Scottish Premiership-winning manager Steven Gerrard has said joining Everton was "never a possibility"
The Liverpool legend was linked with the vacant post across Stanley Park after Carlo Ancelotti's departure.
Gerrard told ESPN: "Rafa wasn't born in the city, he's not a red through-and-through and he never played against Everton for 20 years and competed against them, so I think it's a very different situation [to mine].
"I was very shocked and surprised that my name was linked to the job. I don't know where it came from, whether it was paper talk or if there was any truth in it, I'm not sure.
"[Managing Everton] is never a possibility as far as I'm concerned."