Danny Murphy insists he's never bought the theory Steven Gerrard left Rangers to strengthen his bid to become the Liverpool boss in-waiting.
It comes after Aston Villa called time on the Anfield icon's dreary 11 months in charge amid fan angst and ropey results. Gerrard struggled to win over hearts and minds in the Midlands and was met with fury from travelling supporters at Fulham in his final match in charge. Murphy believes his former Kop team-mate can come again when the right opportunity presents itself to Gerrard who earned acclaim at Ibrox for winning the club's 55th league title.
However, the 43-year-old pundit doesn't buy Gerrard's hasty exit from Rangers last November - weeks after his now infamous 'do I look happy?' TV interview - was motivated by a desire to accelerate a return to Anfield as Jurgen Klopp 's successor by reawakening Villa and turning them into bonafide contenders. He is covinced other factors were at play.
Speaking in his Mail on Sunday column, Murphy said: "His prospects of being Liverpool manager look more distant today than ever but I'm not sure he was ever as obsessed with that prize as everyone else is.
"If he'd only had eyes on Anfield, he would have been better to stay at Rangers, competing in Europe and challenging for trophies every season. I suspect other reasons drove him to Villa: being in the Premier League and also having more time to spend with his young family. He's never been one to give up. I would be surprised if he's not keen to come back as a manager when the right opportunity arises. He will want to learn and become better.
"Where that chance occurs, we will have to see. It won't come quickly in the Premier League, so he may end up going on a different journey, be it dropping down a division or broadening his horizons abroad. All the best coaches have dips at some point. The Villa players were not at their best for him.
"In the end, if recruitment isn't right and players are poor, the manager will be sacrificed. Steven Gerrard will accept that but let's not think he wasted great resources. That simply wasn't the case.
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