Steven Gerrard insists managing Everton is ‘never a possibility’ for him.
Gerrard will take on recently departed Blues’ boss Carlo Ancelotti when his Rangers team take on Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly this weekend.
The former Liverpool captain was one of several high-profile coaches touted with the vacant Goodison Park hot seat despite not being officially considered.
Eventually Rafael Benitez was appointed Ancelotti’s successor last month in a move which split opinion due to his longstanding links with the Anfield club.
But while Gerrard, 41, is adamant that his own personal connection across Stanley Park automatically makes any future links with Everton a non-starter.
“Rafa wasn’t born in the city,” he explained to ESPN.
“He’s not a Red through-and-through and he never played against Everton for 20 years and competed against them, so I think it’s a very different situation [to mine].
“Rafa is his own man and will make his own professional decisions.
“There’s no surprise that he wanted to get back in the Premier League at a big club and have the opportunity to compete against all the top teams in the league.
“So I wasn’t very shocked and surprised at all in all honesty.
“I was very shocked and surprised that my name was linked to the job.
“I don’t know where it came from, whether it was paper talk or if there was any truth in it, I’m not sure.
“[Managing Everton] is never a possibility as far as I’m concerned.”