<
>

Gerrard urges new deal for Rodgers

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has urged the club’s American owners to sort out a new contract for manager Brendan Rodgers.

ESPN FC Podcast: Putting the boot inKelly: A nemesis never dies
Usher: Mauling of United fuels title drive

Rodgers' current three-year deal runs until the summer of 2015, and Gerrard feels it is time to secure his Anfield future.

Rodgers, 41, took over in the summer of 2012, shortly after they had finished eighth in the Premier League -- their lowest placing since 1994.

After taking Liverpool to seventh last season, he has guided them to compete for the title this term, with the club lying second as they enter their final nine games of the campaign.

The Reds are four points behind leaders Chelsea with a game in hand after Sunday’s 3-0 victory at Manchester United.

Rodgers said recently that talks over a new deal with Boston-based Fenway Sports Group had yet to start -- with chairman Tom Werner and principal owner John W Henry likely to wait until the end of the season.

But Gerrard thinks Henry and Werner should get to work on signing up Rodgers for the long term.

#INSERT
type:image
caption:Gerrard and Rodgers are aiming to end Liverpool's 24-year wait for a league title.
END#

"Brendan has been a revelation," the 33-year-old midfielder told the Liverpool Echo. "From week to week, he is helping us improve and get better and he has been an absolute breath of fresh air to this football club. I am sure the rest of the players would echo what I am saying.

"I am absolutely delighted he is here and I just hope that there is a lot of movement in Boston now because they have got to get him signed up as soon as possible.

"When players are in this situation with a year to go and you want to keep hold of them so desperately, then the club reacts really quickly and gets it sorted. For me, I think he deserves a very long contract here and I think he is perfect for this club."

Gerrard added that he had been hugely impressed by Rodgers’ tactical expertise and people-management skills.

He said: "I have been absolutely blown away by his sessions, his tactics and his maturity in the job and I am learning from him every single day.

"When you become a little bit of an older player, you look to see how the manager does certain things and he has been fantastic for me personally. He keeps tweaking and tinkering with the formation and making little subtle changes to personnel and tactics and it is coming off from week to week.

"He manages every single player differently. He knows we have different characters in the dressing room and his one-on-one management is the best I have known. He makes you go out on to the pitch feeling a million dollars -- full of confidence and belief. He is a very confident manager.

"When you play for Liverpool you have to accept pressure, you have to take it on the chin and perform. But when you have got a manager who is making you feel good, but who is also not scared to give you a good one-on-one telling off as well, then he has the perfect ingredients.

"He is a young coach who has been there and earned the right to become Liverpool manager."