Gerrard eyes Liverpool coaching return in 2016

Liverpool great Steven Gerrard could return to the club in a coaching capacity as early as this year, he revealed in a British newspaper interview published on Saturday.

Gerrard, 35, left Liverpool for the Los Angeles Galaxy last year, but he has been training on Merseyside during the Major League Soccer close season and is now eyeing a role on Jurgen Klopp's coaching staff.

"I'm not 100 percent sure, but I think it will probably be my last year as a player," the former Liverpool and England captain told the Daily Telegraph.

"I have had a chat with Klopp. I haven't had an offer as such, but the club have let me know they are keen for me to come back. But there hasn't been a conversation where they have said: 'We want you to do this, we want you to do that.'

"They have welcomed me back in. I am always going to be biased towards Liverpool and the FA (Football Association) and basically when I am back home I am going to carry on with my punditry work and try and move around clubs and gain more experience, going to watch managers and learning more.

"I am basically available from November, December 2016. Everyone in the football world will know I am available and hopefully I will be 75 percent into my coaching badges."

Home-grown hero Gerrard, who made 710 appearances and scored 186 goals during a stellar Liverpool career, also expressed regret that he had not started working towards his coaching qualifications sooner.

"I have regrets I didn't start my coaching badges at 21-22," he said.

"All that time wasted in hotels as an England player when I've been bored and was watching 'The Office' and 'The Sopranos'. I wish I'd done my CBA (coaching) licence then, so I'd be doing my (UEFA) Pro Licence now."
Source: AFP