Alvaro Arbeloa has backed Steven Gerrard to become a great football coach if the Liverpool legend decides to enter that field following his retirement from playing.
The West Ham United full back insisted that his former team mate at Anfield had all the hallmarks of being able to be a success as either a coach or manager within the modern era during an interview with the Guardian.
Arbeloa saw Gerrard's qualities first hand when the pair played together under former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez and, in backing up his claims, the Spain international stated that he had expected another former team mate in Jamie Carragher to make the transition from player to coach, instead of taking up a punditry role.
He explained: Everyone saw Carragher as a coach but he's as happy as can be on the telly, eh! Relaxed, comfortable. We all said: ˜Carragher will be a coach, Stevie [Gerrard] on the telly', but maybe it'll be the other way around.�
When pressed over whether Gerrard had the right character traits to become a good coach, Arbeloa was adamant in his response.
He continued: And (Real Madrid manager Zinedine) Zidane isn't? None of us could see it and now look. I've been lucky. I've played with some of the best players in history, but Gerrard's the most complete.�
Asked by the baffled journalist about that outlandish claim, Arbeloa reeled off a whole list of attributes that Gerrard possessed, and could utilise if the ex-England captain made the move into coaching.
He added: Could Zidane defend like Steven? He defended, he attacked, he was good in the air, he could hit it with his right, with his left, he could head a corner or take it, play everywhere. He could do so much, so well. He has experience, he's worked with good coaches, and if he wants to be a coach, he can.
You think he's calm but on the pitch he's all passion. You see him flying into a tackle or celebrating a goal and think: ˜Calm? Yeah, when he's sleeping maybe ¦' And if he wants to be a coach there's no better place than Liverpool.�
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West Ham's �lvaro Arbeloa: I don't regret coming at all. I want to be here to the end | Sid Lowe https://t.co/rjzoOa78m9 via @guardian_sport