STEVEN GERRARD's former teammate Danny Murphy insists he's never bought the theory that he left Rangers in a bid to get closer to becoming the future Liverpool boss.

The pair played together at Anfield, so Murphy is well aware of how much the club means to Gerrard.

It comes after Gerrard was sacked by Aston Villa on Thursday after just 11-months in charge.

A 3-0 defeat away at Fulham was enough for the club to act.

Murphy reckons Gerrard won't take long out of the game before getting back involved. 

Although did admit that he may need to drop down to the Championship for his next job - as he defended his old teammate for leaving Ibrox for the Premier League last year.

Murphy wrote in his Mail on Sunday column: "His prospects of being Liverpool manager look more distant today than ever but I'm not sure he was ever as obsessed with that prize as everyone else is.

"If he'd only had eyes on Anfield, he would have been better to stay at Rangers, competing in Europe and challenging for trophies every season.

"I suspect other reasons drove him to Villa: being in the Premier League and also having more time to spend with his young family. He's never been one to give up.

"I would be surprised if he's not keen to come back as a manager when the right opportunity arises. He will want to learn and become better.

"Where that chance occurs, we will have to see. It won't come quickly in the Premier League, so he may end up going on a different journey, be it dropping down a division or broadening his horizons abroad.

"All the best coaches have dips at some point. The Villa players were not at their best for him.

"In the end, if recruitment isn't right and players are poor, the manager will be sacrificed. Steven Gerrard will accept that but let's not think he wasted great resources. That simply wasn't the case."