If Rangers got Gerrard the hero player, they might have a chance
THe goalkeepers come from Swindon and Port Vale, defenders from Bristol City and Cardiff. Midfielders herald from the east — Azerbaijan and Norwich — while the star striker was once of Harrogate Railway Athletic, and latterly Accrington Stanley.
Steven Gerrard was considered wise for avoiding lower-league football with Milton Keynes Dons. So why embrace it, in all but name, with Rangers?
He was due to have more talks yesterday, but this isn’t the move north Graeme Souness made on leaving Sampdoria in 1986. Rangers’ current circumstances are far removed, and by more than just time. There is no longer a big two in Scotland. Celtic are No 1 in a field of one.
It was 32 years ago when Souness agreed to become playermanager and, in terms of difference, his job title is the first clue. Souness was always going to have at least one world-class player to call on in his first season, as long as he stayed fit.
Yet there was decent money to spend, so other quality arrivals followed, particularly from england. With no european football on offer to english clubs, the talent drain was reversed.
england internationals Terry Butcher and Chris Woods joined Souness in his initial season, Trevor Steven, Gary Stevens, Trevor Francis and Ray Wilkins
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came after. Rangers were a big club. They even paid Sampdoria £300,000 to get Souness out of his contract in Serie A. By comparison, Rangers’ entire starting line-up, beaten 5-0 by Celtic on Sunday, will not have cost much in excess of £2.5m, which would be unremarkable for a League One club in england. Rangers still take players from the south, but their targets are in the lower divisions or reserve teams. There is much excitement about the impending arrival of Scott Arfield, now he can’t get in at Burnley. What has not changed in Scotland is expectation. Rangers want Gerrard (below) for the same reason they sought Souness. They think a big-name manager will attract bigger players and help them challenge Celtic. When Souness came, Rangers had last won the league nine seasons earlier, 1977-78, muscled out by Celtic and what was called the New Firm, of Aberdeen and Dundee United. Yet Sir Alex Ferguson left for Manchester United a few months into Souness’s first season, and Dundee United had not been in the top two since winning the league in 1983. By 1989, Rangers had the financial clout to sign Celtic hero Mo Johnston
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from Nantes. As Leicester found, it is easier to break into an open league where leading teams are taking points from each other. Celtic now have a monopoly on title success in Scotland: seven straight Premiership wins, and five league defeats since December 19, 2015, none of them against Rangers.
It was March 25, 2012, when Rangers last defeated Celtic — this despite 11 meetings in all competitions across the last two seasons. ‘Second in Glasgow is last,’ warned Souness, and the Champions League revenue makes closing that gap far more difficult than it was in his time.
The word is Gerrard will take the job regardless, but he may be frustrated if he has designs on replicating Souness’s model, using his name and contacts to attract star players to an exciting new project.
RANGeRShave the status, if not the riches, of a big club and there would certainly be options. Joe Hart, for instance, would be an upgrade on Wes Foderingham, formerly of Swindon, Jak Alnwick, from Port Vale or the soon-to-besigned Allan McGregor. Yet Hart’s wages at Manchester City, where he may return after a chequered loan period at West Ham, are in the region of £140,000 a week. Would he be prepared to drop to, say, £20,000 to play at Rangers?
The same with Daniel Sturridge.