It is well documented that Liverpool midfielder and captain Steven Gerrard came close to leaving the club for Chelsea back in 2005, with the Reds legend turning down a big-money contract just weeks after guiding the club to the Champions League title.
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In the end, of course, Gerrard stayed at Anfield and is now in his final season on Merseyside before jetting off to the MLS with LA Galaxy in the summer. Much has been made in recent weeks of the 34-year-old’s career and what could’ve been, so here’s a look at five reasons he should have snubbed his boyhood club and made the move to Stamford Bridge instead…
1) That elusive Premier League title
He may have come oh so close for Liverpool last season, but it is now confirmed that Steven Gerrard will end his career without getting his hands on that Premier League trophy. Considering the Reds’ fine history in winning the title, it is horrible luck for Gerrard that his career coincided with the club going so far downhill from their glory years. Chelsea, meanwhile, have won three titles since the summer of 2005, which Gerrard could have been a key part of, assuming he’d stayed this long with the club and they had achieved the same success.
2) Another Champions League victory
Again, assuming history had gone the same way with Gerrard in the team, he could’ve lifted the Champions League trophy again in 2012 if he’d been a part of the Chelsea side that beat Bayern Munich on penalties. It might not beat lifting it with your boyhood club in a much more unfancied position, but it would be another richly deserved medal for a player whose current trophy collection doesn’t match his ability.
3) Playing with far superior players
Gerrard has had to play with some real dross at Liverpool, which would frustate anyone. Looking at some of the amazing players Chelsea have had down the years, it’s hard not to sympathise with Stevie G, who could’ve lined up alongside Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, John Terry, Eden Hazard and numorous others instead of the likes of Andriy Voronin, Ryan Babel, Jay Spearing and Mario Balotelli. Of course he formed a fine partnership with big names like Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez, but how much better could he have been with superior talent around him?
4) Playing under Jose Mourinho
Much is made of Gerrard being overrated and a bit of a bull in a china shop with his overly keen performances, and although it’s harsh there can be some truth to it when he gets desperate. As happened against Manchester United this season, Gerrard has been known to let his emotions get the better of him, and perhaps working under a strict manager like Jose Mourinho would’ve been a good move for him in fine-tuning his game and becoming more of an all-rounder. That’s aside from all the trophies Mourinho wins too, of course.
5) No pressure of being captain
Although he will forever be adored by Liverpool fans as the local lad who became captain, the armband has certainly been as much of a burden as anything else for Gerrard at Anfield. If he had gone to Chelsea, John Terry would still be skipper and that would surely have taken the weight off Gerrard to inspire the team to the same extent, as well as taking the spotlight off him from supporters.