RAFAEL BENITEZ will talk with Steven Gerrard after the former Liverpool skipper announced his retirement from playing this week, and has hinted there could be a coaching position at Newcastle United if the ex-England international wants one.

Gerrard, who is England’s fourth most capped player, called time on his playing career on Thursday following the end of his contract with MLS side LA Galaxy.

He is working towards his UEFA A coaching licence, and while he distanced himself from the vacant managerial position at MK Dons this week, saying a potential opportunity to take over at Stadium MK would be “too soon”, he is expected to move into coaching and management at some stage.

Benitez worked closely with Gerrard at Liverpool, with the pair combining to lift the Champions League trophy in Istanbul in 2005, and while their relationship has not always been smooth – Gerrard described his former boss as “cold” in his autobiography – there is clearly a great deal of respect from both sides.

Benitez is willing to provide any assistance Gerrard feels he requires as he prepares to embark on the next stage of his footballing career, and could even offer the 36-year-old a position on Newcastle’s coaching staff if the pair both feel it would aid the former midfielder’s development.

“You are talking about a player with such a high level and who has been so good that he could be a coach anywhere,” said the Newcastle boss. “I don’t think he will say, ‘Oh, I will go to Newcastle’. Normally he will say, 'I will go to Liverpool’. But if he wants to talk about that, then we can talk. We will always we have space for good people.

“For a player who has finished as a professional, to have a coaching role in any division is an experience. If he came to the Championship, would it be easier than the Premier League? I don’t see a big difference as a coach.

“If you are a manager and you have to take responsibility for every decision, it is different. But when you are a coach, he can do well here, he can do well in Liverpool, he can do well anywhere because he is someone who has the knowledge.”

Gerrard was Benitez’s skipper as he guided Liverpool to victory in the FA Cup, Community Shield and Super Cup, but the pair’s greatest game together was undoubtedly the Champions League win over AC Milan in 2005.

With his side trailing by three goals at the interval, Benitez looked to Gerrard for inspiration after delivering the most important half-time team talk of his career.

His skipper responded, with his 54th-minute strike sparking a remarkable comeback that saw Liverpool draw 3-3 before winning on penalties.

“I was really lucky because we got the best from Steven,” said Benitez. “He scored 104 goals for us when we were there. He was the kind of player where you will not find too many now - a good professional and leader on the pitch. He was working so hard off the pitch and was an example for everyone.

“He played in different positions so he was learning the understanding of the game. Maybe he can be a good coach in the future – if he wants to talk to me about that, we can be in contact and hopefully I can give him some good ideas.

“We are talking about one of the best payers I ever had. He can be an inspiration to the rest of the team like in Istanbul. Thanks to him, we won the Champions League in Istanbul. Everything was special that day.

“My concern was at half-time how to express what I wanted to express in English and make sure the team understood. We needed a goal after half-time, and he scored that goal. He lifted the spirit of the team and we could react.

“He was always a good example. If he wants to come and talk about how to approach things, I can give my ideas, but he also has a lot of people around who can give him some advice.”

Gerrard’s decision to end his playing career in the United States was criticised in some quarters, but Benitez feels it is beneficial for an aspiring coach to gain experience in as many different environments as possible.

“You could see in every training session, he was someone who had to be different and had to be in the game,” he said. “I think he has the knowledge and experience, and he has been away to another country to learn there.

“He has been lucky because he has had English, Spanish and French coaches, all giving him a different approach to the game and that is always really positive for any player.”