Neil was linked with job at Ibrox, but reckons Gerrard will bring the rest out of Rangers midfielder Greg Docherty.
Preston North End manager Alex Neil has told BBC Sport that he reckons new Rangers manager Steven Gerrard will bring the best out of his former player Greg Docherty at Ibrox.
Neil, 36, was one of the names in the hat for the Rangers job with odds short as 5/1 with Paddy Power, before Liverpool and England legend Gerrard was announced as manager last week.
Gerrard, who will take over the role at Ibrox from June 1 onwards, is set for his first spell in senior management after retiring in 2016 and managing Liverpool’s Under-18 side.
Neil believes his calibre and aura will benefit Docherty, with whom the Preston manager worked with at Hamilton. He also dismissed claims that Gerrard is inexperienced, stating the former midfielder has worked with the best over the years.
“Greg can only benefit from having somebody like that coaching him,” Neil said. “Hopefully it benefits Greg’s game and he can go on and become a real top player.
“I think that what Steven will do there is he’ll go in with vast experience, having played at the top, top level and played under really experienced managers and I’m sure he’ll take away the bits that he’s learned over his career and try and take the best bits and introduce them into how he’s going to manage his players.”
Docherty, 21, was brought to Ibrox by Graeme Murty in the January transfer window from Hamilton after impressing at New Douglas. A Rangers fan, Docherty has played 14 times for his new club and laid on three assists.
Gerrard has plenty of central midfielders to choose from at Ibrox, with Docherty rivalling the likes of Jordan Rossiter, Ryan Jack, Graham Dorrans, Jason Holt and Andy Halliday for a place in the side.
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