James Milner was given the news he had been long expecting three weeks ago. Despite Jürgen Klopp wanting him to extend his eight-year stay, no offer was forthcoming and he would be free to leave Liverpool at the end of his contract.
The former England midfielder leaves with six major honours, a plethora of memories and a better idea of the coach he wants to become when he eventually retires. Others at 37 would be considering upgrading their golf clubs, but Milner is determined to carry on, even though he worries about the level of burnout in the modern game. Milner will finish his Liverpool career on Sunday at Southampton and, if rumours are to be believed, will start next season along the south coast at Brighton.
Wherever he ends up, it could be the final move of his playing career. Milner is close to completing his Uefa A coaching course and planning to move into management once he retires. He has worked under some impressive people during his career and potentially teaming up with the innovative Roberto De Zerbi would be another learning curve after doing the equivalent of a masters under Klopp.
“I am fortunate to have a few options,” Milner says. “I’ve been very fortunate to play under some unbelievable managers – some poor ones as well, so you can learn from them. Sometimes it’s important to learn off them as well as what not to do.”
After playing for more than 20 years in the Premier League, Milner has accrued extensive knowledge that will help him in the next stage of his career. “Some days you think I’d love a go at management and then other days you see a manager sign a new contract and six weeks later they get sacked and you think: ‘Um, maybe the golf course is a better option.’”
Considering he is closing in on Gareth Barry’s Premier League record of 653 matches and is seen as one of the fittest professionals in the game, Milner is worth listening to on player burnout. Milner quit international football in 2016, which may have helped prolong his club career.
“Every other year there shouldn’t be an international tournament and players should be given the full summer off, for sure,” Milner says. “How long can this go on? The intensity and the number of games. That’s something I would do, for sure – every other summer off and then you can go as full on as you want over the season but give them a break otherwise where’s it all heading?”
Regrets are few for a man who leaves Liverpool having won Champions League, Premier League, Club World Cup, FA Cup and League Cup medals there. “It would have been nice to win the Europa League final. We didn’t quite get over the line. Other than that, no [regrets]. That’s why I’m content on leaving this place, which isn’t easy. I think it’s probably very sad leaving here if you feel as if you’ve missed out or not achieved what you wanted.”
Being part of the team that turned things around at Anfield in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, after losing the first leg 3-0, will live long in the memory. Manchester City beat Leicester the night before to close on the title thanks to a Vincent Kompany “slice” from 30 yards that “99% of the time would not go in”, according to Milner. Liverpool would go on to win the Champions League trophy that season, having lost to Real Madrid in the previous final, and it would be a catalyst for their Premier League success the following year.
“The whole club contributed to that night,” Milner says. “It was Liverpool – it was the fans, the stadium, a well-coached squad, players who hadn’t played much that season to produce the performance we did. The players who got us there and then dealing with the disappointment of the night before, the year before. That was a turning point. It was our first trophy as a team, the most important one to start.”
Milner waved goodbye to Anfield last weekend with a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa. “In terms of the day it was special. Every time you walk out at Anfield it’s special. It is different because you usually celebrate wins, but this was more about the reception the boys who are leaving got.
“You feel part of something here and I feel lucky to have been in that dressing room with that group of guys. I do not feel sad. I feel content with the run I have had and what we have achieved.”
Milner will not be a Liverpool player next season but he will almost certainly be coming back for years to come, on the pitch and in the dugout.
