Classy Gareth sent me a good luck text when I got Rangers job
Now Gerrard just needs to convince his Scottish players to watch England!
STEVEN Gerrard has a twinkle in his eye. The World Cup is here and, judging by the smile lighting up his face, so is the first big test for the players of Rangers.
Gerrard oversaw training at Ibrox Park for the first time yesterday, while on Monday, Rangers fly to southern Spain for a pre-season fitness camp.
Entertainment, for the first night, has been arranged: there is an open invitation to a squad containing 15 Scots to join their new manager in watching England play Tunisia. Does he believe the offer will be universally accepted?
‘We will have to see what facilities the hotel has,’ says Gerrard, 38, proud owner of 114 England caps. ‘It’s their decision whether they want to watch England, but I’ll certainly be watching . . . ’
And hoping and praying. Gerrard is ready to immerse himself in management but the advent of the World Cup has brought pangs of envy. He played at the last three tournaments, captaining England in South Africa and Brazil, and it’s at times like these that he wishes he could do it all again.
‘I’d love to be in the squad,’ he says. ‘I loved this time — the build-up, meeting the squad, getting ready for the first game. Mixed emotions, really.
‘It’s high pressure. You know the spotlight is on you. There is scrutiny, all eyes are watching your every move.
‘I remember getting off the plane in Germany, wearing my suit in 2006, thinking, “Wow! I’m at my first World Cup. Here we go!” Your stomach turns with excitement. It’s brilliant.
‘If you go and do well, it’s great. If you don’t do well, you have to be prepared for the stick that will come with it.’
It is a test of the mind as much as a test of skill and Gerrard has watched the buildup with interest. He is relieved England came through the warm- up fixtures without injuries and has been enthused by several players, not least Liverpool right back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
‘He is a beauty and he is going to get better,’ says Gerrard. ‘I’ve got no doubt he’ll get many England caps. No doubt at all.’
There are also no doubts about Raheem Sterling, regardless of the attention that followed him for that gun tattoo, the late arrival and the dive that saw him booked in the win over Nigeria.
Will there be a hangover in Russia? Gerrard shakes his head. He speaks with authority, having been Sterling’s captain at Liverpool. No player, he says, excites him more than the Manchester City forward and nobody is better equipped to deal with the focus.
Gerrard remembers how, four years ago, Sterling had been through a spell that left Brendan Rodgers, then Liverpool’s manager, explaining how he needed to stabilise his life to force his way into Roy Hodgson’s England team for the opening World Cup game against Italy in Manaus.
‘The kid I played with — his mental strength was incredible,’ says Gerrard. ‘There was a lot of attention on him but it didn’t affect his performances. It’s a huge compliment to someone who can park what is going on off the pitch and do very well.
‘I’m not going to get involved in how Raheem is living his life off the pitch. That’s his business — but he’s a hell of a player. He is getting better and better. His numbers are improving in terms of assists and goals.
‘Raheem knows how disappointed I was when he left Liverpool but he’s gone on and achieved big things with City and I want him to do the same for England. I’m just looking forward to watching him play. He’s fabulous.’
We meet at an event organised by Budweiser, who will give everyone in the country a free beer to celebrate if England win the World Cup. Gerrard, of course, is hoping they have to buy the biggest round in history.
It is not Gerrard’s style to make predictions, other than to say an England win is a ‘massive ask’, but he does take time to explain his admiration for Gareth Southgate.
There is one story he feels illustrates perfectly the man who is now guiding England’s fortunes. On the day that Gerrard was announced as Rangers’ new manager, his phone buzzed constantly with an influx of messages. One of the first was from Southgate.
‘It was a touch of class,’ says Gerrard. ‘It’s the biggest, most important time he will ever have as a manager and he took the time to get in touch with me. He was one of the first. How much has he got going on? He didn’t have to do it.
‘But here’s the England manager, preparing for the biggest couple of months of his life, and he had time to drop me a message. He has the balance right on what he is trying to do and I have been impressed by what he has done so far.
‘He was a great guy to be around as a player, always very helpful for a youngster like me. He was always interested in tactics, he always wanted to talk to me about football. Looking back now, you probably could see he was going to become a manager.
‘I’m really happy on how he is performing with England. He isn’t afraid to make big calls. He’s got them playing some decent stuff and I like the way they are set up with the players we have available. I look forward to seeing how they do. Actually, I’m quite positive.’
Budweiser, official beer of the World Cup, will give every adult aged 18 and over a free beer to celebrate if the trophy is brought back to England.
‘England to win is a massive ask but the balance is right. I’m feeling quite positive’