Former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard left goalkeeper Andy Firth ‘absolutely shaking’ on one occasion at Auchenhowie.
Gerrard signed Firth from Liverpool after working alongside the 25-year-old at the club’s Kirkby academy for a time.
The 41-year-old manager, who quit Rangers last month to join Aston Villa in the Premier League, was a massive success up in Scotland.
Not only did Gerrard re-establish the Gers as a serious Europa League outfit, but he masterminded a first Scottish Premiership title in a decade last season, ending Celtic’s historic 10-in-a-row effort.
But a no-nonsense approach is the bedrock of his managerial style and the Rangers goalkeeper thought he had fallen foul of his manager at Auchenhowie, only to realise it was a practical joke.
Firth, talking about a trip to Gerrard’s office one day, told Goal: “I’m walking slowly, racking my brain. I’m thinking ‘what is it, what have I done wrong?’
The gaffer grabs the TV remote. And he goes ‘Andy, do you want to explain this, please?’ I’m absolutely shaking, and then I look up at the screen.
“The gaffer had joined in [training] that day.A ball has dropped to him on the edge of the box, I’ve set myself for one of his trademark blasts, and he’s absolutely done me, sat me down and dinked me.
“And now it’s up on the big screen! I thought I was about to get a bllocking and instead they are all sitting there pssing themselves!”
Insight
Firth has provided a brilliant insight into Gerrard as a manager and as a person and success down South seems inevitable.
The Liverpool icon goes back to Anfield this weekend as he looks for a fourth Premier League win in five games since joining Aston Villa.
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