STEVEN GERRARD has claimed he has “unfinished business” as a manager but will only join a club that gives him “support” and “competes to win”.
The Liverpool legend hasn’t coached since being sacked by Saudi side Al-Ettifaq at the start of the year.
The Liverpool icon said he would only join a club that supports him after being axed by Al-Ettifaq[/caption]
He had great success in his first job at Rangers between 2018 and 2021, lifting the Scottish Premiership title.
But Gerrard has endured a difficult time since and was axed by Aston Villa in 2022.
The 45-year-old was heavily scrutinised for taking the £15m-a-year job at Al-Ettifaq but lasted only 18 months after a string of poor results.
Gerrard discussed his recent managerial woes as a guest on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast and told his ex-England team-mate what it would take for him to accept a new role.
He revealed he had received “five or six interesting calls” since leaving Saudi but said the timing wasn’t quite right.
Gerrard – who also revealed why he hated playing for England – said: “I think certain jobs and certain clubs would suit my style and the way I like to go about it.
“But I’ve also got time now where I’m not in a rush, where I know the right people that are out there to make me a stronger and a better coach. They’re the people I need to find.
“Because if I get the right match with them people around me, I know and I’ve proved I can be successful as a manager. And that’s what I’m working on in the background now.
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“But I’ve had five or six really interesting phone calls since I stopped in Saudi. And I haven’t been ready because I haven’t got that team set around me. And the timing hasn’t been right.
“My daughter’s just had a baby. I’ve just become a granddad. I wasn’t ready. I haven’t got my staff ready. So unfortunately, them opportunities or them phone calls have come at the wrong time, if you like.
“But if the right call comes my way, the right club, the right challenge, and I’ve got my people set, which I will have at some point, I’ll take that challenge on because it’s in me.”
This week Gerrard has been linked with an incredible return to Rangers after the sacking of Russell Martin.
Gerrard remains a popular figure at Ibrox and the Guardian have reported he is a strong candidate for the role.
While the ex-England star didn’t comment on any particular vacancies, he referenced Rangers as a club that backed him and said he wanted similar support in his next role.
He added: “I felt like I had [support] to a tee at Rangers. A lot of coach changes at Aston Villa and over in Saudi that I don’t think helped me from a personal point of view.
“I’m now enjoying family time and doing a lot of things that I haven’t been able to do.
“But there’s a part of me that still feels that there’s a bit of unfinished business in terms of wanting to go in and face another couple of exciting challenges.
“But I want a certain type of challenge. If in an ideal world they come available, I’ll jump at them. If they don’t, I won’t go back in.
“I want to be at a team that’s going to compete to win because I think that suits me better.”
Listen to the full Rio Meets Steven Gerrard interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
