'He would have made me better' - Gerrard reveals Mourinho REGRETS after failed Chelsea move

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard admits he REGRETS not playing under Jose Mourinho during his career but is adamant that he is happy with his decision to snub Chelsea at the time. 

Gerrard had just been crowned a European champion having led the Reds to the Champions League in 2005, winning man of the match for his performance in the final against AC Milan in Istanbul. 

Later that summer he was courted heavily by Chelsea, with it being reported that the midfielder had turned down a club-record contract offer to remain on Merseyside. 

Liverpool’s CEO Rick Parry even went as far as saying that the club had “lost” Gerrard to Chelsea, with the talismanic captain seemingly set to join Roman Abramovich’s revolution with Mourinho in command. 

However, the homegrown hero later performed a U-turn, pledging his long-term future to the Anfield club, and remained in their line-up until 2015. 

Gerrard went on to win an FA Cup, a League Cup and a Community Shield with Liverpool and concedes he would have “added more” had he decided to go to Stamford Bridge, and would also have become a better player under the Special One. 

“I love the manager, I love the man,” Gerrard told Rio Ferdinand’s FIVE YouTube channel of Mourinho. 

“I’ve had a distant relationship with him for many many years. But, I have regrets for not playing for the man and the coach because I know he would’ve made me a better player. 

“I know we would’ve added more trophies to what I’ve already won.

“But, looking back now, I have no regrets not signing for Chelsea, I don’t regret not signing for Chelsea at all. I’m happy with the decision I made.”

Winning with Liverpool means more

Liverpool then suffered in the wilderness with a number of ownership wrangles contributing to underperformance on the pitch. 

Despite representing the club during that difficult spell, Gerrard says that winning those few trophies with his boyhood club would always have meant more than doing so at Chelsea. 

“The connection I’ve got with Liverpool, my hometown club, maybe underachieved at times in certain years with Liverpool,” he said. 

“For me it is all about winning trophies, it’s also about memories and what they mean to you. Me winning four or five trophies at Liverpool means an awful lot more to me than if I won 10 or 11 at Chelsea.”

The current Al-Ettifaq manager then reflected on that fateful summer, where he wrestled with the decision of whether to leave Liverpool behind for the riches on offer in Blue. 

“What kept me at Liverpool, when I was close to deciding ‘should I go, should I stay?’ When I win for Liverpool, I share it with people that are really close to me,” he said. 

“Not many people will understand that.”