Steven Gerrard riles LA Galaxy fans before he even arrives

The 34-year-old is leaving Liverpool, the club where he has spent his entire career to date, this summer in order to join MLS side LA Galaxy.

And ahead of that move, Gerrard gave an interview to Sky Sports this week in which he said, "I'm coming up to my 35th birthday, it's a good chance for me to enjoy a couple of years of my life with less pressure, spend more time with my family."

While most fans in Britain would barely bat an eyelid at such a statement, fans in the USA have taken umbrage at the implicit suggestion that the MLS is an easy option.

USA Today reported the quotes under the inflammatory headline "Steven Gerrard looking forward to taking it easy in MLS for a few years."

The paper's reporter, Mike Foss, went even further than that.

"This is what you say before you play Saturday afternoon pickup at the park, not before joining a league paying you millions of dollars to compete," he wrote.

"It’s great that Gerrard is counting down the days to retirement. It would be better if his retirement started after his MLS career ended, not before it starts."

Dozens of fans queued up on social media to agree with that, taking issue with Gerrard's portrayal of LA Galaxy as a cosy semi-retirement option.

For all the detractors, however, there are also many defending Gerrard, pointing out that the pressure he will be under once out of Liverpool will of course be hugely reduced, since he has carried the hopes of the Anfield faithful on his shoulders for a decade and a half:

If there's one thing Gerrard could never be accused of, it's a lack of commitment - and we have no doubt whatsoever that he will be prepared to sweat blood on the pitch for LA Galaxy just as much as he ever did for Liverpool.

That said, it's also pretty clear that he will enjoy a lot more beach and poolside time with the wife and kids at his £16.8m Malibu mansion; and that he'll be more likely to get a nice tan in Southern California than he'd normally expect in Southport. And he'll probably enjoy going out to fancy restaurants more, since he won't get badgered for autographs everywhere. And he'll be able to go shopping for sunglasses and flip flops without blokes sticking their heads out of every passing van shouting "Stevie G! Stevie G!"