Steven Gerrard admits fear over first-team football at Liverpool was the main reason he made decision to leave boyhood club
- Steven Gerrard has announced he will leave Liverpool this summer
- Liverpool offered Gerrard a new deal in November but he turned it down
- Gerrard recalls key conversation with Brendan Rodgers
- Reds boss wasn't able to guarantee captain first-team football at Anfield
- Gerrard wants a new challenge and will move to a club in America
Steven Gerrard has admitted in an emotional interview that the fear of no longer being a regular starter for Liverpool swayed his decision to leave at the end of the season.
Gerrard, 34, has decided to head for America's MLS at the end of the season rather than stay at his hometown club which he first joined as an eight-year-old.
There has been plenty of conjecture about why Gerrard, regarded alongside Kenny Dalglish as the club's greatest player, would leave and whether Liverpool could have done more to keep him.
Steven Gerrard recalls a key conversation with Brendan Rodgers which swayed his mind to leave Liverpool
Steven Gerrard (centre) warms up during Liverpool's training session at Melwood on Saturday morning
Gerrard prepares for an FA Cup clash against AFC Wimbledon after announcing his decision to leave Liverpool
Liverpool's captain stretches with Jordan Henderson (left) and Emre Can (centre) at Melwood
Gerrard has confirmed he will leave Liverpool for a club in America, with LA Galaxy favourites to sign him
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists he wanted to keep Gerrard at the club next season
But Gerrard tried to put the record straight by saying in an interview with the club's official website: 'I think the key conversation or moment was with the manager when he sat me down not so long ago and said it was time to manage my games for me and for the team.'
I’m bright enough to realise it is the right thing for everyone, but when you’ve been a starter and a mainstay in the team for such a long time, it was a very difficult conversation to have with the manager.'
'I accept it and I’ll continue to give everything I’ve got, whether I’m starting, coming off the bench or whatever, but that was the key conversation that swung me to deciding to come away for a short while.'
Gerrard admitted it had been a difficult 24 hours following his decision to leave his beloved Liverpool.
Gerrard gives a thumbs up as he leaves Liverpool's Melwood training centre on Friday afternoon
Liverpool skipper Gerrard slots home the first of his two penalties against Leicester City on New Year's Day
'I’m not going to lie, it’s been an emotional 24 hours for myself and my family, but there are still six months to go and I’ve still got plenty to try and achieve, so I am trying to keep my focus on that,' he said.
'There’ll be plenty of time for tears and sentiment come the end of the season. It’s been a tough 24 hours and I’ve had to do some tough things that I’d never really thought of doing for a long, long time.
'Now that it’s real, it’s a bit of a strange feeling.'It’s raw and it will be from now until the end of the season. The messages of support I’ve had from the fans, players, staff, media and people who I’ve worked with for a long time has blown me away. That’s when I’ve started getting emotional.
Gerrard, pictured in action against Leicester, will join a Major League Soccer team in America
'But I need to be strong and hold them back because I’m not going yet and I still see this six months as a very important period for myself and the team.
'So I need to be strong, keep playing and after the next couple of days I need to just focus on performances.'It’s been a fantastic relationship with the supporters – so strong. I’m one of the luckiest people in the world to have that.'
Gerrard also said he wasn't sure yet if we would return one day as a coach or manager. 'I’ll only come back and serve the club if I feel as if I can help. I’ll always be a fan, of course, no matter what happens in the future.'
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