Gerrard: Liverpool, Salah Advice, Rangers Success & Alonso for Slot? | Stick to Football EP 123

0:00Steven Gerrard: Just before we get started, a quick thanks to our partners on clothing. We hope you enjoy the show. You know what's wild? Most people are still overpaying for car insurance just because it's a pain to switch. That's why there's Gerrard. Gerrard is the only app that compares rates from over 50 insurers in minutes and helps you switch fast with no spam calls or hidden fees. Drivers who save with Gerrard could save over$1 ,300 a year. Before you renew your car insurance policy, do yourself a favor. Download the Jerry app or head to jerry.ai slash ACAST. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile, with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much.

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1:23There's normally no one here. No. In case you are here. Really? Yeah, I'll come to see Stevie G. Yeah, not an eye to me. Where is Nev? Business probably in this certain hotel house. Where do you want me to go? This one, Stevie. This one? This one, yeah. Cheers, mate, thank you. Do you want a tea or a coffee? Do you want a tea or a coffee? Do you want a tea or a coffee? Do you want a tea or a coffee? I know how much money is in that. Tea or a coffee? I'll have a coffee, please, yeah. Flat white or what do you want? Anything, anything, mate, yeah. I had a lot of these days. Percy Pigs. No, I can't play because I've got a match on Saturday.

2:02Oh, you've got the Legends game? Charity game, yeah. Why can't you play the pad? Do me back in. Do me back in playing paddle. Hey, up. How are you? Yeah, you all right? Good, you? Well, mate, yeah.

2:16What, so you might... You still like playing the game? Yeah, I'm fine playing the game. I just don't want to make it worse. You good, Stevie? Great, mate, yeah, really good. do you play paddle he's massive into paddle

2:28Steven Gerrard: no no no I thought you did play I played it in Qatar a couple of times when we went to the World Cup and then I've played it since a couple of times I love it proper love it who do you play with anyone a lot of Liverpool players play don't they erm I think they did because they had one at the training ground clock was massive clock was massive yeah

2:52you don't play do you I've had a little go now and again it's gone mad in Liverpool is it mad in Manchester for it yeah it's going to gym so it's easy to keep a few calories off you don't look like you've got a calorie problem hiding it well hiding it well what are them kits like at the weekend that's when you'll see that's when you'll see I've seen one last sees me going to take a corner I was like fuck it what's going on there definitely a size up in the shorts this year are you all good to see.

3:24Steven Gerrard: Is that what you said? It's a fake laugh, that. OK, OK. He can't be that happy. You know what? No, it's just something happened because my guy's here. Hiya. You said that to everybody. Are you OK? No, but Steve, everyone's my guy. I love him, Jesus. I love Steve Gerard, bro. Jesus, I love Stevie G. Jill. Jill. Jill. I forgot a top. I forgot a top. This is like a large thing. Yes, Jill. Oversized. You wear it well. and top on. Look how well you wear it. It goes with your trousers as well. Yeah, good, thanks. I'll just tie. Nice top. It's a large men's, I think. And watch the swearing rules. Oh, you can swear, yeah.

4:03Steven Gerrard: Yeah, but it's... It'd be amazing if you don't. At some point in the next hour and hour. No, but some people don't like it. Exactly. I don't swear much, anyway. Cara does change. I know what you look. He swears a lot. I like that. I swore in the last one. In Liverpool, do you get to have someone in Liverpool that sell a lot of T-shirts? LAUGHTER He's gone to the Arne shop in the pool. I've been. Yeah, I need to go in again. That company was sold yesterday, wasn't it? Read about that. Yeah, billion quid. Look at the heels. Billion quid. Look what we've done. LAUGHTER It looks well, as I said, by the way.

4:38Looks good. Yeah, it is good. Do you like it, Steve? Yeah. Do you drink kind of? I love an American as well. Do you want one?

4:45Steven Gerrard: No, no, no. LAUGHTER What do you do during the day, Stevie? Now you're obviously not managing at the moment. Doing a bit of paddle. Got the golf clubs back out, school runs. Wow. Been sucked into that world, have you? I like it, you know. Yeah. Love it, yeah. There's a paddle court here, you know. We should play. I'm not in... Well, I'm here. Yeah, literally next door. I'm not really like a gym person going and lifting weights and all that. So how long could you do when you do a paddle session? A couple of hours. Oh, you could play all day, couldn't you? It's not, like, physical. Two, three times a week.

5:15That does me then. Don't have to go to the gym. It's a bit of timber. You're sweating. You're sweating, yeah. But it's not where you're blowing. yeah blow him blow him but you get a good are you good standard then Steve he's a good player but he got tucked the cleanest in a couple of weeks ago by who beat him I knew this not me so you play a little bit with anyone really if there's a game I'll just get out the house and go on my own and play and Jose Baxter asked me to play against him and Tim Cale and got slapped up badly did you you play it no he just told me the story so I thought to throw it in no I don't play badly 4-1 4-1 is it I was gutted for about three days.

5:54I said, Sim, first Merseyside, you've ever fucking won. I got him with the cover. I was like... Were they really good, though? I saw a point... Jose wasn't Jose. I got carried, but Sim was brilliant. I can imagine him. You have to be good at one sport, don't you?

6:10Steven Gerrard: Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing. You spoke to Mo Salah direct. Yeah, I spoke to him direct, yeah. You've been a king here. You've got this legacy and stuff. go on your terms the right way. You're very lucky he didn't play right back. He did play right back. I know, but if he'd have played there longer, you wouldn't have played for England. I played... I played... What the f*** is he knocking at my door for? I see what. He considered it for three seconds. Three longer than I thought. He put a piece of paper in front of me and said, write down on that how much you want. He invited me round for dinner, and it was just to tell me that I wasn't playing against United.

6:49So yeah, that 38 seconds was coming from Thursday night. I had a period after Villa where my head was done in for months.

6:56Steven Gerrard: Would you be an assistant to someone at Liverpool? I would do it for Liverpool Football Club. If Xavi Alonso came to Liverpool, which has been mooted... Just see the headline now. You can add one slot to get the sack. Are you going to fall for it? That's why you brought me in.

7:18Steven Gerrard: Let's start with this season on Liverpool before we move into your career. What's... Kieran. He's so happy, Kieran. What do you make of Liverpool this season? You obviously watch quite a bit of them. Well, I've really enjoyed watching them in the Champions League because I think they look a completely different team when they've gone into the big Champions League games and I think they're in a decent place there. really tough asking them going into the next one against PSG but a lot of the games I've gone to I've enjoyed watching them in the league look very different I haven't really enjoyed watching them look as if they've got a lot of issues to fix I've covered some of the games as well for TNT and after the game it's been difficult to sort of put your finger on one issue that they've got because they've got quite a few and it's all over the pitch.

8:10So they've been very mixed and very two-faced, I'd say, as a team this season.

8:16Steven Gerrard: How has that happened from going from brilliant champions last season, stability, not obviously signing a player the previous summer? You say now they've got a lot of issues. The first signs of the issues they've got now at the moment, I've seen it in the League Cup final. I travelled over from Bahrain, I took my lad to the game. Went into the game really confident that they'd beat Newcastle. although I like how Eddie sets his teams up and knew it would be a difficult game but they just dominated us from start to finish they just bullied us and that was the first time I thought that's so far away from what I was watching a few months before and then as the league sort of filtered out then there was a lot of these type of performances that don't look like the previous Liverpool team quite passive disconnected, out of shape easy to get through giving big chances up and you're seeing it a lot more in decent weeks.

9:09Obviously, we know we're closer to the game, you're mates, you're family, but you're talking about this season, but a lot of Liverpool supporters are looking at what you said. It's almost like that Paris Saint-Germain game, Newcastle game around about the same time, weren't they, last season? So it's almost like this is 12 months now, almost over 12 months, that it's almost been a lot like that, hasn't it? Yeah, I think obviously it took over a club squad, a club team, and I still think a lot of the values values and behaviours in that team carried on through and I think he's obviously his style has been a nice match they've got a new manager new voice been like a breath of fresh air to a certain point but I think some of the issues they're having this season for me watching as a fan from the outside and from afar and going to some games is it's been happening at the back end of last season as well

9:55Steven Gerrard: I mean look at what you've just said there I think a lot of people I certainly was expecting a massive drop off after Klopp left is that drop off coming as a delayed drop-off because of the fact that you just had a run-off there of the Klopp team almost and then now, is it a case where they stay with him because this would have always have happened that the Klopp team was coming to the end, you know, the Salah, obviously Van Dijk now and things like that. Do you think it's a natural thing for them to stay with it or do you think the manager's got a problem? I think maybe a combination of both.

10:23I really like the manager. I think he's really honest. You know, I hear really good things of him as a coach and his style and his tactics and his details. I hear really, really good things. I've never watched him close or think, I think he's really honest in the media, maybe sometimes too honest. But as a Liverpool fan now, and just someone who's been an ex-player and sort of knows a little bit on the inside and what most normal punters would know, these Liverpool fans, once they get to this stage, it's very difficult to get them back around from my own personal experiences and what I've seen.

10:53Very difficult to get them back around.

10:56Steven Gerrard: Cara's always said this, not necessarily yourself, but the manager at Liverpool is the god, that's the person the figurehead that everybody looks towards why is it different this time because this guy it seems crazy from a position that sort of United are in to take an example you won a Premier League literally seven months ago surely he has credit in the bank that means that that's how's he got to he has with me because more than anyone on the planet how difficult it is to win a league and for him to come in and win a league in his first season being asked getting asked questions in the media a long time what do you think does it need to change and blah blah blah he's got a lot more credit with me you know how difficult it is Jamie will tell you it's a pool of demand they expect to win it every year so I think he needs the opportunity to sort of players way out of trouble and fix the issues and try and get himself back in a good place and I think he did during that period a few months ago where they'd lost 9 out of 12 then they went on a run where he took them from 12th to 4th in the league and I think someone who's won a league deserves at least a full season to try and get out of the problems and the issues that they've got I'm certainly one of them people but I have to understand what the fans are saying as well because it has been dire on certain games and performances like really dire What do you make of the Mo Salah situation?

12:10Were you shocked? No, not at all I think it's in everyone's best interests now I think the timing's right in my opinion especially after the he's obviously had a disagreement with the manager I don't know at what level because obviously he's done the interview which I think he'll regret further down the line but that told me that there was an issue there I think also even going back before that I think Liverpool as a club probably only wanted to give Mo Salah one year rather than the two because he had such an outstanding season and he was relentless and his numbers were great they have given him a two year but for me I only really ever seen it as another one year at that level we've all played in them years and stuff and I just think for everyone it's in everyone's interests for it to end but also end on Mo Salah's terms so I spoke to him around that interview at the time and sort of said to him look don't don't do what you've done and go Mo Salah direct go under a cloud yeah I spoke to him direct yeah were you rang him or well he he texts me now and again or I text him now and again more to do with him from going somewhere with Leo just so Leo can see him really but I'm not like close to him but it gave me the opportunity to say to him look you've been here for eight, nine years you've been a king here you've got this legacy and stuff just go on your terms the right way How was he when you say that?

13:41Still a little bit emotional from the incidents and he was sub and he was in and out of the team at the time he was upset but I just thought it would have been a shame if he left in January and he just left Was that a consideration at the time, do you think?

13:56Steven Gerrard: Not sure. Not sure, don't know. Do you understand? I mean, look, you're one of the greatest players that Liverpool have ever had. He's one of the greatest players that Liverpool have ever had. Do you understand when you're sort of getting towards the end and he's sort of been left out, and that type of player, I've said this to Roy a couple of weeks ago, you do think differently than, say, for instance, I would? But I understand both sides of it. Now that I've done a bit of managing myself, I understand both sides of it. I think I had a similar thing with Brendan, but when I look back at it now and I'm out of game, less emotional and you understand it from where Brendan is.

14:32Maybe you're not the same player at 34, 35. There's no real way you should or you have to play every minute of every game just because you're the captain and stuff. But at the time, it's not easy when you're in the team, in the squad and you're about to play United, for example, and you're subbing, you're looking at the players that are playing you think I'm still as good if not better than them players. It's difficult in the players' situation. But I had a situation at Rangers with Jermaine Defoe, who was brilliant for me, top around the place, best professional you'll work with. He wanted to play more and play a lot every minute of the game because he was in the position I was in under Brendan.

15:12But as a manager, you have to do what's right and what's best for the team. And if someone's out of form or not playing or can't do the job that you're looking for, as a manager you have to make big decisions it looks to me that it's probably you said before on Salah's terms and it's probably his decision to say I want to move on he's given the interview but listening to you and speaking to you privately you moved on to LA Galaxy you actually regret that don't you did you wish you to stay at Liverpool I don't regret it in terms of I enjoyed it and he looked after me there in MLS terms it's a good club but if he had me time again Liverpool offered me a year extension but Brendan my conversations with Brendan Brendan saying look your game time is going to change it's not going to be how it was before but you know I would love to stay around and maybe we could sort of try and get a connection onto the staff and coaching and we can help you through that and all that and it sounded alright but in my head I just wanted to play I still loved playing football I didn't like being sub so in the end I come to the decision where I just want to go somewhere and just enjoy football, just play football for another couple of years until my body can't do it anymore and then stop on my terms.

16:24But in hindsight, Klopp took over a lot earlier than what I thought. I would have stayed and maybe tried to, you know. Is it all about the minutes or can you treat the player with respect where you can put the minutes down and you can still have that working relationship? Yeah, but the evidence in the weeks leading up to these conversations were that it was going to be a lot more sub appearances than starts. It's just different when you're sub and when you're used to playing and being a main part of something. And that's on me as much as anyone else. I'm not saying like... Would you change that now?

17:02Steven Gerrard: Would you change it? Me? Yeah, if you went back now and sort of Brenda presented that sort of play 30 games at Liverpool. We've had this conversation a lot on it. Is it better to play 30 games at Liverpool where you're sub 20 times versus playing 35 games or 40 games at LA Galaxy? No, I've had an experience against the Gary, yeah. Yeah, I'd have took to Liverpool one. That was the Klopp factor as well, wasn't it? I think you've heard you say you wish you could have sort of... Yeah, yeah. A little bit of the Klopp factor, yeah. You went to LA Galaxy with Salah now. Do you think Salah will do an MLS or a Saudi right now, or do you think you know him obviously better, knows that I can still play at the top level, I could go to another big club in another country?

17:41Knowing him, obviously the relationship I've got with him, he'll still have himself down as one of the best players in the world yeah I think so and I think that's the reason why the fallouts come apart that he was probably struggling with the transition of a manager saying you're not starting today what you're messing around you're still one of the best players in the world I think that's his mentality and I think there's good players there's top players and then there's them ones that are at the very top that are a little bit freakish in terms of their mentality now they're thinking he's one of them where he's just I'm the best I'm the best I'm the best but it's not to be admired though you know we talk about yeah I love that You might have had, Steve, go back to Ronaldo.

18:16Not necessarily my case towards you. If you want to play, that's the mindset. And Salah, you've got to admire that. Because the easiest thing for people like Ronaldo and Salah is to ease off a little bit. They've got all the big prizes, they're on huge contracts, but they want to play. And I think it's well and good looking back even on yourself, going, I think you stick to your guns. And if you're used to playing, you stick with that. That's what made you... The thing as well is, you know, the Chelsea situation around that year when we were so close and we were still sort of like, bubbling away a little bit.

18:45It was still bubbling away. In your mind? I thought, do you want to go and play football and sort of? I thought, staying around with Brendan's always going to come up every interview, every press conference, blah, blah, blah. I was like, just go away and enjoy the last bit of your career because I still felt good. Not what I felt mid-20s, but I still felt like I could... But do you think it was a relief for Brendan? Maybe we were talking about the manager of Liverpool. Now, sometimes you're in the background and you're not playing. If you move on, you go, that does save me a lot of hassle, doesn't it?

19:10Yeah, and I think there was a little bit maybe, I don't know, I'm maybe speaking out of turn here, but with you with Brendan as well, maybe Brendan was trying to create something where he wanted the bigger players or he wanted to change or evolve or transition the players into something different.

19:26Steven Gerrard: You do become a problem though, characters like you on the bench. Well, it did become a problem, Gary, because I'll give you one example and you know it very well. You were probably jumping all over your settee when I got sent off against United. I was commentating. That was coming on the Thursday night because I went round to Brendan's house. He invited me round for dinner. I'd trained really well in the week leading into it was the Thursday we were playing on the Saturday half-twelve kick-off we drew to Swansea I think just before and I came off the bench and done quite well and I'd trained like I was thinking I need to get back in this team because then we're going to be sub-against United I was playing on my mind before so he invited me around to the house and all that and it was just to tell me that I wasn't playing against United and I just honest to God you should have seen me walk back to the house I lived two minutes round the corner honestly I was just I was like that should have smelled something though when he was making a dinner

20:18Steven Gerrard: I was actually going to ask you about the day because it's quite strange for a manager to ask a player around the house for dinner no listen he was great at the time I think it was more like he was asking me questions would you like to be part of the staff eventually and blah blah blah Brendan's always been fantastic it wasn't a personal issue it was more I just couldn't get my head around the fact that we're playing United on Saturday afternoon I was going to be sub and with all due respect Joe Allen, Lucas Slavis good players but at the time I still felt I was better than them so yeah that 38 seconds was coming from Thursday night but that's me it's not anyone else's fault but that's an example of what I'm talking about like things like that I just think I've just got to go and enjoy the rest of my career and just slow down a bit and see it on Did Jordan Henderson have the same issues did he?

21:04No Jordan when he was at least hang on with Klopp and he was saying you're not going to play many games and he went off and you probably regressed that a little bit Jordan Almost every player I speak to who left Liverpool, so Jordan's probably one. Obviously, you've mentioned you'd love to have played with Klopp, speaking to Robbie Fowler. And they're all players, they're used to playing, and everybody always says the same thing. They wish they'd have stayed. Michael as well. Yeah, but I've never played for another club, so I can't understand probably what it must be, and maybe a drop from one of the real biggest clubs in the country to, you know, a level down and it's just interesting that everybody always says the same thing.

21:45And when you're used to playing weekend week up, when you said play 15 or 20 games, that is a big drop off, Gary, isn't it? Yeah. It's your whole mindset. Play every week to go on to play 15 or 20. You know what it was? That happened to me at the end, didn't it? Probably the last 18 months for me. You know what the thing for me was? I was embarrassed. Almost embarrassed coming into training. Do you know that thing when the team play over weekend and then you have to go to it and everyone comes in really happy? You don't feel part of that. and then they're getting looked after. They're getting looked after, you know, warmed down.

22:15You're just doing your warm down, and everyone's buzzing with them, and you're over there with, like, three saves, and a few young lads, and you're having a proper training session on the Monday, and all the lads are just getting warmed down, having a bit of banter, and you're just studying. What the fuck am I doing? You've got to run round them first, haven't you? Oh, it's just embarrassing. And it's just embarrassing. No, no.

22:34Steven Gerrard: Just quickly, I mean, look, you've both said the same thing now, and your knowledge of Mo Salah is far greater than anybody's around this table, that you think he still thinks he's the best in the world and you don't think it's right for him to go to the US or Saudi. No, I'm not saying it's not the right thing for him to go anywhere. I was asked the question in his head, where does he see himself? Is he going to shock us, though? Has he got a shock in us? I'm going to put something ridiculous out there. He rocks up at Chelsea, Arsenal. I don't think he'd do that. I can't see. I'll be really honest with you.

23:08I wouldn't be surprised if it's another big club somewhere else, but I don't think he'd do it to a rival. It's not going to be Barcelona or Real Madrid. They're not going to take him. I could see Italy. I could see him like that. I think it'd be Saudi. Having lived over there and how he's thought of around there, I think it'll be Saudi.

23:24Steven Gerrard: That's what I thought, but he said not. He said he thought Italy, he thought he would want to play. That wouldn't surprise me or shock me. It wouldn't surprise me or shock me, but if I had to put money on it, I would say it. But I think a bit like you, I still think he thinks. And why not? I'm still one of the best players in the world. that's almost retiring going there, in my eyes. I think he could do another two or three years somewhere and then do the same. Yes, that wouldn't surprise me. I just don't... Look, I don't know, I might be wrong. He's been to Italy before. I don't see Barcelona or Real Madrid.

23:52Steven Gerrard: That's why I said Italy. Yeah, but I think someone like that... I could see him, for instance, in a different time, going to see Paris Saint-Germain. I could see him being in Paris and going to there, but that's not going to happen now. So I'm trying to think of a... These players usually have egos that mean that they have to play a club that suits their brand that suits their sort of thinking. But who would not be thinking I'll go to Saudi and I'll still have an impact and I'll retire in two or three years' time and I'll go over there and have an impact? Remember, the reason why Mo's like his is because he's loved.

24:19He wants to go somewhere he's loved. He'll be loved in Saudi. Would he get frustrated? Straight off the bat. Oh, listen, he's the number one over there. Exactly. He's the number one. Would he get frustrated with the standard or not? Do you think just of your experience? No, no, because there's some good teams at the top end there. He'd be playing with good players as well. very good players and you can have eight foreign players who'll be playing under a good manager and he'll be playing

24:42Steven Gerrard: with good players You've said that obviously you had a situation as a manager with Jermaine Defoe where he was coming and wanting to play have you ever had a more difficult situation with a player that's been sort of because Jermaine's just a good guy he's a brilliant guy he's not going to fall out with you he's going to have a proper conversation is there anybody that you've had in your managerial career that's been difficult that you thought how do I sort of you know In a different way Morelos at Rangers was tough to manage Maverick behaviours was that a centre forward right? yeah so important to Ranger because he was the goals but he was challenging you know he'd bend the rules and you know after he'd scored the brace or after he always knew Sutton was sorted in the post either in being late or you know Sutton an incident and how do you deal with that when he says goal scorer he's a brilliant player and he's breaking the rules like that look when you go in into a job you want to try and set rules and our values of your team and stuff like that but there is Not the goal scorer he can do what he wants I've got principles but you can do what you want Yeah Sometimes you'd have to bite your tongue and turn a blind eye to one or two It's just trying to not get caught by the players when you're doing it but yeah he was so important to Rangers and I knew he was so important and I knew the time would come where I could get into a place where he's maybe less as important that's why I brought Defoe in that's why I brought Kemar Roof in because when he was having these periods where he would be challenging or break your rules and your values Defoe and Kemar Roof were itching to come on and play and they were as good as him Jermaine was much better than him at the age but they were the reason why we won the league because their goals in the team and the squad is how we eventually won

26:34Steven Gerrard: This advertisement is brought to you by Huel. Don't tell us what we're doing on Huel this morning. We've been brand ambassadors for Huel now for... A very long time. Very long time. And we've been talking about these 26 grams, 26 vitamins and minerals and 25 grams of protein. And they've just sold. Yeah, so we've reaped the benefits physically. Yeah. But not monetary. So we've been drinking this for 12 months, promoting them. They were valued probably about£10 before we started promoting them, weren't they? Eh? And now we've valued it a billion. To be fair, I'd never heard of Hugh before we put them on this show.

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27:11Steven Gerrard: Exactly. And so do I. And we were looking for our little commission-based sort of share thing. Will you still be able to get them, or will they want a different deal now that they've been bought out? Oh, it could be a lot more difficult to deal with from now on, you know what I mean? Who's they been bought out by? We can't say. Do you know Danone? Ooh, Danone. Have you ever seen the advert? It's in the advert. Ooh, Danone. Will the overlap still use Huel on the back of this deal? Well, I mean, we'll just have to reshape our deal with them, aren't we, obviously? I mean, this one's got 35 grams of protein.

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27:48Steven Gerrard: I think, to be fair, the impact we've had on the business and the share price would seem to have been significant, wouldn't it, Jamie? No, I guess what are you talking out of it? A little villa somewhere? A little villa in France where the Danone offices congratulations Huel job well done and by the way we've converted carrot your health benefits are I mean look at me yeah this black edition one is my favourite the vanilla I can't get away from the vanilla that sums you up as a player don't it vanilla I don't mind

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29:39Steven Gerrard: Let's talk about your managerial career. Do you love it? I've enjoyed parts of it. I've had some difficult times as well. Obviously, when you get the sacks, not nice. I had a period after Villa where my head was done in for months it was a tough one understood it you know, you have a run of form like we did at the back end responsibility was all on me, I accepted it but in my own time, sitting around gutted because I thought there was a real big opportunity going into the first full season to really build on an half decent start so that was a tough one for me it was a tough one and when you say to me I completely get it and I've been there where you almost feel like everyone's looking at you, you feel like, what was that feeling?

30:26I was having mixed emotions, felt sorry for myself a little bit, felt a bit bitter, felt a little bit useless. You do, you go through all these different emotions, but you eventually come round to thinking again that it's part of it. You have to own it, take it on the chin and get yourself ready for the next opportunity. but I still sit here now and think to myself what I've seen from November to May and then the signings we made I thought it was a real opportunity to kick on and we never delivered that so I have to take that on the chin You know you go from Rangers you don't just win the league it was an invincible win you didn't lose a game did you when you won the league with Rangers Not when we won it no So you go from that and then you make the step to Villa and the level of the managers you're coming up against The level was a big jump probably didn't realise at the time when I made that decision but in hindsight again we talk about hindsight we'd all be great with hindsight wouldn't we?

31:24We'd have stayed at Rangers longer more experience stay up there for longer so I regret doing it now sitting here at Dint at the time because I felt like it was going to How did you turn that down? It was tough it was tough and also the conversations with Rangers after we won it the recruitment and the finance chats that we were having didn't feel like Rangers were ready to go again it was a bit more of a like oh let's settle this and fix that and do that the promises weren't as strong as it was what I thought they would be then the premiership opportunity comes and it's tough it's tough to say no to that Villa are a great club I've got nothing bad to say about Villa I need to get that in as well because Villa is a really good club, good people fantastic facilities the opportunity was given to me and it didn't work out so that's on me.

32:15Steve, you mentioned there about the step up. I always go back to something you said about being on Valencia and I think at the Premier League the coaches are just like great coaches are probably not even getting the biggest jobs and you talk about being on the sideline and sort of like feeling a bit like the other coaches got more experience you mentioned like Simeone and Valverde and when you said the step up are you talking about actually your team with your team are you talking about actually on the pitch when managers are actually changing things in games? Yeah, well, both really, because that happened to us against City.

32:47We played City at Villa Park. I think we drew the game. And Pep was changing every, like, ten minutes. It was nuts. You had to, like, change all the time. So the level of managers that you're competing against definitely is a step up. The demand, the pressure, the media around it. So Rangers are a huge club. The demand never changed because you draw at Rangers or Celtic and there's a major student's inquiry into what's gone on and the demand up there to win every game is nuts. So it wasn't a step up in terms of that on me, but just the whole level of the Premier League and the expectation, the size and media around it.

33:31It was a jump up in terms of football level and coaching level.

33:35Steven Gerrard: Was it too much of a jump up? I've said this to you very openly. I felt out of my depth on the touchline you know playing against Atletico Madrid with Simeone and there was almost an inevitability that I knew in the second half they were going to they were almost like suffocating us I felt like they were there's anything I could do that could change it Valverde changed three times within about half an hour of a game and I was like I think there were certain opponents that you were on the side where you thought oh if we don't you know if we get this wrong here you could get a pasting I felt a bit like that at Anfield even though the only beat us 1-0 felt like if we weren't pragmatic and sort of taking stuff away from Liverpool the speed that they were playing at you were thinking oh we could get a pace and City were like that but more in a possession way last game of the season Villa we would tune it up when City were going for it and I'm thinking to myself we can do this because we were comfortable for a certain amount of time and then they brought some changes on the last 20 minutes of the game it was like you were on a pinball machine they just changed the speed changed the level and it was just like and I could see it in the players everything we were asking the players they were just like are you messing just like whoa what's going on De Bruyne put about six crosses in in about two seconds honestly that's what you used to do you know I think there's certain teams in the Premier League that when they go to a certain level they can bamboozle you with quality and speed and how much input are you getting in their moments you know from like assistants and No, because sometimes you see.

35:10Steven Gerrard: It's a bit of a blur, to be honest. There's not much you can do against a great team. You just have to take your medicine. It's a bit of a blur. I mean, it just is. I mean, you said you like parts of it. It's not a negative answer, but it's an answer that means what parts of it don't you like and what parts of it do you like. Well, what I mean by that, I love the competing. I love being in the dressing room, being around the boys, the training and stuff like that. But there is stuff around it where you think, interviews, interviews, interviews, media. criticism, blah, blah, blah. There is parts of it that are not great.

35:41It is a stressful job. We all know that.

35:43Steven Gerrard: How did you come out of that? So you go off to Villa, and what are you thinking then, what are you thinking in terms of your mindset about how you get back on? Just try and get more games in, really more experience. Try different things, go abroad, something outside the box, something a little bit different to get more games in. That was the thinking at the time. But for probably six months, nine months after Villa, I just wanted a bit of a break from it. I just wanted, not managing coaching, just footy. Just wanted to be free around the family. From school, I've always just been football, football, football.

36:16So I wanted to go and do a few different things away from football that you don't get the chance to do. So it just takes some time. Have you got another job in your state? Possibly, yeah. I'm not throwing my CV around. I'm not itching. I'm not sort of desperate for any opportunity. But if the phone goes, the phone's gone a few times recently and it just has timing or family-wise or it just hasn't been the right thing. But if something comes that's right, I'll be open to a conversation for sure.

36:43Steven Gerrard: Is it easier to be, and I'm saying it, asking, because there's a number of examples of this, like you both have been world-class players. Is it easier to be a top player to go into management or not to be a top player and go into management? Do you understand what I mean by that? I think there's more scrutiny on players that have played at the top when they go in. I think I've felt that. I suppose. But, look, you sort of, I think that the key for me is understanding what you bring to the table. What are your strengths? What are you good at? I'm not going to sit here and tell you I'm the best coach in the world because I'm not because there's been people that have come out of careers earlier and been coaching for 25 years who would be a lot more slicker than me around the training session.

37:27I think it's about creating a strong staff team, staff group, where you've got all the skill sets covered within your group that are going to service the players and give them the best possible chance of winning. But for me, I think what are my strengths is understanding what I do bring to the table, what I'm good at, my strengths, and then trying to get other people around me that can help me do it. I think just chipping in there, you're sort of saying the pressure you're under when you're a big name. Do you see the reaction to Ashley Coe played his first game, didn't he? His first game in Mannington, I know he's been in coaching.

37:58I don't even know that much about it. Is it an Italian? Sassina. What league are they in? are they in second of the second of the his first game I think they lost and it was like a big bit of a story on like he was popping up on your phone it's his first game as a manager you don't get that if you're not actually cold do you know what I mean you can tell him make your mistakes a little bit in the background I think he won his last game didn't he and Roy I'll tell you as well if you're going through a bit of a stickier it becomes more more incest and more people want to call there's pluses or minus you do sometimes the ex-players who play at a certain level do get more opportunity to go in there but when you're in there Of course, the first thing that happens if you go through sticky patches, oh, you'll never be as good a manager as you were a player.

38:38It's a completely different job. You're learning like every other manager, but you do get less of a break when you're in the job. It does open doors for you sometimes, but when you're in there, then it's... Yeah, and I've experienced both sides of that. So, for example, getting the Rangers job probably come more on the fact that I was a Liverpool player at a certain level. So I totally understand what he's saying there.

39:00Steven Gerrard: Well, he said that the phones rang, did he, before, and you've sort of not thought it was the right opportunity. Are they calls from clubs in this country? And what sort of level are you thinking? Is it this country you want to manage in? What level would you go back? Would you go in at Championship, like, say, Frank's done? Would you go in at League One? Or would you want to still... Yeah, no, listen, there's no ego here. There's no, like, oh, I think I'm above any levels or not. It's more the people that you speak to, you know, like, what is it that's on the table? What are you trying to achieve?

39:25Is it realistic? Or, you know, what's available to sort of support you in the role that you're going to go into? but there's no ego here yeah of course most of the calls that I've had since I came out of my last job would be around Championship level yeah

39:40Steven Gerrard: you played in some great managers which of the managers do you sort of most recognise in yourself and who have you pulled most out of probably I'd probably say Rafa and Julio probably took the most from them yeah took a lot from Brendan as well in terms of sort of like his sessions were really good great variety players used to always really enjoy you know the build up into games and stuff and Brendan learnt a lot of different things compared to the previous manager's work because I worked under a lot of pragmatic organised coaches throughout my Liverpool career and some with England if you think of Capello.

40:15Steven Gerrard: Sven. Sven. Brendan brought a bit of a freshness in terms of being more of a dominant coach with the ball and the possession learnt a lot of him but I think you want to be yourself first and foremost you want to obviously go in and be taking a job on and you're going to take the responsibility that you've got to be yourself but of course it'd be stupid if you don't try and learn and remember things and take things from all the coaches but not just the ones you've worked with when you watch the telly you know when you're watching Monday Night Football or Super Sunday I still learn off the lads and listen to a lot of it so I'm open to try and get better and keep learning but at the same time work-life balance at the moment for me is brilliant It's great, it's the best period of my life with no stress.

41:00Steven Gerrard: We've talked about that for years, you've talked about it for years, the idea of the perfect work-life balance, where obviously we still talk about football, we still watch football, but we're obviously not on the touchline, to be fair, the cold face. Is there a place whereby you could see yourself just settling into the TV, the punditry, doing the games that you do, and then basically not going back into coaching? Yeah, I'm OK with that, that's not a problem. I enjoy covering some of the games, I enjoy having quite a bit of free time. probably the best part I've had from a family point of view for well ever really in terms of being there being present Leo's 8 now during his career I've been in Scotland I've been in Birmingham so yeah really enjoying the family side and having a load of free time but also I'm conscious that I want to stay busy enough where I'm doing enough I can't not see you at Liverpool at some stage and I'm not talking about like I'm just talking about like your connection with the club is so like you absolutely love the club they love you do you understand what I mean I love Liverpool but I always feel when I look at yeah and I've never really said this to you before I'm not talking about like going in to manage I'm sure you'd love to do that one day but it just feels to me sooner like even if you'd have a go at management somewhere else maybe in the Championship or Premier League I just feel there'll be something I look at Kenny or I look at sort of Ian Rush I just feel like that connection with you and the club will come back together at some stage.

42:30Is that something you look at? I've got a brilliant connection with the club, I always have, and probably a stronger connection since I left. They've always been unbelievable. Any help or area I could help the club in, I'd always try and do it, if I could. But I suppose what you want to know is, do want to manage Liverpool at some point in my life, of course, that would be a dream. But I think, would I be ready for it right now to take it over a period of time? Probably not. But is there a possibility in the future to be alongside someone, them elite managers that you're talking about? Would you be an assistant to someone at Liverpool?

43:08It depends who it is and how the conversation goes and, you know, does he need me? What does he think I have an offer? Yeah. Would you be able to handle that in terms of,

43:17Steven Gerrard: Obviously, you know, you're certain... As long as I'm not sub, I'll behave as well. You've been a number one. Someone who, to be fair, likes to be in charge of their own destiny. Could you sit there and not be the person who's making that? I mean, I've done that role. You know, I think, Roy, you've done that role. You've done that role, actually. It's frustrating at times because ultimately you're not the decision maker. Could you handle that? Yeah, but you have to understand it before you sign up to it. Yeah. You know what the role is and it's to support the manager. It's to be that assistant.

43:47I would do it for Liverpool Football Club if I was asked and they felt I was the right man to do it I'd be open to it yeah of course Depends on the manager Depends on the manager whatever the role again obviously when they went with Martin and to be fair Villa Liverpool but with Martin particularly if you've got a respect for a manager it's great to learn off somebody like that You probably need a manager who's not going to if you've got Stevie Gerrard at Liverpool as your number two you're probably going to be a bit afraid you're going to be a little bit worried about Certain people might be, but I think...

44:17The top guy's... When you speak to the top guy, I remember sitting down with Jürgen Klopp and coming out of a conversation with him and just thinking, you're just above it all. You're just above the media. You're just above... You're so thick-skinned and, like, the aura and the charisma of you. And I was just thinking to myself, just do anything you ask me to do. Walked out the room, seven foot eight. And I think what's helped you on about if you've... Because you've been a manager before, I think when you've been a manager and become a sister, I think it helps because you know what the manager's going through it's a big plus and you take a lot of pressure away from him and help him you know what exactly is and particularly if it's a manager you respect you go yeah I'll do anything for this guy whatever he says and the top managers don't see he's a threat they go I know you're not a threat to me I'm bigger than that the other side there as well it's the chance to be part of something you're winning for Liverpool again and you know as Jamie said that connection won't leave me I do love them

45:06Steven Gerrard: what were you like at home in that period sort of after a defeat or when you leave Villa what are you like at home how do you change from what you're ordinary would. You're asking me or do you want to phone Alex? Nightmare. Miserable. No, no, no. No, just, it's tough. It's tough. You know, you don't like to fail, you don't like to get things wrong, you don't like to let people down. When I took the villa job on, I was desperate to help them. They gave me an incredible opportunity and you don't like to be criticised or people to say you're not good enough. It's not a good feeling so you'd have to process that yourself and go, well, how did that happen where did it go wrong what would they do different next time blah blah blah and that's what you go through but initially for the people that are having being in them big jobs it's tough you've had it once do you appreciate your family a bit more when you lose your job a little bit my wife before when we were losing if we won a few games I'd be walking in like John Wayne you know what I mean I'm the man we lost a few games I don't know what's for dinner I think if you'd ask Alex the humble pie you know what I mean she'd rather me not do it she'd rather me not do it she says to me you've had that long a career and then you've had a go with it for eight, ten years and stuff.

46:17Just don't do it. Why did you put yourself through it? I missed playing as well, bad for a period of time. Did you? Yeah, I missed playing. Used to just love the routine and knowing what I was doing. Did you play in the training games? I'm playing on Saturday. I think it's the World Cup final. Seriously? I'm going to be looking massive in the kit and all, but I can't wait. Have you been training for it? No. I always think about injuries in them games well you're doing the paddle the pitch is a bit bigger than the paddle saying that some of the partners I've played get some legs around you obviously use your experience yeah but I believe Thiago and a few others are playing so I'm just going to sit and just just barcorders brilliant

46:57Steven Gerrard: talk us about Saudi Arabia is that something that you enjoyed is it something that you happy you did yeah I enjoyed it it was a different experience different culture got the chance to coach with maybe less pressures if you like get more games in and be around good players they said to me when I went over, we'll recruit some decent players for you and we'll try and challenge the bigger, top and more powerful teams over there. So I took it on. It was also an opportunity as a family to go away somewhere different together. We've been in Liverpool majority of our lives. The opportunity came and we took it on.

47:32We were over there for two and a half years. I enjoyed it. But again, like any job, there's frustrations there, there's challenges and stuff. but yeah

47:41Steven Gerrard: I enjoyed it Talk to us a little bit I mean obviously it's Mo Salomego but talk to us about the standard and what the game is like over there what are they trying to do because obviously all we hear about mainly is the money that's being put say on Ronaldo or other players talk to us about what the plan is I think there's more to it than that than just the Ronaldo or we've got Ronaldo it's about their own it's about their players so part of the remit was we want you to come here and you've been at Liverpool you've been around England, you've been around ranges, you've been around top institutions where we've got no footings in place in terms of academies and what do we need to sort of become an elite team.

48:21So Outworks over there, when I was there, there was five, four big teams who PIF owned. You had Aramco in the championship who were going to come up and now you've got a few other teams that are privately owned. I think there's six private owned now and then the league owned the rest of the teams which was one of our teams so the rest of the league were trying to put brand new academies in place and better facilities and better infrastructure so by the time the world cup comes around they can keep producing young Saudi kids that can improve and you know gauge the gap if you like to where Saudi are compared to a lot of other nations so it's more about their own so they want Ronaldo around for elite standards they want people to you know playing with him playing against him and them type of players they believe will bring their own up and they've had that first whoo Saldi were here and I think it's gone a little bit more quiet and a little bit more reserved at the moment but they're going to come again and I think their idea is they're their target now they're 15 to 25 year olds during this 10 year period to try and get them to be better players and closed Is the standard decent of the players?

49:32Yeah, what would you compare it to? What league would you compare it to? Would it be Well, I'd say the top four teams when I was there myself they, you know a lot of them would be okay in the Premier League I'd say lower down Yeah, yeah The ones that had Benzema and Mitrovic and blah, blah and they were good teams playing in front of 50 ,000, 60 ,000 in some games and then there's a and then there's a big drop-off and a big gap that's the reason why I think the teams finish where they do in the league I think the financial power from the private ones is different from the rest of the ministry.

50:05Difficult to gauge, probably, the middle and the bottom of that league. But the top, I would say, probably lower-prem top champ, I would say. That's higher than a thought, maybe.

50:13Steven Gerrard: Because, I mean, they say MLS is like championship, don't they? No, I think the top four teams would comfortably be better than the MLS teams. Comfortably. We had friendlies against some of the MLS teams and we were very comfortable against them and we weren't a top team. we weren't a top team like PIF teams. That's my opinion. So it's a bit better than the outside opinion I would say. You settled over there but it didn't quite work out for Jordan. What's the sort of lifestyle like over there in terms of how you... It's a bit slower, life's a bit slower. Culture's a little bit more relaxed. I think it's about whether your family can settle is the key to it.

50:52So the kids went into fantastic schools, we got incredible support around that. That was one of the big things before I said yes, that we need to make the family happy. Because if they are, I'll be fine being away from home. Some people, it's just too different. They find it more challenging. They can't settle. They can't get the kids settled in school. And if that's the case, then you'd have to make a decision what's right for you and your individual family. Do you think if Jordan had kind of stayed out there it might have affected his international career? Jordan's situation was a bit different.

51:26I think he was fine when he initially came and the family came over. I think they were doing their best to settle in and stuff. He was still a top player, still a top individual. I needed him because he was the standard setter. He was like having a coach on the pitch for you with his voice and stuff. But I think it was more his family struggled to settle. I think also maybe Jordan got more better offers in terms of size of club after he'd started the Saudi journey. I think he had Ajax around and Juve and I think some of the Premier Leagues are around and if your family's not settling then them offers land on the table.

52:01I think that's the reason why I ended up back. But he was brilliant for me in the six months. Absolutely immaculate like he always is. And would you manage abroad again? I think it'd be tough right now. Right now because I've just got my kids back into Liverpool, settled in school. Life's good, I'm happy, I'm settled. I don't want to say bye, I'm going on my own and leaving them right now. So it'd probably be tough right now. But I'd never say never.

52:25Steven Gerrard: Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing.

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53:32Steven Gerrard: The shift to your playing career an absolutely sensational playing career The peak of it though could have been the moment that I came to see you in the England squad just before the 2004 Tournament where I What the fuck she knocking on my door for? What did she say? I threw the little keyhole in the door. Why did you answer it? Well, what was happening, Gail? Is he tapping you up? I have this conversation... Tapping everybody up. Yeah, I have this conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson, which was quite a bizarre one. What year was this? Two thousand of... Bigger room.

54:10Steven Gerrard: What year was it? I offered him the captain's seat. So, obviously, this rumour mill started, I think, sort of around you just before... I don't know if your contract was coming up to an end, was it, around that time, or whether... What year was it in the series? End of 2004. All right. I think it was March time, wasn't it? I think it had international break in March time. Yeah, and there's rumours around you. I think Chelsea, it was the point where Chelsea were coming in and to be fair, he just says, look, just go and knock on his door. And basically he said, I'll go and get him from Liverpool myself and I'll walk him back down the East Lanks.

54:42Steven Gerrard: And that was his exact word. So I actually went in with that line to Stephen. I mean, how would he even think? I know. I mean, what a stupid thing to say. He got the most politest, respectful no. He was a plight, he's just a full fuck-off if I've ever had him on. Thanks, Stevie. Seriously, you didn't even get in the room? No, I got in the room, which was... Yeah, I got in the room. Yeah, so I knocked on and said, Stevie, you've got a couple of minutes. I think, I was thinking as long as I was thinking, he must know I'm a bit lonely in this old school. He wants a game at Sables, then. But you say, at the time, I think there was a thing that, obviously, it was a point where you, I don't know whether you were considering leaving or not, it doesn't really, you know, alas you.

55:19Was it in and around the same Chelsea time?

55:21Steven Gerrard: It was around that time where I think there was a point whereby obviously at Liverpool you weren't that great at the time. I think things had become frustrating for you. You wanted to be successful and I think ultimately, you know, that's what everybody does. And Chelsea were massively after you, I think, at that time. And I think he thought, well, look, I can steal it. He'd had some ambitious transfers in the past. No, no. This is the guy that brought Wayne Rooney, Eric Cantona. He brought Rio from Leeds. These were quite controversial transfers, you know. He dipped in on Kenny Dalgleish at Blackburn over Royce.

55:50Steven Gerrard: It's not anyone you're mentioning. Just let him speak. He considered it for three seconds. Three longer than I thought. Did you ever consider, was there a point where you ever thought, because look, you're absolutely Liverpool through and through, but was there a point where you ever thought, were you ever tempted by the idea that... I want to leave or I could leave. Yeah, yeah. And I'm guilty of doing a little bit of that around the Chelsea thing and the Real Madrid rumours. Because it does cross your mind when you're not competing for what you set out and what you want to try and achieve. Yeah, I'm guilty of doing a bit of flaring and a bit of thinking, if you like.

56:27I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't. Especially under Rafa. Rafa was the type of coach, Jamie will back me up here, where he never ever really thought he wanted you, if you know what I mean. it was quite cold and challenging and provoking and then when I seen a few people going in for contracts when I felt like I should have been a priority at the time it gave me a little bit of doubt and a little bit of like maybe he does want and as many rumours as there was about me sort of with these teams and all there was all other rumours that Rafa would sell and reinvest and blah blah blah and maybe he's got players in Spain that he wants to replace me with and that's all the stuff that was swirling around in my head at the time What was the closest?

57:09This happened two years running, so it was 2004 after the Euros, and then there was obviously after the Champions League. It was after the Champions League final. That was the Chelsea one. That's when I had under two years left on my contract, and they spoke to three or four other people about contracts before mine, after the Champions League final.

57:27Steven Gerrard: Who were you speaking to, Stevie, instead of yourself at the time? Hugo Biscard, a man who are the midfielders. That got me a little bit paranoid. did you start thinking I'm going to see these out no Steve did you think you know what let me see what happens I'll see these two years out no that never ever crossed my mind really it was just like well look let's have an honest conversation with Rafa and I went in and I said to Rafa look let's be honest Richard he went well okay I'm game let's have an honest conversation and he was like your agent's speaking to the realm of dread and I said that's not true that's not true and I said to Shroon have you spoke to the realm of dread he said no so Rafa was trying to provoke me a little bit around some of the stories in the media as well and I said, look, we can put all this to bed.

58:08I said, I'll sign a new contract for you right now if you pay me in and around the ballpark of what people would be getting who were playing in Champions League finals at the time. Put me in that, but I'm not saying make me the highest paid player in the world, but give me a contract that I deserve and I'll sign it right now in front of you. He put a piece of paper in front of me and said, write down on that how much you want. I just thought, I didn't go 40. Just say yeah, you want to say? I'll just say, yeah, you want to sign me and it'll go away. But it was like, it was a provotion thing. And it actually took for me to go to the chairman and say, look, what's going on here?

58:45Does this club want me or is he at it here or what? And the chairman made it clear. Who's the chairman at the time? David Moores. David Moores, the Moores family, yeah. And David Moores was like, no, no, no, we want you to stay and blah, blah, blah. But I wasn't getting that love and feel off. You needed someone to give you a number that you could find out what your number is. What's going on here? What did you write down? You wouldn't want to know. Absolute telephone numbers now, wouldn't you? I didn't. I went, that's not my job. That's why I don't have an agent. I said, talk to me, agent. I want to stay.

59:13I'll stay for as long as you want. Just give me the content that I feel like I deserve. Show me the money, huh? Yeah. I remember that. Jeremy McGuire. He was, I remember when I told you, do you remember going to my wedding? My wedding, I'd... Probably not. No, but I'd booked it. normally you come back pre-season like 7th of July or something that's why I booked my wedding 1st July Rafa 24 to June I'm getting married 2 weeks into this but I remember you coming and you speaking to Struan and I was thinking and there's obviously Liverpool fans everywhere in this wedding and I was thinking oh my god no it just felt like that was like you know what I mean it wasn't just after the fan it was even when you come back it was very close I've said it on numerous occasions and I'm really honest and clear over it but I think it was a combination of not feeling the love of your life of Rafa and that like yeah you know just won the Champions League let's go again you know priority sign there just didn't get the right feelings at the time but also as well I was guilty with a bit of flaring and what was it going to be like on the other side of the fence Jamie's probably thinking whatever you get I want someone he was going to go in that's going to be a deal he was like get him get him get him

1:00:28Steven Gerrard: the point where you thought about leaving being at his wedding surrounding Bayou I'm comfortable in them environments there was rumours that people were phoning me and threatening and I'd ever go it was a load of nonsense was putting you on the right hand side I know you played on the right hand side quite a bit against us a few times because I remember you being over there and I remember them crosses coming in on top of me is it Rafa that put you on the right side did that cause you a problem mentally I found it out of times I used to have loads of conversations with Jamie and say I don't like playing on the right I just don't feel 100 % confident that I can affect the game from there.

1:01:06I prefer to be in the middle. He changed me a lot, actually. He played me right at times, centre at times, and then later on he moved me up a little bit higher to play in front of Mascherano Alonso. What he did do is he tamed a lot of my running, wanted more effective running. So I think my game changed a little bit under Rafa and got a little bit more better tactically, the understanding of the game not running everywhere and trying to do everything on the pitch more like what does the team need for you what's the team going to benefit more from but I think when he put me on the right that's the reason why he didn't want me to play in a two in the middle because he used to feel like he used to vacate and leave them areas tactically and at least to leave the team exposed at times Tell him what it was about remember the first time we met Rafa so he's I was buzzing at first thinking he's just won the league and all that he's going to win us the league and he just offered me nothing didn't he back to my room thinking fuck but we've come in so he's come to the hotel in the Euro 2004 so no one's ever allowed to sort of you know from the club like an agent or a manager but he's just been appointed but it was the fact that there was talk of him going to Chelsea at the end of 2004 it's like you've got to allow me to speak to my player so I'm in I'm just made up this fella even knows who I am you know what I mean fucking hell this fucking fella from Valencia Michael Owens they're me and you and er this fella from Valencia yeah so he's come in And I'm thinking, he's just going to be telling Stevie how great he is.

1:02:32And he's got all his markers out and he's going, Gerrard. He's just calling him a second name. And he's just going, you do too much of this. You do need to do this. And I'm thinking, oh, we've lost him. Chelsea have got him. And I'm like, did you take that? I remember coming out of the meeting thinking, this is going to be graft, this. This is going to be graft. But do you ever wish you had a manager? I'm not knocking these managers because they were brilliant managers, but you had a manager who was maybe giving you a bit more freedom, a little bit Liverpool at the time. You were very good. I just wanted a manager who said I'd play as well now and again.

1:03:00he never gave you no toffee he scored the second goal I knew I was going to be coming off is that right yeah at times I just think he's going to bring me off now he doesn't want me getting any more headlines yeah but listen it was parts of them that were like that was his way parts of them were good as well tactically and stuff going into certain games where you felt like a major underdog he did give you a bit more oh we've got a chance here listen when I even when I think about talking about football now or even on TV a lot of that is from sort of like Rafferum what we did and his brain I don't think when you're a player when you've played well I need the managers to say I've played well I know I've played well and I knew he was that type of manager which is fine and I don't need it I love the love I always remember for myself I remember after the World Cup in 2006 so we'd we'd had a really long season we played the FA Cup and I played the World Cup we'd started the season really early if you remember remember we had to qualify for the World because we'd won the Champions League we had to go in at the beginning as something really long season next thing we don't start well and I'm not playing well at all I just feel I've got nothing in my legs but with Rafferty still telling you what you're doing wrong which again I just it was just that one moment I just love him to say to me you've been brilliant before you know what I mean don't worry about it it'll be alright in a couple of weeks but it was just and I was like Rafferty do you know what was the biggest difference as well the previous manager Gerard Hurley it was just completely different it was like just felt like you were playing for your dad.

1:04:30Yeah, he was low. He was good, yeah. But like not false love, not like blowing smoke type love. He was just caring, he was just there and he just made you feel like it was warm. Yeah. So it was me on me to sort of transition to a different type of coach and Rafa probably done her best for me in terms of improving me tactically and blah, blah, blah and played my best years under him. So I owe him a lot, but it was just different. very very different from Julier to Benitez Did it save save your legs a bit like playing under Rafa like in terms of your running and stuff Maybe I don't know I don't know the answer in terms of the stats on it or anything but Which one did you feel most effective under would you say Rafa Probably Rafa yeah because I felt in the best years then you know I felt like I felt good and strong and even when when he moved me up and I had Alonso Mascherano out behind me as well I felt like proper free a bit less defending you know them hard runs back when you're like oh I think that's you talk about obviously missing out on the league and you come even closer obviously with Brendan but I think that team then and no one speaks about it because we didn't win anything you know the best team we played in for Liverpool didn't win a trophy really it was Masquerano Alonso you with Torres up front but at that stage I we were probably in the top four or five teams in Europe, that team, but the problem was the other teams were in England.

1:06:01Do you know what I mean? Remember, everyone was getting to semi-finals.

1:06:05Steven Gerrard: You finished second, I think, that year. That year, but even the year before, I think there was three, I think for two or three years there was three English teams in the semi-finals of the Champions League and the other one was always AC Milan. Was that AC Milan at the time? Yeah. And it was just like the timing of it, it was probably the best version of Man U. It was the best version of Chelsea. do you know what I mean it was just it always felt like we were chasing or trying to close a gap rather than direct competitors was that investment you think in terms of I mean at the time Liverpool weren't sort of like splashing massive money were they but that was the closest I ever that was the moment I think I've said this to you before that was the moment I thought you got closest to us when I think it was Alonso left I felt like that was a massive step back massive step back I thought and you brought in the lad from Italy didn't you Aquilani that was heartbreaking as well and also the Torres one as well because you think to yourself we've put so much in to try and close this it felt like we were getting closer and then you take one of them big big signings out it can set you back a long time especially when you've played with them and you think they're the people that can win games for you we've both got unbelievable respect for Rafa and he took your game you said another level took mine to a completely different level in terms of being centre back Champions League final I was just happy to be a Liverpool player before play every week really but I always look back at the Alonso one so it goes back 12 months before so Alonso it got a bit messy didn't it yeah it got a bit messy so Alonso I think wanted to leave at that stage he wasn't playing as much yeah Rafa was trying to bring Gareth Barry in it was almost going to be a bit of a swap whatever it doesn't it doesn't happen then Alonso has had a magnificent season we almost win the league we get close it feels like a great team but the reason I sort of I look at Rafa there I think it was almost like he wanted to win this fight with Alonso about staying or going and I've just thought okay you've had that fight here we've now had an amazing seat Alonso's being fantastic it's a bit like you've won you've won the fight because the player is playing amazing sign a new contract move this team forward and then it got to the summit it was almost like right we're going to carry on this fight again do you understand what I mean and it was like now don't get me wrong around we did start to come up to Xavi and stuff it was like he's not going he signed a contract or just say he's not going we're that close yet and it was almost like a personal thing because Rafa was really good and clever he always had the fans on side but he almost lost Alonso had almost won the battle and sort of I don't know what you felt about it he was such a big player for us how we played as well I just feel it could have been sorted between the two when you played everyone sees him as a good player on the outside and stuff but when you're with him he was top top top you talked about sort of Jabba you talked about being assistant manager before I was connecting dots here.

1:08:52Steven Gerrard: If Xavi Alonso came to Liverpool, which has been mooted... Go on now. Just see the headline now. You can't add one slot to get the sack. Are you going to fall for it? That's what you brought me in.

1:09:06Steven Gerrard: I never had it in my mind and I never asked you during the section because I don't think Arnaud Slott should get the sack. I just thought, you know, that would be a sweet little partnership, wouldn't it, Alonso and Gerrard? I'm going to really, really answer this the right way. I want slots to get the opportunity to fix... Absolutely. I agree let's move on Stevie what if you want Gerard will slot in don't you that's what you want

1:09:34stick to

1:09:35Steven Gerrard: football is brought to you by arm clothing take us to the point whereby you've obviously said Liverpool how big a mistake would that I mean you said you'd flirted with the idea of thinking about how big a mistake would that have been if you'd followed through when you see what's happened to other players. I think if you're taking into consideration my family situation, where I live, where I'm from, my career throughout Liverpool, the relationship I've still got now, I mean, they've been unbelievable to me. They do little things now where I think, oh, you're even thinking about me now? You know, little tiny things, like they invite Leo to a thing you're doing.

1:10:13They just go above and beyond to continue the relationship. So 100 % the answer would be, I'd have regretted it for the rest of my life, I think. And it came down to a really important conversation. My head was just like a box of frogs. I didn't know whether Rafa wanted me or not. I didn't know what was going to happen. And it was getting closer and closer to the, are you going to jump here or what? I went to see my dad and my brother, who were two Liverpool fans, and they just completely took all the external out of it and just said, if you go and win two, three Premier Leagues or a European Cup with Chelsea or Inter Milan or Real Madrid, will it be good now, won't you?

1:10:50Of course it'd be good because you've won. They said, but will it be good or better than if you win one more trophy with Liverpool? And I said, no, it'd be better. I'd feel better to do it with Liverpool. They said, well, just make it all go away. And it all went away. But it was that conversation, just taking away all the noise and the phone calls and the agents and the people at Liverpool and the people at Chelsea and the Mourinho calls, just taking it all away and going, what's most important for you? Is it your family? Is it the city? Is it Liverpool Football Club? or is it the next, like just trying to chase a bit of success and it was the stay.

1:11:24So, yeah, I think I made the right decision in terms of that connection.

1:11:28Steven Gerrard: But it's not just any city, is it either? I mean, it's a city that, to be fair, loyalty would be, you know, it would be treachery, wouldn't it, if you took up? No, listen, they got me there. Liverpool people got me there. Yeah, that's what I mean. You know what I mean? So you'd have to remember that. You'd have to remember what you've gone before. It would have been like, in some ways, it would have been treachery you leaving them at a point whereby I'd say so yeah I think a lot of people would have frowned upon it I might have won more trophies would have guaranteed to get more money that's it's nice for everyone of course it is but more important is the feel and the connection of your own people and it just with all the madness that was going on it was me dad and my brother that just had to take all the layers away and go what's really important to you deep down what is it and that was the decision and it was better for them as well tickets and it is isn't it you've been able to tell to everything you've been on them a fancy team exactly delays you mentioned the Chelsea game before and I wasn't going to talk about it because I think it's irrelevant but he said that you were getting I don't know how many exact phrase you used but he said there was all loads of stuff going on around that and after that he said what was that it was just a tough moment it was just a tough moment even now obviously think about it well less now than at the time because at the time it's fresh and raw and stuff like that but it was just like felt so close that I was just going to finish the career I felt like looking back now I had the cake built the cake the cake's lovely but I just didn't have the last part of it and that's what I've got to live with and I just have them little moments and then flashbacks and it just still kills me I remember you phoning we were doing obviously we were Sky we were in the meeting Monday Night Football obviously doing the game and you phoned me in the meeting and did you go away for a couple of days?

1:13:12Is that when I said blame everyone else except me? Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah should never give me the past sack was a sack but I think did you go away for a couple of times I just remember I just remember then I think the games were sort of Saturday we had a couple of days off yeah I think I might have went out of the way yeah I think I did yeah you know what you know that that game I had finished the year before and obviously Liverpool going for the league and I think Colo Torre come in but it was a Liverpool team I can see the goals but scored lots of goals that was the team the front the front I mean I was probably playing a bit more deeper than a proper just connecting the team a little bit more.

1:13:51Because I didn't really have the legs to do it anymore. But the people in front of me, we were on fire. And our identity was just we were going to beat people because of the firepower. So some games you knew you were going to concede a few. But we knew with Dale and Suarez, Sturridge. When you work with him close up, I mean... Yeah. Wow. The reason I mentioned it is because when I retired and people would say to me, oh, you should have stayed here. You could have, absolute rubbish, absolute rubbish that I could have done anything to help Liverpool. But the reason I make the point about the Chelsea game, the one I always look at and think I'd love to have been on the pitch just in that second half because I think we lost our heads and just not to play, I wasn't good enough.

1:14:40I couldn't run. I was 35. but I always think of that second half and thinking just talking to people we panicked a bit I was panicking but I'd experience like second half trying to get a goal at the Kop and that's what I look at I just think I'd love to just be on that pitch for 45 minutes trying to take a bit of emotion away you know what I mean I could probably talk to you and that's where I could have maybe done something for 45 minutes for the rest of the season because I just look at that the worst manager for that to happen in that game as well him because he got more he was doing things you could see he'd set a lot of time when the ball's off the pitch it stays off the pitch go down, buy fouls and you could feel it all and I think the team was getting in the emotion at the time was getting more panicky rather than okay we've still got time rather than going the other way so obviously once you left that team we did in the back line there was less voice, less organisation, less demand to stay in structure and stuff like that for sure

1:15:40Steven Gerrard: what was your greatest moment Steve the Champions League final but your greatest individual moment with Liverpool I don't know the best nights obviously the Champions League final because even in that final you look at the teams never really thought it was possible until it was even after we got the three goals back it was just basketball end to end it was crazy even the pens you see the people who walk up to take their pens you think it's not done yet you know what I mean so to get that that was obviously the best moment of my career but I think performances the FA Cup final was one where I felt like it just you know it was like autopilot type performance but look I mean when I think about it now at this age and I go back and think on the career yeah I didn't get the prem that I craved and I still crave it today I have to accept that but I mean what a dream what a story to play for your team and go through that journey with your team was unbelievable for the best days of my life.

1:16:41Who was the best player you ever played with at Liverpool? Luis Suarez. He was just different. He was just different. Honestly.

1:16:52I love that time you had with Torres as well. Yeah, listen, I don't like comparing players in different positions and stuff and who was the best player and blah, blah. If you're talking about a centre forward who you went on to a pitch or you're in a dressing room where you're thinking if he plays well today we're going to win. Suarez was there. Torres had a period where he'd be close to that, I would say. But Suarez was just different. Even insane, and he was just like a big, strong lump. He was an animal. He was never injured. That goal he scored against Newcastle, the one that came over. I keep saying people just...

1:17:24He was just a winner and a fighter and a proper...

1:17:27Steven Gerrard: He was proper. He said last week that Mo Salah was the sixth best Liverpool player that he'd seen. And he put, obviously, Kennell Glees, Graeme Souness. Who else? it's you you're my number one do you have him in front John Barnes John Barnes John Barnes Ian Rush Ian Rush would you put Mo Salah at six look I think I think we all have recency bias don't you where we've seen Mo Salah's in the last eight years and you'd have recency bias you want to put him alongside the Kenny's and blah blah blah but I think in time when all the dust settles I probably agree with Jamie that he would be in the top five for sure I didn't see much at Daglish because I was too young I've seen the back end the rush my hero was Johnny Barnes growing up 89 I was 9 10 just starting to get into football and glued to the telly so when you'd appreciate your Barnes and your rushes and stuff you probably know more about Kenny you'd know more about Kenny than because of age you never ever want to be disrespectful to people that have played generations before that you don't really know too much about because there's a lot more there's a lot more Roger Hunt Alan Hansen and players like that so if you're in the conversation to be in Liverpool's top five players you've you've ran about did you have Hanton in do you want to rest in your top ten yeah let's start at number ten ten Ian Callaghan oh yes most appearances for the club started in the second division and won the European Cup I think in his last game 1978 number nine oh god Kevin Keegan Kevin Keegan I went for Kevin Keegan he's not spoken about as much as probably he should about Liverpool because Kenny comes after him yeah what a plug this is for LFC TV I went for Kevin Keegan his last game for Liverpool was in the European Cup and he was man of the match how many games did he play for Liverpool did he play hundreds he didn't play hundreds did he play hundreds Kevin Keegan did I think Keegan comes in around 71 72 leaves in 77 right ok last game man of the match European Cup final he was number 9 number 8 was Virgil van Dijk number 7 was Alan Hansen you had to put a defender in your couple yeah a couple of defenders in there just put Hansen above Van Dijk who did you go for a goalie did you go for a goalie no he didn't put a goalie in they don't need a goalkeeper is that what you're thinking goalie shouldn't be In the top ten of a football time.

1:19:38And then to six. Stevie, in terms of position... Moving on. I know, I was wondering. Well done.

1:19:45Steven Gerrard: If you were playing football now, would you be a centre midfield player in a two? Would you be a centre midfield player in a three, to the right of a three? Would you be a wide of a four, or would you be a number... Definitely not wide of a four. I've been listening, have you? Or would you be a number ten, which is sort of playing... Where would you be in this game now? I'd like to play in a three with the freedom to get into the box. In that right with midfield three? It doesn't matter right to the left, really. As long as I've got the freedom to join in and try and get around some of the excitement, I would have loved that, yeah.

1:20:16You're very lucky he didn't play right back. He did play right back. I know, but if he'd have played there longer, you wouldn't have played for England.

1:20:23Steven Gerrard: I played... I played... We've got Steven Gerrard on. He played fucking one game at right back in his life. In the Champions League final. Or maybe debut for England. I had number two on, didn't I? No, he had number two on it. I thought, oh, get him into midfield. All of a sudden, I've lost 85 England. You know what? You know the point you're making there about playing different positions and you're still saying you want to play centre midfield? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the two years you win Player of the Year in England, I think you're a number 10 on right midfield. Possibly, yeah. You'd know what I mean.

1:20:58In 2006 and 2009.

1:20:59Steven Gerrard: 2009, I was playing as a 10. In 2006, you were right midfield. there are very few managers who to be fair I think made special arrangements for a certain player but you were to be fair were one of them and the big fear that we always had wasn't necessarily that you were going to be in a number 10 spot and get on the team we felt that was easier to deal with but it was when you played from a central position and then just drifted into that right channel like De Bruyne does because I think there's you De Bruyne and I think Bex, Trent Alexander I'd put the four of you in a similar sort of what would be category your balls from that sort of right channel were here we go best ball fucking nobber

1:21:38so childish

1:21:39Steven Gerrard: so childish it's brilliant the mature one's over here that's what we're trying to finish your crosses from that round I'm just pitching in here so we if you remember I don't know we actually put Anderson or we didn't the manager put Anderson trying to stop me I'm marking you almost and he used to say even if the ball goes past that position because the worst thing that could happen Anderson would go back to help, say, for instance, his left back, the ball will get played back to you and he couldn't get near enough to you for it to get played in. So we'd actually say man-mark him when the ball's on that right-hand side.

1:22:09Steven Gerrard: If the right-back goes past, let's say Steve Finn, as an example, forget him, let him cross it, let him go one-on-one and just don't let him roll it back towards you. That's very rare. So part of that would be for us to try and get in them crossing positions that are really difficult to defend, if you can get them, obviously, around the two centre-halves. When we play in you, he's always signing the back post.

1:22:31when you're crossing early and the defenders are not set or in possession they're obviously horrible crosses to defend the game it was part of our game plan against you but I remember it being a lot more difficult and Fergie or whoever it was the coach around them you did feel like that even when it was Scolese or Rui you felt like the press was coming earlier than it probably would against normal teams so it did feel like is the box to box midfielder a bit of a dying breed now, would you say? It's more control now, and passing and staying in position and all that type of stuff. I don't think it's dying.

1:23:05I don't see it as a dying breed. Look at Declan Rice. Now he's doing a bit more around. I love watching midfielders that do a bit of everything. I love watching them types. Is he one of your favourites to watch now, Declan Rice? From an England perspective, I like watching him and Jude, to be honest. It's just whether we can get, obviously the right person alongside them for them to go and cause a bit of damage going forward. You like Eliton Anderson? I do like him, yeah. You like him, yeah. They plucked him.

1:23:35Steven Gerrard: Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing.

1:23:42Steven Gerrard: Super 6 has another£250 ,000 jackpot. This weekend, the EFL and FA Cup take centre stage, starting at 3pm on Good Friday. It's completely free to play, Just predict six scores this weekend and the money could be yours. Don't forget to enter the Stick to Football Mini League using the code S6-STF. S6-STF. 18 plus TNCs apply.

1:24:16Steven Gerrard: Last week's scores, Gary and Jamie. Four. Oh, no. Who were you with? We're not. You got right with that. You are on a 105th. Oh, no. They're overtaking us. I feel like we're like City, you know. We messed up. Roy Gillian. Five. Oh, no. That's all your five for the Arsenal's. Thank you very much. What was it for? What was it for? And six. Yes, come on! We've actually won the title. We messed up last week. You've got Arsenal-Everton. Thank you. Thank you. We messed up in Villa. Thank you. I forgot Villa were playing in Europe on the Thursday at Lille. Thank you. Yeah, but you said that never matters.

1:24:47The fly private. Travelling away from Jamie's background. They travelled away. Having Moisey back. You're home for one of the games. Moisey was the man, wasn't he? Moisey's great. Very good. Right. The next round will be a mixture of Championship and FA Cup games, which will start on Friday, the 3rd of April. Cool. West Brom versus Wrexham. Is that good Friday? It is. Great Friday, 3 o 'clock. Are the all FA Cup? No, some of them are, some of them aren't. Which ones are they? I don't know. Is it scores after 90 minutes, Ben? Is the top one an FA Cup game? This one.

1:25:13Steven Gerrard: Yes, it is. I'll say. Is that the Championship? Oh, it's Championship, is it that? It's Championship. Championship What makes a difference Some people don't really follow football Outside the Premier League So Just because you go to Salford Wrexham Whose goal is it first? We'll go 1-1 I do Salford are doing great West Brom have changed the manager Salford are doing great Wrexham have gone for promotion 1-1 1-1 yeah Love that Wrexham Wrexham will beat them West Brom are fighting for their lives Wrexham are doing well I think Wrexham are doing well I think 3-1 Rexon 3-1 Rexon come on come on Rexon that's the first one of all Oxford Hull 3 o 'clock Hull of flying it's FA Cup you know what Oli McBurney Oli McBurney's back Oli's back my man Oli I love you Oli I'm going to be honest I've got a clue it's Geldart and Kyle Joseph the two strikers they were Wigan players and when Wigan went into administration everyone took all the players they're flying with those two and they've got a ladder centre back from Wigan called Charlie Hughes, a great centre-back as well.

1:26:19On we go. Oxford are fighting for their lives. Mate, you lead on this. Hull winning. 2-1 Hull. Yeah. Carry on you, yeah. Remember when I said you love a 2-1? Yeah. They were all 2-1. We'll go... We'll go 2-0 Hull. Ooh. Charlie Hughes will keep putting cheese. Coventry versus Derby. Oh, good one. Brandon Thompson-Santi. Yeah. He messaged and said they watch sticks football in the changing rooms at Coventry.

1:26:45Steven Gerrard: They do? They do, yeah. They love it. Well, hi, guys. Enjoy, Brandon. I love you. One of the worst things I ever did was put a buy-out clause, an agree a buy-out clause, with Brandon Thomas Asante. How much was it? It wasn't enough. But it meant the kid went to... He's a brilliant player, a brilliant lad, great family. You helped him with his brand. You helped him. He went to West Brom. He's then gone to Coventry. He's a fantastic guy. Can't hold the order, Gary. We should get him on. I wish the buy-out was a little bit more. Oh, do we have a sell-on, actually? Right, there you go. Well done. Thank you, Brandon.

1:27:16Steven Gerrard: Sammy, would he come on and stick to football? He was subbed for Sol for a few days, wasn't he? He was, wasn't he? Yeah. He wasn't a regular. He wasn't a regular. He's called Coventry winner. I shouldn't have Sol. I think he won. I think he won. I think he won. I think he won. I think he won. Coventry. No, Brandon. No, he won. We'd have gone up that season if we kept him. Yeah, well. Get him to the bench. Shall we go something different? Yeah. Yeah, at all. I think Derby. One, one. One, yes, good one. One, one, two. Just so that we can try and get some points. Man City, Liverpool. Liverpool, we're going to chat.

1:27:48Steven Gerrard: Liverpool, we'll do. This is a big one. I think City, I think. On a roll, it's got to be City. Liverpool, you think City, wouldn't you? No, I think City. You know what the worst performance I've seen in the last... Liverpool at Forest. I know I've gone back about six, seven, eight weeks. Do you know, Ro, your statement about Liverpool saying they're the worst champions I've seen actually isn't... Look, it's a harsh statement. I didn't say they're the worst champions. I said they're bad champions. Yeah, bad champions. It's not looking like a bad statement. Thanks, Gary. No, you said it early. You said it like three months in.

1:28:19Steven Gerrard: That's what I do. I don't know. I'm not waiting for this happen like everybody else. It's called predicting. That's what he does. He does it early. Who's first? I think City win 3-1. It's our goal, doesn't it? Oh, it's your goal, sorry. No. 2-1. 2-3. We'll go 3-1. Number 2-1. 2-1 City. 2-1. Yeah, we'll go 3-1. It'll be 2-1. It'll be 2-0, then Liverpool will score. And then Liverpool will be desperate trying to get back into it, and then City go and do it. That's right. 3-1. I'm a little tired of that. Yeah. Oh, Chelsea Port Vale. This is our one. Liam, we're on. Chelsea 3-0. Wow. No, we give them 4-0.

1:28:58We give them 4-0. 4-0 Chelsea. Really? It's a tough game, this one. Southampton, Arsenal. Southampton, Arsenal. Oh, it's a tough one. I should get Marvise because I have family ties with this. I think there's going to be... I think there's Nick's... Because they're doing well on that Southend. I'm going to go... We'll beat them 2-1, I think. 2-3-1. Do you think? No, you're going to give them a goal. Southampton are flying. I'm giving them a young goal. Yeah, they're doing well. 2-1. You want 2-1? No, I wouldn't get... 2-0. 3-1. No, no goal. 2-0. We give Arsenal 2-0. 2-0, Arsenal. I would have gone 1-1.

1:29:30Yeah, we'll go 3-0. Arsenal 3-0. No, I'd go two up then. That's pretty easy. Super 6.

1:29:36Steven Gerrard: Well done. Thank you. Well done. That was a good one. Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing. Let's talk about England, Stevie. How do you feel about your England career? I mean, obviously you played exactly the same time as me nearly in terms of mirroring it a little bit later, but how do you feel about your England career now when you look back? Yeah, a bit frustrated. Missed opportunities. loved representing England loved playing the games and loved being in the training competing against all the players to see where I was at and stuff you know I loved all that side but I hated the hotels hated them the camps yeah I mean Michael and Robbie and Mac early on used to get in some of the squads so we had a little bit of a Liverpool group but it was very clicky early on it was like Man United table, Arsenal table Liverpool table so I was very young and just a little bit in awe of everyone back then I know Shearer's there and Tony Adams' and what have you so I was a little bit nervous around that group because I was still very young and then as I moved on and become obviously less Liverpool players were getting into the squad I think Robbie and Maka weren't getting into squads then so I didn't ever feel like it was a team winning England I just felt like it was a group of individuals really I'm not someone who can watch the telly or films or box sets really so I get bored a lot in the rooms want to get out of the room and it just felt like there was a lot of room time with England and a lot of dead time and I struggled with it a little bit but I used to love playing on the training side of it and the competing side of it but yeah missed opportunities and frustration because the quality of the players I think we should have done a lot better we collectively should have done more to come together and be a better team and a better group and better mates to give us a better chance but I felt like everyone going to England just wants to do well themselves and as long as I'm in the team as long as I get a goal I think it was a lot ego a bit of ego Do you still feel your rivals do you still feel you're up against rivals Yeah definitely because we were playing Chelsea every five minutes wasn't we and you know going to war with them on the pitch and falling out and arguing with JT and Lampard and then soon and then later you're having cake and custard with them It's hard isn't it It's different different dynamics isn't it different dynamics I think club rivalry definitely bled into the England squad because I mean back round that time That's what Garrett's done I think recently which has took it to the next level and so seeing that from the outside as an ex-player I think well if we'd have done that I think it might have given us a better chance but I did feel even some of the managers it was about just let's pick the best names and put them in and hope it works a little bit Was there a last time back then?

1:32:15Obviously there's international breaks there was a memory sometimes you get down on Sunday night you're playing Wednesday wouldn't you? You'll have two sessions together maybe and then it creates some spirits difficult Yeah it is but Gareth's done it better than what it's been before so yeah but as I say in terms of like how I played for England performances and stuff maybe not to the level that I had done with Liverpool you know I'm not trying to shift blame or point fingers or anything because I'm my own worst critic when I don't play well or I don't hit my level I know myself

1:32:44Steven Gerrard: but you said before I'm not going to ask the age old question the most boring question in football is the one around how do you get Scholes Gerrard and Lampard who's the best but not who's the best how do you get them into the same team and if you remember in 2004 Scholes he ends up just sort of but that's the problem because maybe none of us are a real recognised Maca-Lelly type that sits in there and mops up and does the dirty thing and stuff and they did try try it all I think it must have been a case of a manager just being big enough to pick the right players the right team the right system and tactics and go from there but it just felt like I'd get put out on the left or Scolzi get put out on the left and it didn't really I'd love to see Glenn Odell with that I'd love to see Glenn Odell with that oh gosh everything that happened Glen Odderwood that bunch of guys jeez I also think as well like when the media get old of something or there's an opinion it sticks because there was times when we won and won comfortable and we played alright in certain games but no everyone wanted this debate and this thing that we can't play together you know and I suppose once that's in the media it's going to stick you know did you feel like I felt that it was you're a Liverpool player first and an England player second, whereas I think quite a lot, some players play, say for instance maybe, I think Tottenham, West Ham, maybe clubs, maybe in London sometimes, they feel like an England player and their club is equal maybe, but I think definitely for me and certainly I don't know for you, Liverpool, Manchester United were first, they were our priority and Liverpool was almost, I love playing for my country, but it was a bonus almost.

1:34:19Yeah, no, I'm the same, I'm definitely more in, well, 100%, I'm in that camp here. Liverpool was the bread and butter priority, My dad used to always say that to me. Liverpool's the club. If you get picked for England, great. You want to be in the England team, you want to go and obviously play and represent England. And as I say, I loved playing for England. I loved the training and stuff. But Liverpool was always a priority. Do you think that's like a note of things? Sometimes you realise, let's use some examples, like Rio or Joe Cole or Frank, or when you ask them when they were kids what you want to do, it's always like play for England.

1:34:52For me, it would have been like win the FA Cup or win the league. you know as a young kid hoping to make it the dream is never to play for England really I don't know I don't know if it was like a even as a not just being a player even as a kid as a fan being brought up in Liverpool and Liverpool being as great as they were if you're brought up in Liverpool and you're growing up the first thing you want is Liverpool what was you like righty what was you like when I was young England always wanted to play for England I think it's because even watching when I was younger watching Keegan and watching them lot play for England you know England not qualifying for the World Cups and I always wanted to play for England.

1:35:27What about you, Ray? My mindset would have bombed was to try and get England to play for a team because then you'd get the rewards on the back of that. Yeah, yeah. I'd say like a bonus. Yeah, you get the rewards. Obviously, the whole idea to play well for your club, you get selected for your country. What about in the ladies' game? Yeah, I think the women's, yeah, England was priority. Throughout my club, every decision was to prioritise playing for England, but that might be the difference. Yeah, but when I look at my situation as well, Joe, because I wasn't involved and I'd know as many clubs.

1:35:56Yeah, of course. And you're Liverpool when you're younger. And there's so many clubs in London as well. Exactly, so many clubs. So it was always England was the one for me.

1:36:05Steven Gerrard: There are exceptions, but Liverpool players haven't had a great relationship maybe with England. If you look over the last 50, 60 years, I mean, obviously there are exceptions to that, what I'm just saying, but it feels to me like, you know, John Barnes had a difficult relationship, Trent Alexander had obviously a difficult relationship. Players, you know what I mean, in terms of sort of just that, you know, the great teams that Liverpool have had. I mean you've played obviously over 100 times Stevie so it's not quite the same but is it harder to come from Liverpool and I think be an England sort of what will be well when you think of Michael Owen it was almost he was almost respected by Liverpool fans rather than loved and I think a lot of that was because it almost felt like he became England's player on the back of that World Cup it's like no he's our player he's not your player you're borrowing him you know what I mean but it was almost this feeling that it was like he was the country's player and I think that probably played into a little bit of the thing that he was never really loved by Liverpool support because Liverpool is that city and is that club of us against the word it's we're scouts we're not England you know that type of sort of mentality Wayne where would Wayne be on that Wayne Rooney would Wayne have been do you think he was I think certain players become that big for England they always become England players like a Gary Lineker Wayne would have been after Michael the next hole play we're going to build it around Wayne Wayne was phenomenal for England in certain games Wayne would be the best England player his mindset when he was younger like you at Liverpool would Everton have been his priority Everton would have in his prior deal, Bob.

1:37:23You stole that away. Just the rewards of it, yeah.

1:37:26Steven Gerrard: Stole that everything out of him. When I went to knock on his door, he opened the door.

1:37:32Steven Gerrard: By the way, I was listening to you before saying you were lonely and you were in. You should let me in a bit more, shouldn't you? I know he was lonely. Wayne Elbert loads of that. Get around here for an hour, a bit of banter. Listen to Wazza for an hour. Right, we're going to finish with a game of Mr and Mrs. You two. So who knows more about each other between Stevie and Cara? first goal was against so who was Stevie's first goal against oh Copendeader for him Copendeader who was that that was Villa yeah was your Sheffield Wednesday yeah at home at the Anfield Road and he ran that run past Des Walker yeah never beat Des Walker never beat Des Sheffield Wednesday yeah you never said who did he score at the head or did you say Villa oh right Villa I wasn't sure if it was an OG We're going to have like a celebration of your age.

1:38:23So you're going to say an OG.

1:38:25Steven Gerrard: So, Stevie, yours was 5th of December 1999. Cara, yours was 18th of January. 1997. 1997. I was at the game in the cup. His memory is mental. His memory's mad. First time captain of the club. Bit tougher. That's really tough.

1:38:47Yours, I wouldn't know. I wouldn't know, Jamie. I'm not 100 % certain. Is it mine or European game? No. No, I tell you what, I know what mine is. I know what mine is. I know. You can't give yours. No, no. I didn't know mine. I'm trying to get mine. I didn't know what to get his. I'll give you a clue on mine. Mine was a European game as well. Was it? Was it a white kit? Was it a white game? It was at home. It must have been UEFA Cup, wasn't Champions League? It was UEFA Cup, yeah. Yeah. Not a recognised team either. Was it a 2004? Three. Three, it would have been, yeah. I haven't got a clue. Mine was Man City at home.

1:39:25Don't buy it. Was it Man City at home?

1:39:27Steven Gerrard: Yeah. He won 3-2. Man City at home, the 9th of September 2000. 3-2, he won. Stevie, when was yours? Do you know the team? No. European game? Stevie's. It was 15th of October 2003. You answered eight years ago. First England cap. back when was your first England cap oh so I'm asking I remember yours I think well it's an end I've just given him a clue haven't I before oh I think you wear a red kit yeah is it a South American team he definitely knows it no I do is it a South American team I love how he dresses them no you're a guy in my head it's is it Shevchenko's team yeah Ukraine Correct When was Cara's first thing I've got a clue I've got a clue So remember So remember So honestly Hungry away 28th of April 1999 Hungry away Yeah First car You should know this from him Why would you know that It was funny Actually he had a Lexus I remember that car Cass's Lexus Jesus What kind of jeans was he wearing players players players back then yours was a my first car was a Honda concerto yeah Honda I love it I can steady remember it now yeah right final question you know what I always remember when we went into buying a Honda yeah I was with my dad I'm only about 17 cash the fella said how much have you got to how much have you got to spend he said what the fuck's I got to do with you

1:41:14how much you got to spend do you always say that how much you got to spend because it's birthday

1:41:20Steven Gerrard: when is each other's birthday oh god yours is January is yeah I'm sure the exact date might be yours is the 30th of is that the number right yeah June no July no May yeah

1:41:37Steven Gerrard: 30th of May it is January I'm not sure it is January 19, things about, or... No. No. 28th of January. Eve. Yeah. Yeah. Last question, what was the best advice you've ever received, Steve? We asked this at the end. See if someone comes up with a pearler. Probably from my Arthur and my brother when I said to you, when I sat down with them and they said, look, what's going to be more important for you here? Take everything away. Stay at the pub. Not mine that'll walk you back down these lines. No, no, no. Steve, thank you so much for coming on. Pleasure. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

1:42:12Steven Gerrard: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

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