Ever go for a job/promotion whilst you were mid project or workload?
A tiny bit of guilt and head high into the new role!
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Itās a bit like in any job if you can get something better you are more than likely to take it.
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Yeah on one hand I agree.
20 days ago he was saying things like heās staying for sure, when media were linking him with the Newcastle job.
Itās not the same, to win the league once, but then to defend it against possibly an improved Celtic side this time and also win a first domestic cup, which he failed to do in 6 attempts so far across 3 years.
By large, I think he did his job, heās leaving them in much better state then when he took over, but itās the timing now which was a little bit weird. Was he afraid that a job like Villa wouldnāt be there, say, next summer?
I just think he doesnāt see himself too long doing this job and it might be that if he feels heās ready, he wants to increase chances of being at a higher level once the Liverpool job opens up, which might be in 2024. Not saying it should happen when I think about it as things stand, but can understand Gerrardās point of view.
Who knows what wouldāve happened at Rangers, itās not a guarantee that they wouldāve won the league this season. Rangers perhaps hit their ceiling with the side they have and perhaps more importantly, the financial situation (who Gerrard can bring, etc.). Celtic slowly improving as well. Leaves him a small possibility of returning there one day if he realizes that he canāt do much better in management.
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Rodgers left Celtic for Leicester, ecause as attractive a prospect of winning the SPL is, the attraction of improving your position must outweigh it.
Winning another SPL for Gerrard is a bit hollow. The only obstacle, Celtic are muck at the moment.
Does Gerrard still live in and around Liverpool? Just wondering if distance is also a benefit behind this decision.
I cant say I know a lot about Villaās squad either to be fair. Not given it much attention after Barbie left for City.
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Yes, he still has a house off Victoria Road in Formby.
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I was one of the few that wanted him to stay on at Rangers for a while longer, build something of a legacy up there. But I accept that Villa is a great job for him.
Unlike playing the sport, where most players have around 15 years of playing time, and generally 4-5 of peak performance, managers have time on their hands to refine their styles, build a solid management team, go through some rough patches etc.
Now that Stevie is at Villa, all the best to him, but what does he need to achieve at Villa and how long does he stay there? At what point would/could he be good enough to take on Liverpool? Because at the end of the day, thatās his dream, and many of our fans want to see it too (myself included).
One of my greatest fears is that he comes to manage Liverpool based on the love the club have for Stevie, somewhat clouding his managerial CV, and that it comes to soon for him - a bit like Lampard at Chelsea. Once Stevie is through the door here, I want him in post for years and years to come.
Only time will tell now - but the ideal scenario, in my mind now, is that he sticks at the Villa job for a good few years, builds something there, some European football. Villa have a decent squad, and wealthy owners. Itās the ideal stepping stone, but Iām happy for that step to Liverpool not to happen for a good while. For me, itās not about who replaces Klopp (when he decides heās done his time), but about when Stevie is ready for the job.
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No mateā¦.Celtic are back now they have Aussie Ange in charge. Heās the real deal.
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I think this is the driver. Iām sure he would have stayed until the summer otherwise. However, realistically there are probably few next step clubs for him in the Premier League - Villa, Wolves, West Ham and Leicester perhaps? How many of those are going to be available to him, and when?.
And at Villa, at least he knows Purslow.
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Agreed. Worst case scenario for Gerrard is that Klopp leaves Liverpool (as he will) and we appoint somebody who carries on his work and does really well for a long time. Although whether he moved to Villa or not would not affect that I donāt think.
Last time we appointed an ex playing legend from Rangers though!!
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Oh boy, where do we start with this.
I was listening to Yorke in TV studios in last years and always thought, this guy is so full of himself itās incredible.
But this is two levels above anything he said.
His club and international career stopped in 2009 and he has zero (0) coaching experience since then.
Yet, he has the confidence not only to apply for the Villa job, but speak openly about it and almost sound like heās shocked.
Wish I had a bit of that mega confidence in life.
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Sol Campbell will have a field day with this.
Having said that, it does raise the interesting issue of the so-called Rooney rule. I thought the FA were implementing that?
Why?
Because he had a similar issue previously about expectations around getting a managerial job I think.
Moving to Villa makes it easier for him to be part of that conversation. Even if he doesnāt succeed Klopp, it gives him the platform to make the case either to take over from Kloppās successor, or to eventually take on another job bigger than Villa if the job at Villa doesnāt grow with him.
I havenāt seen the interview, but is the shock over him not getting the job or just not getting a reply?
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Sol Campbell is particularly reactionary around the promotion of black managers in the game. I am definitely on his side with regard to the wider point but where it applies to him as an individual, I do think itās less valid and that he potentially references it to deflect.
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I thought it was more around coaches and so on, plus I think they still have to meet a base criteria which would have been actually managing someone.
Itās like me applying to the Bank of England and then suggesting itās because Iām gay that they didnāt give me an interview. If I had the skills to be the governor of the Bank of England then that May be an issue. Does Yorke even have the coaching badges?
That, to be fair, should be a minus point for him, not a plus. Purslow is a * on all accounts, and he just proved it again by ditching Smith in a knee-jerk move of the highest order. I really hope that Gerrard wonāt trust him at any point in time.