London: Brendan Rodgers` good work at Liverpool will be for nothing if it does not yield trophies and Champions League football, Steven Gerrard has admitted.
Rodgers has sought to implement a faster, more fluid, expansive passing style at Anfield this term, bringing in the likes of Joe Allen, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho to help realise his vision.
The Reds have earned plaudits for their performances under the Northern Irishman, but Gerrard is challenging his team-mates to turn their pretty play into tangible rewards.
"I think we`ve been gradually improving over the course of the season," he told The Times of India. "We`ve got a new manager with new ideas and new systems and we`ve been working hard on that.
"I think we`re starting to see the rewards but there`s a long way to go obviously; we all know where we want to take this club.
"The fans here deserve to see trophies and Champions League football. That`s what Liverpool is about."
After a controversial and patchy first year in England, Luis Suarez has re-found his scoring touch this term, notching 28 goals in 38 appearances, and Gerrard insists the Uruguayan is a great dressing room influence.
"As a person he’s a quiet guy, a family man; I am next to him in the dressing-room and every time I ask him what he’s doing he’ll say he’s going to be with his family," he continued.
"But when he goes on the training field or a football pitch he turns into a winner. When you are trying to win prizes against the top teams, Luis Suarez is someone you’d want in your side."
Gerrard also revealed his disappointment at team-mate Jamie Carragher`s decision to retire at the end of the season, admitting he will miss the advice and presence of his friend within the team.
"I’ve tried just as hard as everyone else to try to keep him going for a bit longer, but we have to respect his decision," he continued.
"He’s had a fantastic career and he feels it’s the right time to go out, at the end of the season. Hopefully there are still some big performances left in him before he goes.
"Everyone knows what we’re going to miss [from] him on the playing side. Since I made my debut Jamie has been alongside me in the dressing room and been a close mate of mine.
"It’s going to be different and no one is going to miss Jamie more than me."
Goal.com
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.