begin that process of rehabilitation in a red shirt.

His conciliatory tone, accepting part of the blame, apologising to the club and offering to relinquish the captaincy, also reveals the depth of his sincerity.

Contrary to the hype, this was never about money to Gerrard. It was a matter of principle. Once the club proved how much they valued him, Chelsea's bid was back in the balance.

"I said to the manager I would like to speak with the players on my own because I know some of them have been frustrated with what's gone on, just like the fans have," he said..

"It would have broken my heart to have lost the captaincy but I thought it was right to make the offer."

Far from wanting rid of Gerrard, as the player himself had thought, Benitez was thrilled to be told his captain was staying.

He swiftly rejected the offer to give up the armband.

"Steven is our captain and I want him to stay as captain. We are all delighted because we all wanted him to stay," Benitez said..

" Whenever we have talked, we have always known he wanted to stay and we understood the situation.

"Now, we have a clear idea about the future. It is important that we received this good news and it has come as a boost for everyone at the club.

"I am sure now that Steve will be more focused on his club and on the games because his contract is sorted out.

"My relationship with Steve is fine; it always has been. I am sure that now, if it is possible, our relationship will be even better."

Some fans still need convincing, bizarrely claiming it's a sad day for the club when they go 'grovelling' to secure the services of one player.

Such cynics should ask themselves what ' s the difference between Liverpool going out on a limb to convince Gerrard to stay than doing the same when signing the likes of Morientes or Figo?

This is the reality of modern football. The greatest players have the power and the clubs must show their muscle to sign or keep the most prized assets.

Parry and Rafa Benitez did what they had to do. If they hadn't, surely the prospect of dealing with Chelsea's Peter Kenyon and allowing a player to leave against his judgment would have been a far more serious, more symbolic act of self-mutilation?

When Gerrard pens his four-year deal tomorrow, Liverpool will effectively be signing one of the best midfielders in the world on a free transfer.

Regardless of how fraught the negotiations were, that's something to celebrate.

As the unforgettable night in Istanbul proved, when you've sunk to the depths of despair and believe all hope is lost, you ' re more appreciative of the view when you're sitting on cloud nine.

JULY 7
I know they are going to be hurt

By Ian Doyle - Daily Post

He may have patched up his differences with Liverpool, but Steven Gerrard last night conceded he now faces an even greater task - winning over the fans.

Anfield supporters were left bewildered by the chain of events in recent days which saw the 25-year-old withdraw from contract negotiations, express his desire to leave, move to the brink of a £40million transfer to Chelsea, and then change his mind and decide to stay with the European Cup holders.

Of course, we've been here before. Last summer a similar storyline was acted out involving Gerrard, Liverpool and Chelsea before the player committed himself to Rafael Benitez's side.

However, unlike the great delight which greeted that announcement, many fans yesterday admitted the latest U-turn left them with a sense of relief tempered by disappointment at the way the situation had arisen.

And Gerrard acknowledges some supporters will be somewhat wary in the immediate aftermath of a tumultuous few days at Liverpool.

"Maybe I might have to win some fans over, I don't know," he said. "They are entitled to their opinion. I know they are going to be hurt because they don't want to see the best players leaving.

"I know there are some fans who'll be supportive and some who won't be.

"But I would like to say to those fans that they haven't been in my shoes over the last few weeks and been through what I've been through.

"I think the fans that go the games know what I want and hopefully I can prove that to them.

"Hopefully the contract I am going to sign will prove how committed I am."

Those supporters were not the only people Gerrard felt he needed to appease. So concerned was the player of the upset his controversial actions had caused among his team-mates, he offered to give up the Liverpool captaincy.

The England international addressed his team-mates at Melwood yesterday, but those same players had already spoken to Benitez - and told them they wanted Gerrard to keep the job.

"Steven is our captain and I want him to stay as our captain," said Benitez. "It is true that he offered to give up the captaincy but I spoke to some players and our idea was the same - that Stevie should be our captain."

Gerrard revealed: "I said to the manager I'd like to speak with the players on my own because I know some of them have been frustrated with what's gone on, just like the fans have.

"It would have broken my heart to have lost the captaincy but I thought it was right to make that offer."

Benitez is now looking forward to the new campaign with his skipper still on board as Liverpool strive to follow last season's European success with a first domestic championship since 1990.

"We are all delighted because we have all wanted him to stay," said the Liverpool manager. "Whenever we have talked we have always known he wanted to stay and we understood the situation.

Now we have a clear idea about the future. It's important that we received this good news and it has come as a boost for everyone at the club.

"I am sure now that Steve will be more focused on his club and on the games because his contract is sorted out. It will be a better situation for all of us."

For all concerned, a line must be drawn under an astonishing saga from which Gerrard believes lessons must be learned.

Misinformation and simple misunderstanding had led the skipper to think he was unwanted at the club, despite protestations otherwise from both Benitez and chief executive Rick Parry.

"That was a factor," admitted Gerrard. "The club have apologised to me for letting the contract situation drag on. I've now apologised to Liverpool and they've apologised to me, which is important.

"I actually thought the contract was going to be sorted out straight after the (European) cup final, so to get five or six weeks down the line, things come into my mind that maybe I'm not wanted or maybe they want to sell me and stuff like that.

"I needed some time on my own to think over the last couple of days and that's what I've done.

"The last five or six weeks were the hardest of my life because I wrongly believed the club didn't want me. I don't want to get into attaching blame to anyone.

"If I blame anyone, it's myself. I wanted my future sorted out as soon as possible after the Champions League final and when that wasn't the case, the longer it went on, the more misunderstandings there were.

"There was confusion and doubt in my mind. I had discussions with the manager, but the reports of bust-ups are complete nonsense. Now I know how much the club wants me."

Gerrard has now set his sights firmly on winning the only major honour that has eluded him during his time at Liverpool - the Premiership title.

"I feel there is a weight off my mind and I just want us to put this mess behind us," he said.

"I've only one medal left to win at Liverpool and that's the Premiership.

"That's what I want more than anything and Liverpool is the only place I've ever wanted to win it.

In my heart, this is my club. "I want to help bring success here for them and, for their sake and my own, I never want to go through this again.

"It's been a difficult period for me, but I know I've made the right decision.

"My relationship with the supporters has always been fantastic and I knew a lot of people would be disappointed if I'd decided to go. I thought about the fans and the future.

"As I'd said all along, I never wanted to leave."

Gerrard also made the rare move of backing the role of his agent, who had come under fire for his part in proceedings from upset supporters.

"I feel I must defend my agent, Struan Marshall, in this," he said.

"He's taken a lot of stick but all along he's never done anything I didn't ask him to.

"He's well respected at Liverpool and has done deals for me and other players in the past. He's conducted himself in the right way.

"He's a big factor in my decision to stay and organising the contract.

"I just had to sit down with my girlfriend and adviser and think it all through again for myself.

"I was just thinking 'how have we got into this mess and what's the best way out of it?'. I knew I had to do what I'd intended doing all along and sign a new contract.

"I love Liverpool so much. This is my club. My heart is with Liverpool. I don't need to tell anyone that.

"Everyone who knows me can see how I feel. The last thing I wanted to do was leave, I just couldn't do it."

Of his deliberations, Gerrard revealed: "I had the whole of yesterday to think about my decision and what I was doing. I turned off my phone and my television and went through it all in my head again.

"I admitted I've made mistakes and the club has acknowledged they've made some mistakes as well.

"But now we've sorted it out and I'm doing what I wanted to do all along, which is stay at Liverpool."

JULY 7
Gerrard wants Rafa chat

By Mark Buckingham - Sky Sports

Steven Gerrard is ready to improve his relationship with Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez after pledging to stay at Anfield.

The Reds captain performed a staggering U-turn on Wednesday after deciding to remain loyal to his boyhood club after 24 hours earlier declaring a desire to leave.

Reports of a bust-up with Benitez, along with his contract situation, were put forward as a reason for Gerrard's desire to quit the European champions.

Gerrard concedes there have been 'heated discussions' with Benitez during the past week and he is aiming to work closer with the Spanish tactician now his future has been resolved.

"All the talk of bust-ups is nonsense," Gerrard told the Daily Express.

"We have had a few heated discussions over the last five or six days but my respect for Rafa Benitez has not changed.

"He is one of the best coaches in the world and I understand that he rates me as a player.

"Our relationship is okay but I admit it could be better and that is something I am going to work on.

"I spoke to him in the morning and I am sure we will sit down in the next few days for a chat."

Meanwhile, Gerrard's midfield cohort Xabi Alonso admits there is a sense of relief that the Reds skipper is staying with the club.

Alonso said: "It is great news for everyone in Liverpool.

"Steve is everything, a symbol for the team and although nobody is indispensable we would have started the new campaign on the wrong foot.

"Gerrard is wanted by all and I do not believe that it was a question of money for all those involved.

"These last few days the team did not train with the same joy but now I have noticed the spirit is back."

Thor Zakariassen ©