Gerrard keeps future under lock and key
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Steven Gerrard has inadvertently fuelled talk that he might leave Liverpool by confirming he will consider his future after the World Cup.
By insisting that all of his attention is focused on England rather than on the latest transfer gossip, Gerrard was unable to offer the categorical assurance that he would be remaining at Anfield.
Instead, Gerrard acknowledged that he will have a decision to make once he returns to England from South Africa - an admission that is bound to intensify the speculation that he has become disillusioned with life at Anfield.
"I'm not really interested at the moment in what's going on at Liverpool. Hopefully things might happen while I'm away this summer. There might be players coming in to help strengthen the team, we'll have to wait and see, but I won't consider my future or think about what is going to happen to me until after the World Cup. My focus has got to be on England now," Gerrard told The Observer.
The Liverpool captain is rumoured to be Real Madrid's number one transfer target this summer with Jose Mourinho expected to bid for the midfielder once his own transfer to the Bernabeu is confirmed. Gerrard has been pursued by Mourinho in the past, most notably four years ago when the then-Chelsea boss almost prised him out of Anfield, but Gerrard is determined not to be distracted by transfer talk at what is likely to be his final World Cup.
"I fell into the trap four years ago - in the last World Cup, where I was driving myself mad thinking about my future. I won't be making that mistake again. I feel as if I am experienced enough now to park issues like that.
"I hope I have learned from what happened in Germany four years ago. You do have quite a lot of time on your hands in World Cups and I used to go back to my room and read the papers and go on the internet, and then I would speak to people at home who were telling me that there was stuff going on.
"People around me are under strict instructions not to be talking about my club future or any sort of speculation. That's not important now. What is important is that I have a good World Cup with the team. Agents, friends and family have been told not to mention club stuff to me."
teamtalk.
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Why is it under lock and key? Why not pillow and bed?