Gerrard : I want to leave Anfield

[andre samuel]

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has insisted the club has done everything they can to keep Steven Gerrard, but are resigned to him leaving Anfield.

Gerrard has said that he wants to leave the club he supported as a boy despite The Reds apparently quenching his thirst for major trophies by winning the UEFA Champions League.

The club captain has intimated that the club's failure to open negotiations on a fresh contract until he returned for pre-season training was the major factor behind his decision to leave.

Gerrard insists he was ready to sign a new deal after lifting the European Cup in Istanbul, but he still refused a new contract when it was offered to him.

A clearly dejected Parry emerged from Anfield on Tuesday saying that they were resigned to their inspirational skipper leaving the club.

"He's made it clear that he wants to go. We've done our best and I think it looks pretty final."

Parry was particularly upset that not even conquering Europe was enough to keep Gerrard at the club - but he insisted Gerrard was not motivated by money.

"I remember sitting with him last summer and understanding his frustrations, and they were deep, because obviously it came close.

"It was all to do with perceived lack of success and we told him to stick with it and lets see what we achieve, and we thought we achieved quite a lot.

"I don't think, to be fair to Stevie, that it's an issue of money, money wasn't a problem. It was about long term commitment and feeling that this was the place he wanted to be and the place he could win trophies and in the final analysis he feels he'll do better elsewhere.

"He wanted success and presumably felt he'd get more success elsewhere so now its our job to prove him wrong."

"Rafa is very calm and very measured in his thinking, so there's time."

Parry says the club have set no deadlines on Gerrard's sale, with Chelsea and Real Madrid the only two clubs likely to be in the running.

"We're calm, we haven't put deadlines on, it wasn't our decision at the end of the day.

"I don't imagine it would be just one club, but it's early days yet."

www.skysports.com

NB: Minutes before gerrard's statement, chelsea had a 32 million pound offer for gerrard rejected by liverpool, who in turn had their new 100,000 pound a week 5 year contract offer rejected by gerrard.

It was also announced that christian vierri is now an Ac Milan player.

ah hear dat on 96.1 sports news

[Feliziano]

Liverpool seem to play a lot better when Gerrad not in the team..too much 50yard passes in a game for my liking...yeah its true he grabs the team by the scruff of the neck when they behind but the advantages  outweight the disadvanatges when hes not in the team.By selling him they can now beef up the side and then play Benitez brand of ball.
I feel Liverpool better sell to Real Madrid for bout $35 and then take Guti and Woodgate.
If they do make a deal with Chelsea then i would say take Joe Cole and Huth plus $40.

[Cowen]

They offer the man 100,000 a week to stay and he still wanna go. Money means little to these fellas again. The man feel is probably not getting challenged there and looking for a step up. Don't really blame him

[supporter]

step up? the man is afraid of the higher expectations. there is no real reason why hed leave liverpool. hes going to play champs lg so whats the big deal?

[Feliziano]

now he wants to stay..seems like hes going to do a "Vieira" every time the transfer windows opens up now lol

[Flex]

Gerrard in shock Liverpool U-turn.
 
London (AFP) - Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry said skipper Steven Gerrard had changed his mind and was staying with the club.
Liverpool turned down a 32 million pound bid from Chelsea on Tuesday after which Gerrard said he wanted to leave. But the club said on their website Wednesday that the England midfielder had now decided to stay at Anfield.
The Reds chief executive broke the amazing news as he arrived at Anfield following several late night and early morning phone calls with the Liverpool captain.
"I couldn't be more delighted," Parry told the Liverpool website.
"He has decided to stay with us because he realises how much the club means to him.
"Even when he said he was going I don't think the language he used suggested he really wanted to go. He was talking about the last few days being difficult and not being able to come back, he never actually said he wanted to go.
"Over the last 24 hours he has reflected on it, thought it through and he wants to stay."
Parry had rejected Chelsea's opening 32 million pound bid on Tuesday but the English champions, who almost signed Gerrard last year, had been expected to come back with an offer of 35 million pounds, which could have rises to almost 40 million pounds with additions.
"From our point of view it's what we wanted all along. I have apologised to Stevie if I've mis-read his emotions. I guess after Istanbul I thought I knew where we were going but he clearly thought for whatever reason that the club wasn't as enthusiastic about keeping him as we might have been. He was anxious.
"There were one or two issues with the contract which he took to mean a lack of enthusiasm on our part, which it wasn't. He understands that now. We've had some emotional moments together, cleared everything up and I don't think this will happen again.
"I don't think he's staying because he was concerned about the negative reaction. I made the point on Monday to him to think of the fans in Istanbul and ask himself how he could leave that. Obviously the last day or two hasn't been easy for him but this isn't a decision for negative reasons.
"He's found it complicated but deep down it was always a difficult decision for him to say he wanted to go. We're all absolutely thrilled and I'm more certain than ever that he's fully committed and that this is where he wants to be."

[football king]

glad to see gerard change his mind damn what he wanted 105 per week instead of 100 jeez
me a liverpool man so this is good news most succesful club in uk champions league ball good supporters 100 a week sound perfect to me.

[dwolfman]

I would have been sad to see him go, but I think Liverpool would have been fine without him. It may even have made some salary money available for players to better fit into the scheme of things.

Things are what they are though and at least for now he's still at Anfield.

[Jayerson]

I'm glad Gerrard stayed at Liverpool, after saying he would stay at the club during their CL celebrations and going back on his word would have left a bitter taste in the mouths of supporters. Also, he most likely destination would have been Chelsea or Real Madrid, haven't these clubs got enough big names already.

[andre samuel]

I would have been sad to see him go, but I think Liverpool would have been fine without him. It may even have made some salary money available for players to better fit into the scheme of things.

Things are what they are though and at least for now he's still at Anfield.

I AGREE with u.  I feel they were overeacting about his loss. they would have been fine without him.

[boss]

The £40m would have been nice...I would have liked to see Pablo Aimar in a red shirt...but I'm excited he is staying. Liverpool (the city) is split down the middle...plenty people vex with him still. But once he starts playing and scoring again, everybody will be happy.