Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is "nervous and anxious" about returning to Anfield as a youth team coach but insists he is filled with excitement about the new role.
Two-and-a-half years after leaving Liverpool, the club he joined aged nine, Gerrard is set to make his return in February, beginning his career as a coach at the development level.
The former England captain, who spent two seasons in America's Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy, says his ultimate dream is to become manager at Anfield.
"Liverpool are prepared to help me an awful lot," the 36-year-old told the BBC. "They want to help me to become a better coach or a better manager.
"With me and Liverpool there will always be an emotional pull. But the decision to go back as a coach and what that entails, I couldn't really make that decision based on sentiment or emotion because I'd have been doing it for the wrong reasons."
Gerrard added: "I'm very excited but at the same time a little bit nervous and a little bit anxious because it's a brand new role, one that I'm really looking forward to getting my teeth into."
Jurgen Klopp, the current Liverpool manager, is struggling with a recent dip in form, having won just once in seven matches.
Klopp's team hosts Wolves at Anfield for the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
