Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has revealed Rafa Benitez is the best manager
he played under during his glittering Anfield career, the Liverpool Echo
report.
The 36-year-old made 710 appearances for the Reds over 17 seasons, working
under five different managers in the process.
But out of Gerard Houllier, Benitez, Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish and Brendan
Rodgers, Gerrard holds the Spaniard in the highest regard.
“Rafa Benítez. Tactically the best,” Gerrard said.
“Just in general, setting a team up to play, to deliver the Champions League
with the team that we won it with was a miracle and Rafa was a big part of
that. He was incredible.
“I enjoyed working with Kenny (Dalglish), my hero and my dad’s hero. I grew
up on him. That was a strange feeling playing for one of your heroes but I
loved every minute of it.
“Brendan Rodgers was very clever, very slick on the training pitch. He would
have had a big chance for the England job, only the timings were wrong. I’ve
been lucky I’ve worked with top managers. Fabio Capello was good (for
England).”
Gerrard’s current contract with LA Galaxy expires at the end of a season he
hopes will culminate in MLS Cup glory in December.
The midfielder, who has embarked on getting his UEFA A Licence, is expected
to retire but insists nothing is cast in stone at this stage.
“I haven’t made a concrete decision,” Gerrard said. “I do know there’s not
long left. I’m just waiting to see what happens and taking it week by week,
seeing the last few months out of this season.
“I haven’t sat down with the Galaxy to speak about my future. It’s a bit up
in the air at the moment.”
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