Steven Gerrard's new book is being serialized by dailymailuk. We bring you excerpts from the book about Steven Gerrard's ultra professional relationship with Rafa Benitez
The first impression
"Gerard introduced Rafa to my mum. Rafa shook her hand, said hello and then immediately asked her a very blunt question: 'Does Steven like money?"
Awkward question
"Apart from a standard 'Hello... good to meet you' introduction, those were the first words Rafa said to my mum."
"I thought: 'What kind of question is that?"
Personal relationship with Benitez
"I can pick up the phone and speak to all of my previous Liverpool managers. Except for Rafa."
"It's a shame because we probably shared the biggest night of both our careers — the 2005 Champions League victory in Istanbul — and yet there is no bond between us."
Rafa favoured Spanish speakers
"I used to think he favoured our Spanish-speakers. He was an especially big fan of South American players, which is fine. It caused no problem between us."
Never called him by any nickname
"At press conferences he might call other players by their first name but I was always 'Gerrard'."
"It was the same in the dressing room. He would read out the team and use nicknames. But, for me, it would just be 'Gerrard'."
He still trusted him professionally
"It wouldn't have made me play any better if he'd suddenly started calling me 'Stevie'. I just wanted to win the next game and I knew Rafa could, usually, help us achieve another victory."
Rafa the best coach he ever worked with
"He was the best tactical coach I worked with at Liverpool and England so I didn't care what he called me."
Hope for more friendlier discussion in the future
"If we were to bump into each other tomorrow there would be no unpleasantness but maybe a day will come when we can actually have a deeper and friendlier conversation and reflect on everything we experienced at Liverpool."
On the type of relationship they had
"Our working relationship was ultra-professional and his frostiness drove me to become a better player."
How Rafa's coldness drove Gerrard to want to impress him?
"I had a hunger to earn a compliment from him — but also a hunger to let him know he really needed me as a player. We were like fire and ice. Passion surged inside me, while Rafa was the strategic thinker."
Preference for likeable managers
"On a basic human level I prefer a likeable manager, such as Gerard Houllier or Brendan Rodgers, but in terms of football I really don't mind working with a colder man."
"An emotionless and distant relationship with the likes of Rafa BenÃtez and Fabio Capello can sometimes produce more success."
Whether he would apply Benitez's style?
"It would not be my style if I were to ever become a manager — I'd try to fuse the best of Rafa's tactical thinking with Brendan's skill as a man-manager."
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