Steven Gerrard has admitted he would have signed a new contract with Liverpool had it been offered to him in the summer.
Gerrard was not offered an extension to his current deal until late November, and announced last week he will be moving to America when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The 34-year-old insisted he has no ill-feeling towards the club’s handling of the situation however, claiming he has lived his dreams during his spell as Liverpool captain.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Gerrard said: “It’s been an emotional few days for my family and myself since I made the announcement and I think it’s been the same for a lot of the supporters.
“It’s been difficult but I needed to snap out of it quickly because there are important games to be played. There is still a lot to be achieved this season.”
Gerrard revealed earlier in the week a conversation with Brendan Rodgers over his playing time was the main factor in his decision.
“I’ve got to be honest, that chat with Brendan came earlier than I was expecting,” he said.
“It was about a month before that he first mentioned to me about managing my game time. We had another chat on the subject recently – 10 days to two weeks ago.
“It was tough but I understood. It’s been very amicable. Everyone knows how much I rate Brendan. Our relationship is very good.
“There hasn’t been a cross word between us. Brendan has been fantastic for me. My only regret is that I didn’t get to work with him at a younger age.
“There is no finger pointing from me towards the manager or anyone else at the club.
“From a professional point of view, everyone knows what I’m like and what I want.
“Since I was 16, 17 years of age, the moment I come into work on a Monday morning my preparations begin to play 90 minutes the following weekend.
“That’s the buzz. I’ve always worked hard all week to prepare and make sure my performance is right come the weekend.
“When it gets to the stage where you don’t know if you’re going to be starting or not it becomes different.
“I’ve never wanted to be a squad player. If I was missing games now, I’d be sitting out even more next season. I knew it would get worse and worse as time went on.”
Gerrard went on to admit he would have signed a new contract with Liverpool had it been offered to him in the summer, having just retired from international duty as England captain.
“Yes, if a contract had been put in front of me in pre-season I would have signed it,” he said.
“I’d just retired from England to concentrate all my efforts on Liverpool. I didn’t want my club games to be tailored.
“My injury record had been fantastic for the past two and a half years and I had a great season from a personal point of view last season.
“It’s all ifs, buts and hindsight now. That period between the summer and the end of November gave me thinking time.
“There’s no blame and I’m not angry about it. There are other people in the squad and the club had other things to worry about.
“Liverpool Football Club have been unbelievable for me since I was eight years old. This club has helped me fulfil my dreams over and over again.
“The memories and experiences I’ve had over the past 26 years I wouldn’t swap for anything in the world.
“I’m a very lucky boy and I am also proud of what I’ve given back – the sacrifices, the dedication and the loyalty.
“I enjoy a very strong relationship with Liverpool Football Club and I don’t see that coming to an end. I hope to serve the club again one day.”
