Milan Baros and Steven Gerrard both started for Liverpool in Istanbul in 2005, so will forever be a part of the club’s history.
Obviously, the latter, our captain extraordinaire, is spoken about more glowingly than the Croatian forward who never quite maximised his potential.
While Gerrard racked up over 700 appearances in red, staking a claim to be recognised as our greatest ever player, Baros scored just 27 goals in three full seasons and was eventually allowed to leave and join Aston Villa. He’s currently at Slovan Liberec in the Czech league, his ninth different club, aged 35.
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But Baros feels his former team-mate hung his boots up too early, following Gerrard’s decision to retire from the game a few weeks back.
The striker reckons he should have signed on at Liverpool as a player, before becoming a coach at the end of this campaign instead.
“I read that he was in talks to manage the MK Dons a few weeks ago but I think he’ll do something at Liverpool,” he told This is Anfield.
“That feels right, and at some point in the future he’ll be the manager of the first team too, I’ve no doubt.
“What a legend. I’ve been lucky to play with and against some great players and he’s up there as one of the very best.
“For me, it’s a shame because I thought he could carry on. He retired in the States but I think he could still do a job at Liverpool for six months or so.
“He knows what he’s doing and he will have listened to his body, but I’d love to have seen him carry on his legend with Liverpool. He could still help that young team on the pitch.”
In many ways Baros has a point, and a romantic return to the pitch for Gerrard would have excited a fanbase already crazy for Jurgen Klopp.
But Gerrard knows his body, and is instead expected to join Liverpool as a youth coach – where he can learn his trade in the background. We’ve no problem with this, and look forward to seeing his development into management.