Steven Gerrard has cast doubt over the possibility of returning to Liverpool as manager in the near future, suggesting he is not yet "ready" to replace Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds legend is currently in charge of Rangers, who are 12 points behind city rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.
Gerrard, 39, earned legendary status at the club 710 appearances and 186 goals over an 18-year spell at his boyhood club before managing the Liverpool Under-18s academy squad in the 2017-18 season.
It has been suggested that when Jurgen Klopp decides to leave Anfield, Gerrard would be the ideal candidate to replace the German.
But the former Liverpool captain believes he would need to convince the owners he is good enough to handle the job first.
"I understand why because I was captain for so long and a large chunk of the fanbase would like me back at the club," he told Mail on Sunday.
"But I'm bright enough to realise that, first and foremost, you have to be good enough. The owners need to think you're the right man.
"Let's say Klopp wins the Premier League, Champions League and goes because he feels he can't do any more. They aren't going to pick me if I am only the 20th best candidate."
Gerrard has watched former players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Mikel Arteta and Frank Lampard take managerial jobs at Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea respectively over the past two years.
But the Whiston-born coach wants to ensure he is ready before he agrees to take over on Merseyside.
"And nobody asks if I think I need two or three goes elsewhere. If I got the chance [at Liverpool] I'd want to be best prepared. You can't plan everything season by season. If things turn in months, you'd be out of work.
"That's how brutal the job is, but you are aware before you go in. Jurgen Klopp told me he'd made two years of mistakes away from the cameras, getting his pitch confidence.
"That is what I did at Liverpool with the youngsters. I didn't go into Rangers thinking I'd cracked it. Am I ready for the Liverpool job right now? Maybe not."
