CARSON, Calif. – Steven Gerrard’s heart will always beat for his hometown of Liverpool, but the English midfielder is eager to form a new connection with the city that he now fondly refers to as his “second home.”
Raised on a council estate in the Merseyside suburb of Huyton, Gerrard shared a bond with the supporters of his boyhood club Liverpool FC that was unlike any other player that came before him. After 17 seasons with his hometown club with countless memories along the way, Gerrard made the move stateside to the LA Galaxy last summer.
The move sparked many firsts for the 35-year-old:
- The first time he and his family had lived outside of Liverpool
- The first time that he donned another club shirt other than LFC’s signature red kit
- The first time that he dealt with playing in heat, turf and altitude.
For any person, let alone a professional athlete, the move to a new country can be a bit “hectic” at first, but after seven months in Los Angeles, Gerrard believes that he is finally coming into his own in Sunny SoCal.
“I’ve always been excited since the first moment that I came to Los Angeles. That excitement hasn’t changed, but being here for a full season away from the game, I’ll be able to see a lot more of LA and see a lot of other places outside the city as well,” Gerrard told LA Galaxy Insider. “When I first came, it was really hectic because I wanted to settle and get used to my new surroundings, but with more time on my hands for the first time, I’ll certainly want to get more involved in the city and mix with the people here. This is my second home, and it’s important to do those things.”
Gerrard's excitement about his new adventure has not precluded the veteran from encountering a few hurdles, however.
“It was quite intimidating at the beginning. When I’m alone over here, and I have to drive about, and I don’t know where I’m going, the traffic is brutal. Driving on a different side of the road, you have to adapt very quickly to become comfortable,” he said. “I feel that I’m a lot more settled in the city, and I’ve come to terms with living in a big city, so I feel like it took me four or five months to settle in a new city. But since I arrived off the plane on day one, I’ve had an incredible reception with my teammates and supporters around town.
“I appreciate it very much; I’d love nothing more than to award that with honors this season. It’s not just about turning up for work, it’s about what happens on the pitch, and it’s about putting smiles on the supporters’ faces.”
Dealing with a new climate, a new league or the infamous Los Angeles traffic are not the only challenges that the Englishman has faced. In his first half season with the Galaxy, the team floundered in the month of October, which ultimately culminated in the team’s early postseason exit at the hands of Seattle Sounders FC.
Moments after that defeat, Gerrard was frank about demanding more from himself in year two. Now with a Galaxy side that has been transformed on the field with the acquisitions of Ashley Cole, Nigel de Jong and Jelle Van Damme, Gerrard is looking to make a bigger impression in the locker room, as well as those in the stands.
“I want my teammates to open up more with me. I want the staff to open up more with me. I’m certainly trying. I’m not the most outgoing person, but I’m always there for people to talk to, and I want people to open up to me more,” he said. “I’ve come here to make friends, and I want to be part of the team, and have success just like anyone else. That goes for the fans as well. I’ve got no ego; I’m no star name or anything like that. I don’t see myself as that type of person. People who get to know me and break down my barriers will find a connection.”
Perhaps no word is more synonymous with Gerrard’s career than “connection.”
At Liverpool, Gerrard reached iconic status with his ability to deliver in the biggest moments for his hometown club. Like few other players in leagues across the world, Gerrard’s history with the club gave him the unique ability to embody the very spirit of the supporters’ who cheered him on.
Whether Gerrard can achieve that type of status with Galaxy supporters’ remains to be seen, but creating that connection with the city of Los Angeles is imperative for the midfielder heading into the 2016 campaign.
“For me the most important thing is to have some experiences and memories with the people of LA. I’d like nothing more than to have some success here,” Gerrard said. “Some of the highlights of my career and my life have been when I’ve shared moments with the people of Liverpool back home. I’d like nothing better than to come here whether it be for 18 months or longer than to share success and good times with the people of Los Angeles. That’s the most important thing for me.
“Football clubs are nothing without supporters. That's what it is all about. All my memories and top nights on a football pitch have always been about the fans. It is a family, and we have to become one. We have to share all the experiences together. There’s no way in the world that we can achieve what we want to achieve without the people of LA.”
At 35 years of age, the veteran midfielder understands that his window of time to form that connection is coming to a close. With just one remaining year on his contract, Gerrard has yet to decide whether he’ll call time on his career at season’s end.
Gerrard is sure to keep his options open as the season progresses, but if 2016 is his final campaign, the midfielder is determined to bring a championship to his adopted home.
“I’m running out of time in my career, and it’s very important that I try and finish a very long career on a high. Not just from a selfish point of view, but I think that everyone in LA wants to get that sixth MLS Cup,” Gerrard said. “Although last year was disappointing, we have to use it as a positive. That’s gone, and we can’t change it. Everyone has to get back on the train and pull it in the right direction to get it successful. It would be a special ending to my career if I decide to call it a day, but it’s not just for me, it’s for everyone from the fans to the staff. I want to finish this long year with some success.”
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
