Excerpts from Steven Gerrard's autobiography - My Story

Steven Gerrard in his last home match for Liverpool against Crystal PalaceWhile Steven Gerrard – former Liverpool skipper, may be spending the twilight of his career in the Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy, the golden years of his career were undoubtedly spent with the Reds of Merseyside. He was always known for being ‘one club man’ in a period where football players get easily swayed by money and success offered by top clubs. The former England International and Liverpool midfielder needs no introduction as he is regarded among football’s finest players. Gifted with pace, vision, strength, technique – Gerrard had everything in his locker to attract attention from the top clubs all over Europe. Former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson labeled him as 'the most influential player in England, bar none' and suggested that 'anyone would love to have Gerrard in their team'.However, despite all the interest and offers received from top teams, Gerrard stayed loyal to his boyhood team – Liverpool football club, where he paid his service for seventeen years. No doubt, being a professional player he must have been tempted to seek out for greener pastures with the club's lack of silverware and major honors in the past two decades. But they say money and success can't buy happiness which he received from the Anfield faithful, be it on a Champions League night or Premier League derby – he was a clear fan favorite.A player of Gerrard's caliber is rare to find in the modern game and we could well be seeing the last of its kind. A midfield dynamo with passion and commitment for the club was what earned Stevie G worldwide recognition. He was well respected by his teammates and coaches for the level of professionalism he has shown both in training and match days. The 35-year-old recently released an autobiography, My Story, parts of which are currently being shared by the Daily Mail. Stevie G has revealed few highlights of his career in the book, here’s a look at some of the memorable excerpts from the book during the time he spent with Liverpool.

#1 Gerrard - Liverpool\'s \"secret agent\"

Gerrard made an attempt to lure Willian to Anfield

Steven Gerrard has revealed that he was instructed to speak to high-profile transfer targets every summer during his spell with Liverpool. The Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers handed the task to the former captain in high hopes that being contact by the England midfielder might act as a lure, Sky Sports reports.

"It was the same ritual every summer. The club would let me know which long-shot target they had in mind and ask me to contact him," Gerrard said.

"In 2013, the latest player in our sights was Willian, the Brazilian midfielder. Instead of calling directly, I always sent a text. It was the opening move in a familiar game.”

Willian had already made up his mind to join the Blues, but the Brazillian remained courteous to the Liverpool skipper’s request.

"The next text from Willian was so obvious I could have written it for him, even before I read it. He again said that it would be great to play in the same team as me but 'I'm not sure Liverpool can give me the Champions League'. He went to Chelsea,” Gerrard wrote.

The 35-year-old then went on to ridicule Liverpool’s optimistic attempt to pursue a World Cup winner.

He wrote: "Our target in 2014 was ridiculously optimistic. Brendan (Rogers, Liverpool manager) asked me to take a crack at trying to talk Toni Kroos into signing for Liverpool. I knew Real Madrid were gearing up to make Bayern Munich an offer and so I felt a bit awkward when I texted Kroos. But God loves a trier and so I gave it a whirl.”

"Some of the best footballers in the world can also be the most respectful. Kroos did not make me feel like I was a total idiot. But, of course, he would soon sign for Real,” he added.

#2 Hidden rivalry between Suarez and Sturridge

Suarez and Sturridge shared 55 goals between them in 2013/14 season.

Steven Gerrard has come out and shared a hidden secret in the Liverpool dressing room about the rivalry existing between Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez, according to Mirror. The ‘SAS’ partnership proved to be a devastating attacking force for the Premier League clubs to deal with in the 2013/14 season - when the duo combined to score a total of 55 goals for Liverpool.

This was however short lived when the Uruguayan striker was sold to Barcelona for £75 million in the following season. The Kopites were devastated to see Suarez leave Anfield, but Gerrard has revealed that Sturridge may not have felt the same when his partner left for Nou Camp.

The former Liverpool captain has admitted the fact that there existed a simmering rivalry between the two forwards. While Suarez could be a generous teammate on the pitch, his generosity did not always extend to his strike partner

The excerpt goes: “On March 13, 2012 I scored a hat-trick at Anfield against Everton. It was the first hat-trick in 30 years of Merseyside derbies, since Ian Rush scored three at Goodison Park in 1982. It was made even better by the selfless magic Suarez sprinkled over me that night. Luis is no saint — and I’m not sure he would have done the same for Daniel Sturridge. There was always a little bit of needling rivalry between Sturridge and Suarez.”

#3 On \"the slip\"

Gerrard on his knees after conceding a goal against Chelsea which ended their title hopes in 2013/14.

Liverpool’s hopes of winning the league title since 1990 was ironically left in their beloved captain’s hands, but it dramatically took a U-turn when Gerrard’s slip allowed then Chelsea striker Demba Ba through on goal and score the opener in a 2-0 victory. It was a heartbreaking experience for Kopites all over the world, but most importantly it left scars on Gerrard, who has revealed for the first time what his emotions were when Manchester City went on to claim the Premier League title in 2013/14.

The 35-year-old discussed the heartache of that infamous tumble and the opportunities that came his way before leaving Anfield earlier this year, as per the reports on Independent.

“I sat in the back of the car and felt the tears rolling down my face, I hadn't cried for years but, on the way home, I couldn't stop. The tears kept coming. I can't even tell you if the streets were thick with traffic or as empty as I was on the inside. It was killing me.”

“I felt numb, like I had lost someone in my family. It was as if my whole quarter of a century at this football club poured out of me. I did not even try to stem the silent tears as the events of the afternoon played over and over again in my head.”

He then added: “A simple pass rolled towards me near the halfway line. It was a nothing moment, a lull in our surge to the title. I moved to meet the ball. It slid under my foot. The twist came then. I slipped. I fell to the ground.”

“The ball was swept away and the devastating Chelsea attack began. I clambered to my feet and ran with all my heart. I chased Demba Ba as though my life depended on it. I knew the outcome if I couldn't catch him. But it was hopeless. I couldn't stop him. Ba scored. It was over.”

#4 On Jose Mourinho

Gerrard has been Mourinho’s long-term admirer

In his autobiography, My Story, Gerrard has admitted that he would have love to play under Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, as he had opportunities to unite with the coach at several stages of his career, ESPN reports.

It’s no surprise Stevie G was linked with a move to Chelsea in Mourinho’s first tenure at Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea manager has been a long-term admirer of the former England midfielder and even apart from his almost transfer to Chelsea, the Portugal national made several attempts to sign him at the teams he managed in the past – Inter Milan and Real Madrid. However, the Liverpool legend passed on the opportunity to work under Mourinho, but he has admitted that Liverpool would have love to have him at Anfield.

"It was clear that, tactically, he could set up his team to win any football match... because he was a pure winner. But, more than that, he created a special bond with each squad he managed. You heard it in the way his players spoke about him. You saw it in the way they played for him.”

"For me, the ideal situation would obviously have been for Mourinho to have managed Liverpool. He was linked with a move to Anfield a couple of times but it never materialised. I know I'm biased, but I think it would have been a perfect match.”

"The Liverpool fans would have loved him and he would have known exactly how to turn that love into adoration. He always told me about his deep respect for our supporters. Jose would have had a fantastic time bringing huge success to Liverpool."

#5 The 38-second red card

Gerrard played was red carded in his last match against United

The Liverpool legend’s last derby game against their fiercest rivals Manchester United didn’t go according to script as he was given early marching orders for a stamp on United’s Ander Herrera. Surely, Gerrard would have love to lead his team to a stunning victory before he bid farewell to English football’s biggest rivalry.

He has revealed that he felt like a “caged animal” on the day, after he was shown red in 38 seconds into the second-half of the game, Mirror reports.

"On the morning of the game, I felt like a caged animal, the anger in the caged animal grew and grew," the 35-year-old said.

“We had stood off United in the first half and made very few tackles. It went against everything built into my DNA. Tackling and collisions mattered against Manchester United. Less than a minute after the restart, he was gone.”

He later added: "Without even giving myself time to think I brought my left foot stamping down on Herrera. I felt my studs sink into his flesh just above the ankle.”

"As I left the pitch I asked myself: 'What have you just done? Are you f****** stupid?'"

Brendan and his Red army played the rest of the second half with 10 men – suffering a 2-1 defeat.