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Steven Gerrard has hinted at "unfinished business" in his managerial career, but insists he will only return to the touchline for the right opportunity.
Liverpool icon Gerrard is being linked as a potential replacement for Rob Edwards at Middlesbrough. Edwards is set to be unveiled as the new head coach of Wolves, just four months after taking over at the Riverside. Despite being dismissed by the Boro board in the summer, rumors have once again connected Gerrard with the Championship role, and he features heavily in bookmakers' odds.
Journalist Graeme Bailey reports that Gerrard is "well liked" by those in charge at the Teesside team. The ex-England midfielder recently chose not to return to Rangers following talks with the Scottish club, but has admitted he would "jump at" a certain kind of challenge.
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand's YouTube channel in October, Gerrard stated: "I felt like I had [support] to a tee at Rangers. A lot of coach changes at Aston Villa and over in Saudi that I don't think helped me from a personal point of view.
"I'm now enjoying family time and doing a lot of things that I haven't been able to do. But there's a part of me that still feels that there's a bit of unfinished business in terms of wanting to go in and face another couple of exciting challenges.
"But I want a certain type of challenge. If in an ideal world they come available, I'll jump at them. If they don't, I won't go back in. I want to be at a team that's going to compete to win because I think that suits me better."
Middlesbrough's appeal to prospective managers is compelling - the Teeside club occupies second place in the Championship with a realistic chance of securing promotion back to the Premier League.
Saturday's triumph over Birmingham City left Middlesbrough two points ahead of the play-off positions going into the international break.
Gerrard has remained out of work since leaving his role with Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia at the start of the year. He had previously managed Aston Villa in the Premier League after spending more than three years with Rangers.
"I think certain jobs and certain clubs would suit my style and the way I like to go about it," the Anfield icon added. "But I've also got time now where I'm not in a rush, where I know the right people that are out there to make me a stronger and a better coach.
"They're the people I need to find. Because if I get the right match with them people around me, I know and I've proved I can be successful as a manager. And that's what I'm working on in the background now.
"But I've had five or six really interesting phone calls since I stopped in Saudi. And I haven't been ready because I haven't got that team set around me. And the timing hasn't been right. My daughter's just had a baby. I've just become a granddad.
"I wasn't ready. I haven't got my staff ready. So unfortunately, them opportunities or them phone calls have come at the wrong time, if you like.
"But if the right call comes my way, the right club, the right challenge, and I've got my people set, which I will have at some point, I'll take that challenge on because it's in me."
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