Cape Town - Steven Gerrard has what it take to become a great manager, according to former team-mate Djibril Cisse.
Cisse based his comments on the inspirational part then-captain Gerrard played in Liverpool’s comeback win in the 2005 Champions League final that was dubbed the “Miracle of Istanbul.”
Gerrard scored the first goal shortly after half-time as his side staged a remarkable comeback to beat AC Milan on penalties after being 3-0 down at the break.
Gerrard recently returned to Liverpool after a spell with the LA Galaxy and is now working as an academy coach at the club.
Cisse, who was a second-half substitute in the game, said he could see then that the former England skipper would be a good manager.
"It's in his DNA, he was talking to us, trying to make us feel like we could give our best. I think he will be a great manager," Cisse told the Mirror.
"I don't know if that's what he wants to do, but he's at the academy and it's a great start for him and I see him as a manager."
Liverpool were down and out at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Turkey at halftime before an astonishing recovery pulled them back into the game.
And it was all down to Gerrard’s inspirational half-time speech, said Cisse
"He gave the best captain's speech I ever heard in my career," said the former French International, who was at the club between 2004 and 2007.
"He asked everyone to leave, including Rafa [Benitez, manager], he just asked to be with the players. That's what gave us the power to go and win the game. You need to have some balls to do this."