Gerrard, who has made a strong start to his managerial career at Rangers, has been widely tipped to become the next Liverpool boss. The stars even looked to have aligned when both he and Klopp agreed contract extensions until 2024 within days of each other.
In theory, the timing would be perfect for Gerrard to move on from Ibrox and inherit the reins at Anfield, with the added benefit of several more seasons of experience under his belt.
Even Klopp has tipped Gerrard to succeed him, telling FourFourTwo back in September: “If Liverpool were to sack me tomorrow, then maybe Kenny [Dalglish] would be the first choice to replace me, but they would probably bring Stevie down from Glasgow.”
But despite Klopp’s kind words, Gerrard knows it would have to be a careful decision.
“I wouldn’t take the Liverpool job just because of what Jurgen said. I am mature enough to know that I have to be ready for the Liverpool job,” he told Jamie Carragher’s Greatest Game podcast.
“Just by Jurgen saying it, it’s very flattering because of who he is, and there is a lot of people out there that naturally think that if Jurgen goes in a year or two years’ time, I am next. I don't [think that] and there's a couple of reasons behind it.
“If I stay at Rangers for another two, three or four years I am okay - it means I am doing something right and happy. I am in no rush to try and jump, I am not looking over the fence at anything. I am proper content. If Jurgen stays at Liverpool for another four or five years, brilliant.”
Klopp’s assistant coach Pep Lijnders has also been tipped as a potential successor to the great German a few years down the line, although he has played down the possibility this week.
“It makes me proud but it’s not realistic because it’s not important at this moment in time,” Lijnders told The Athletic. “My only ambition is to support Jurgen and our project in the best way possible.”
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Source : 90min