Gerrard hints at management after hanging up his boots
Ex-Liverpool captain hints at management in the future
Steven Gerrard's playing career is over after he announced his retirement yesterday.
The 36-year-old left the Los Angeles Galaxy earlier this month after a distinguished career with Liverpool and England.
Gerrard said in a statement: "Following recent media speculation surrounding my future, I can confirm my retirement from playing professional football.
"I have had an incredible career and am thankful for each and every moment of my time at Liverpool, England and LA Galaxy.
"As a teenager, I fulfilled my childhood dream by pulling on the famous red shirt of Liverpool and, when I made my debut against Blackburn Rovers in November 1998, I could never have imagined what would then follow over the next 18 years."
Gerrard made 710 appearances for the Reds, scoring 186 goals.
MEMORIES
He skippered Liverpool to their incredible comeback victory in the 2005 Champions League final, where they trailed 3-0 to AC Milan in Istanbul at half-time, before pulling back to 3-3 in the second period and winning the match on penalties.
Gerrard also won two FA Cups, three League Cups, the Uefa Cup and the Uefa Super Cup. He won 114 England caps, captaining his country at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Gerrard added in his statement: "I would like to thank everyone at Liverpool Football Club. I am proud to have played for and captained Liverpool for so many years and to have achieved what we achieved during my time at the club."
The Englishman never won a Premier League title with Liverpool and arguably never came closer to winning one than in the 2013-14 season.
A 2-0 defeat by Chelsea at Anfield in late April, when a slip by Gerrard allowed Demba Ba to race clear and score the first goal, proved to be crucial as the Reds ultimately finished second, two points behind Manchester City.
Gerrard left Liverpool at the end of the 2014-15 season to sign for Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy, but left the Californian club when their season ended this month.
"Over the last couple of years, I've felt myself slowing down a little bit. I basically can't deliver what I used to be able to deliver and that becomes a little bit frustrating as time goes on," he said.
"I've had a few moments in the last six months where I've thought I didn't play well today or that guy got the better of me. And I don't like saying that to myself."
MANAGEMENT NEXT?
It is understood he held talks with League One side MK Dons regarding their managerial vacancy and, although those talks ultimately came to nothing, he said in his statement he is considering "a number of options" regarding his next step in the game.
When asked if his future lay in punditry or coaching, he replied that he would like to do a bit of both.
He said: "In the future, I definitely have dreams and aspirations of having a go at management or assisting the manager and being back involved in the dressing room.
"But I've got many many years to do that." - PA Sport.
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