Galaxy’s Steven Gerrard says he’s happy here and Liverpool comments were misunderstood
Steven Gerrard would like to make a few things perfectly clear, starting with the fact that he’s happy to be in Southern California, happier still to be with the Galaxy and has no desire to play for Liverpool, the English Premier League team he captained for 12 years.
“Listen, if I weren’t happy here and I didn’t want to be here, trust me, I’d make it loud and clear,” Gerrard said after Friday’s training session at the StubHub Center. “But I do. I’m happy, settled and I’m really looking forward to representing the Galaxy through the end of the season.”
All that was called into question by comments Gerrard made about Liverpool and its new coach, Juergen Klopp, during a video chat with BT Sports ahead of this week’s Europa League final between Liverpool and Sevilla. According to Josh Guesman’s “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast, Gerrard, speaking from his home in Beverly Hills, said, “I would love to be on the pitch playing in the final. In better circumstances, I would love to be sitting alongside the boys....
“I’m sitting here now about to watch this game, and not only do I wish I was playing for Liverpool, but I wish I was playing for Juergen Klopp.... He’s a manager you would love to play for.” (Here’s a link to the podcast: cornerofthegalaxy.com/2016/05/19/cog-gerrard-says-things-la-galaxy-salaries-san-jose. The Gerrard comments are at the end.)
The reaction of some Galaxy supporters was immediate, hostile and, according to Gerrard, completely off base.
“As a player, any player in the world, would love to play in the Europa League final,” he said. “It’s a great occasion. And any player who’s a big fan of Juergen Klopp would like the experience of playing for Juergen Klopp. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to be where I am now.”
In fact Gerrard, who played his last game for Liverpool a year ago next week, is playing inspired soccer for the Galaxy, notching either a goal or an assist in each of his last four games. The Galaxy, riding an eight-game unbeaten streak, won three of those four games.
So his focus now, he says, is on winning a title in Los Angeles and not on anything taking place in Liverpool.
“I want to talk about now, in the present, and that’s basically the club, the Galaxy, fighting for the sixth MLS [Cup],” he said. “I’m all for it. I’m buying into it.”
“People take one line and they twist it and they take it out of context,” he added.
The Galaxy are expecting a sellout Sunday when they meet the San Jose Earthquakes at 4 p.m. at the StubHub Center.
Follow Kevin Baxter on Twitter: @kbaxter11
