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Steven Gerrard has said he regrets not playing on for one more year at Liverpool and already misses playing football. Gerrard, who departed Liverpool at the end of the 2014-15 campaign after then-manager Brendan Rodgers informed him his game-time would be reduced, headed for Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy before retiring from football in late 2016. He returned to Liverpool as an academy coach in February 2016, taking charge of the Under-18s team for the following season. "I should have maybe played on for one more year. I regret not doing the extra year just because I miss playing so much," Gerrard said. "I speak to a lot of players who've come out of the game or players who are coming to the end, they couldn't wait to get over the line to call it a day. "I knew towards the end that I was finding it tough letting go -- that's just the way I am. Emotionally, it was tough. When you love your job and you work so hard to achieve your dream job to play for your boyhood team but you know that's coming to an end. "If you've had enough then it's probably not tough. But I felt that my Liverpool days came to an end probably a year too soon. "I went to LA Galaxy in America to come out of Liverpool, just to breathe. My wife got pregnant while I was out there in the MLS and it just made sense to come back home. My time in America was the perfect time. "Eighteen months was fine. It was enough. To go out and have a good think, a good debrief of my career, how it went. I can look back on it and be proud of the good times and reflect on the brutal times I had as well." Gerrard returned to Liverpool as an academy coach in the February 2016, taking charge of the Under-18s team for the following season. He left again this summer to take charge of Rangers -- his first role in senior management -- with Gary McAllister and Michael Beale among those following to form part of his backroom staff. "This is what I've craved for since I came out of a playing kit," the 38-year-old continued. "I first had thoughts about becoming a manager when I was around 32, 33, when I was still playing. "I had been speaking to my former managers, bending their ears, asking about their roles. Trying to take things they do and trying to use them as well. "I'm lucky to get the role at Rangers and so much responsibility so soon. I started my coaching badges in my early 30s and I'm nearly qualified. "Now it's just about getting experience, growing and improving. And that's the reason why I've chosen the staff around me as well because I know they'll be a great support."
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