Rangers are still attempting to lure Steven Gerrard to Ibrox.
Pundits Chris Sutton and Jamie Redknapp have offered their views on Steven Gerrard’s potential move Rangers to the Daily Mail – with slightly differing takes.
The Gers suffered complete humiliation at the hands of Celtic for the second time in just two weeks on Sunday, as they were thumped 5-0 by their bitter rivals at Celtic Park.
Not only did that give Brendan Rodgers another heavy win over the Gers, but also saw Celtic celebrate a seventh straight title in front of the embarrassed Rangers players.
It’s clear that the gulf between the two clubs is huge, much bigger than many thought after Celtic’s narrow 3-2 win over Rangers in March, and changes are coming at Ibrox this summer.
Graeme Murty’s stint as interim boss will come to an end having been in charge since Pedro Caixinha’s exit in October, and it looks like Steven Gerrard is the club’s top target.
The Daily Mail report that Liverpool legend and under-18 coach Gerrard is in Glasgow today for further talks over the job, with an appointment potentially being sealed later this week.
The 37-year-old is taking a huge gamble with his first step into management, and pundit Chris Sutton has told the Daily Mail that Old Firm clubs are no place for rookie managers as instant winning is so important, suggesting that Gerrard’s managerial career could be over before it even begins – just as former Liverpool legend John Barnes found at Celtic.
“Make no mistake, it would be brilliant for Scottish football if Steven Gerrard took over at Rangers,” said Sutton. “Old Firm battles with Gerrard and Brendan Rodgers in the dug-outs would be box office. To have such a high-profile figure would spark huge interest in the game north of the border. But Gerrard will ultimately have designs on one day becoming Liverpool manager. Why would he even risk tarnishing his reputation with such a difficult first job?
“Gerrard could prove us all wrong. He showed time and again in his playing career that he is capable of rising to a challenge. Yet he only need look at what happened to John Barnes, another Liverpool legend, when he took over at Celtic. That was Barnes’ first managerial role and he was sacked after seven months. At Rangers or Celtic, you are not given a year to get your feet under the table. This move could bring about the end of a promising managerial career before it has even begun.”
However, Gerrard’s former Liverpool teammate Jamie Redknapp has also spoken to the Daily Mail, and believes it’s a brave decision but one Gerrard must take to kickstart his managerial career, even touting him to return to Liverpool as manager at Anfield if he succeeds.
“Going to Rangers would be the bravest decision of Steven Gerrard’s career. I have heard good things about his coaching in Liverpool’s Under 18s and everything is set up for him to develop his career at Anfield. Should Jurgen Klopp call time in a couple of years, I am sure Stevie would be at the top of the list to succeed him. Yet this shows he wants to cut his teeth and prove himself elsewhere. Rangers have had big problems in the last decade but it is a monster of a club if someone gets it right. Too many players have been lost to the media and I would not discourage Stevie from taking this opportunity,” added Redknapp.
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