The new signing was impressed by the manager ahead of his move to Liverpool and feels he has joined a bigger club after leaving Manchester City on a free transfer
James Milner wanted to “run through a brick wall” for Brendan Rodgers after meeting the manager ahead of his move to Liverpool.
The 29-year-old moved to Anfield on a free transfer after opting against extending his contract at Manchester City, ending a five-year stay at the Etihad Stadium, and was convinced by Rodgers’s influence.
“Brendan had a massive role,” he told reporters. “Obviously the club does not need selling, but I spoke to the manager about his plans for the team and for myself. He knew a lot about me.
“After the conversation, I felt like I wanted to go and run through a brick wall for the manager and the club. He’s that sort of manager.
“It’s a huge club and Man City, maybe over the course of history, isn’t as quite as big as Liverpool.”
Milner won two Premier League titles and a FA Cup with City before deciding it was time to move on and admitted he could easily have stayed but he wanted a more prominent role elsewhere.
“[City] saw me as a big part of the club,” Milner said. “However, getting to finals and things like that, the default was for me not to play. I want to play as much as I can and look back on my career.
“I could have easily stayed at City and been there another four or five years helping them win things.
“But over the next few years I wouldn’t have played as much and my game time would have reduced. When I’m older I want to look back and say that I became the best player I could.”