Steven Gerrard commits his future to Liverpool
The speculation surrounding the future of Steven Gerrard seems to have finally ended, with the Liverpool captain committing his future to his childhood club.
Gerrard had signed a deal with The Reds last season that meant he was going to stay till 2013, but still numerous rumours and speculations were making the rounds that he was on his way out.
Stevie-G as he is known had a meeting with the new boss Roy Hodgson and it is believed that he has decided to stay.
The England midfielder said that he wanted to meet the manager himself, and now that he has he is very optimistic and happy about the plans the manager has. He said he has always loved Liverpool and wants nothing but success for his beloved club. Gerrard added that the plans that Hodgson has, if implemented properly, can take Liverpool to new heights, and he wants to be part of that process.
Gerrard who captained England in the 2010 World Cup said that he has just made his way back to training after having rest since returning from South Africa. He added that he wants to forget about what happened in the World Cup and cannot wait for the season to begin.
The Liverpool captain was strongly linked with a move to Spain; Jose Mourinho the new Real Madrid manager had expressed his desire to have him there. Lack of trophies at Anfield was believed to be the reason he was looking elsewhere, and Mourinho being keen to sign him meant that it was a likely deal.
Gerrard finally broke his silence about his future and this would reassure the Liverpool fans. He said that he only wanted to concentrate on the World Cup, and was not thinking about the future of his Premier League career in the last couple of months. He added that now that he has had his rest and the World Cup is over he is fully focused on the upcoming season.
Roy Hodgson the man who replaced Rafael Benitez as Liverpool manager was delighted by Gerrard’s decision, and said that it is amazing news and one he was hoping for.
Hodgson said that it was imperative for him and the club that Gerrard stayed put. He added that a player like him is not replaceable, and now that he is staying his plans for the club can be carried out accordingly.
Roy went on to say that Gerrard is a player who can inspire the whole team, especially in trying circumstances a team desperately needs a captain to look up to.
The former Fulham manager said that Liverpool had a testing season last time, and it is very important that the club gets a good start this season. Hodgson continued by saying that the news of him staying would definitely not only make the fans happy but his fellow players would also take a lot of heart from it.
Roy made it clear that the upcoming season will not be easy, he said that it will take time to undo the damage done last season. The manager was hoping that Gerrard will assist him in carrying out the strategies throughout the season.
He emphasized on the importance of a good relation between the manager and captain and said that he already feels great about his captain so the season should go according to plan.
Liverpool has a rich history in the league, having won 18 league titles but ever since the era of Premier League they have not been able to muster a serious title challenge.
Under Rafa Benitez all they got was a Champion’s League win in 2005 and later on the FA cup. What the reds want most is the Premier League title, if Hodgson and Gerrard can deliver that this season it would be a historic year for Liverpool.
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