Gerrard changed into employed as Villa boss ultimate week after agreeing to depart Scottish champions Rangers. Premier League strugglers Villa host Brighton in Gerrard's first healthy on Saturday and his emotional reunion with Liverpool comes at Anfield on December 11.
The Liverpool legend has in no way hidden his ambition to manipulate the club he captained to Champions League glory in 2005 and FA Cup success a year later. But Gerrard is adamant his flow to Villa Park after 3 and a half of years in Glasgow became not encouraged with the aid of taking every other step towards his Liverpool dream.
"It's very unfair to describe this as a stepping stone, you'll never listen me say that," Gerrard instructed newshounds at his first Villa press conference on Thursday. "I'm all-in and I will give this process all it desires to achieve success. The opportunity to be back inside the Premier League and the possibility to be lower back near my own family are the 2 motives this turned into right for me. I am 100 in keeping with cent devoted and so are my team of workers. There is nothing incorrect with having desires and aspirations."
While Gerrard changed into keen to distance himself from Anfield for now, he stays in touch with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after running with the Reds' adolescents groups before taking his first managerial process at Rangers.
"Liverpool have a global-elegance coach in Jurgen Klopp. If he changed into to sign a lifetime deal right now I might be very satisfied for him and them," Gerrard said. "I've been in contact with Jurgen considering that day one. We live inside the identical vicinity and I bump into him when he's on foot his dogs. He sent me a message saying he became looking forward to a large hug at the facet on December 11 and it is some thing for me to look ahead to as well."
Former England midfielder Gerrard has mounted his managerial credentials by leading Rangers out of the doldrums to their first Scottish crown in 10 years -- in the process preventing arch rivals' Celtic in their bid to win 10 successive titles. That unbeaten league marketing campaign with the Glasgow membership, in addition to their relative success in European competitions under Gerrard, shows he is capable of revitalising Villa.
The forty one-yr-antique has changed Dean Smith at Villa Park after five successive defeats induced his predecessor's sacking. Villa are just factors above the relegation area and Gerrard is aware of he desires to spark a direct upturn in outcomes.
"Long time period, the club would really like to be returned on a European level, I do not suppose now could be the right time to put any date on that," he said. "For me greater importantly, it is about that specialize in the short-term, that's Brighton at the weekend. We need to begin winning football matches again." He has already made his mark on the training ground by banning tomato ketchup.
"It become banned earlier than I had seen it!" Gerrard stated. "The gamers should have the proper mentality. Go above and beyond. They want to strive to be elite."
