By Graeme Yorke
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Steven Gerrard has said for the first time that he would like to become Liverpool manager.
The England captain, who will lead his nation out at Wembley against Moldova on Friday night, admits he has been forced to consider his advancing years after watching Jamie Carragher retire from playing at the end of last season.
And while Carragher has taken up some high-profile media work as a columnist here at Sportsmail and as a pundit for Sky Sports, Gerrard sees himself doing his badges and becoming a manager – at Anfield.
VIDEO Scroll down to watch Steven Gerrard: England can lift the nation
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Twilight: At 33, Gerrard is coming to the end of his career, but is still a pivotal player for Liverpool
In an interview with Sky Sports News anchor presenter Hayley McQueen in twentyfour7 Football magazine, the 33-year-old said: 'The dream come true would be to manage Liverpool, when the Liverpool job becomes available.
'There are world-class managers there ready already but we'll have to wait and see, it would be the icing on the cake.
'When you get to a certain age… my age, you need to start thinking seriously about a life after football.
'I just signed a one-year extension, I need to start planning for the future. I am planning on doing my badges and qualifications over the next 12 months.
In the hot seat: Rodgers, who has started this season off flying, will be hard to move any time soon
Bossing it: Gerard Houllier (left) departed in 2004, while Rafa Benitez (right) was in charge until 2010
Anfield hero: Gerrard burst on to the scene at the end of the 1990s, and has played 634 times for Liverpool
'I definitely see myself as a manager rather than a coach, but that could change. I remember speaking to Jamie Carragher and he really fancied it but he's decided media is what he wants to do.
'It's strange seeing him on Sky but I'm really delighted he's doing it… He can leave managing Liverpool to me!'
England face Moldova at Wembley followed by a second crunch World Cup qualifier in Ukraine on Tuesday and with Liverpool sitting pretty at the top of the Barclays Premier League, Gerrard continues to be an authority on the game.
He declares his Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez, currently banned for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic, the finest player in England.
Been and gone: Roy Hodgson (left) managed Liverpool for just half a season, while former player Kenny Dalglish (right) had a tough time during his 16 months in charge at Anfield
Leading role: Gerrard became Liverpool captain in 2003, taking over from Sami Hyypia
Gerrard said: 'Suarez is the best player in the league in my opinion. You also don't get much better in the league than (Eden) Hazard at Chelsea too, Suarez though he is a pleasure to play with, he's a magician. Messi and Ronaldo outside England, yes, but for me Suarez is up there at the top.
'RVP has also had an unbelievable season – I maybe wasn't expecting that – and (Santi) Cazorla too, another one, gosh, you can go on.'
Gerrard goes on to dispel the rumour that the only club to have tried to tempt him from his boyhood club is Chelsea. There were many others he says.
'I've openly admitted there have been times where my head has been turned,' he adds in the magazine, which hits the shelves today.
'There has been interest from other clubs – people think that's been Chelsea on a couple of occasions but it actually hasn't. For the last eight–10 years clubs have tried to move me away from Liverpool, lots of clubs, European clubs mainly, and it has been a consistent thing every summer.'
- Read the full interview with Steven Gerrard in the October issue of twentyfour7 Football available now on shelves and online CLICK HERE
Cover star: Liverpool captain Steven Gerarrd
Reverse: Gerrard drawn by the brilliant Paul Trevillion
No choice really, when he tried to leave Liverpool he was the victim of death threats. He'll have to stay.
- mart , manchester, United Kingdom, 07/9/2013 12:15
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