Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has started his managerial career at Ibrox.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has told the Daily Mail that Steven Gerrard will have to cope with managing players who aren’t quite at his level during his time as Rangers manager.
Gerrard spent just one year coaching Liverpool’s Under-18’s before being landed by Rangers in May, securing him as their permanent replacement for Pedro Caixinha.
Gerrard has so far fared well; with just four defeats in 29 games, Rangers have become a much more solid side, and the ultimate target will be to eventually chase down Celtic.
Gerrard’s appointment meant that he would, intriguingly, go up against his former Liverpool boss in Rodgers, four years after they almost won the Premier League title together at Anfield.
So far, the two men have met just once, with Rodgers claiming a 1-0 win at Parkhead, bu there promises to be plenty more battles between the pair in the coming months and even years.
Now, Rodgers has spoken about Gerrard, admitting that he does want the Rangers boss to succeed despite the bigger Old Firm rivalry, but noted a big problem he will face; having been such a top player, Gerrard must adapt to working with players short of that level, something other world-class players have struggled with when going into management.
“I want him to do well in management,” said Rodgers. “He has had the courage to take on that responsibility of coming into this side of it. As a player of his class, when you have to dig deep and you have looked within yourself, you have always found the answers. When you’re a manager, you have to look at players who aren’t at that kind of level,” he added.
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