A ROOKIE MISTAKE
It’s a massive risk for Rangers AND Gerrard .. being an U-18 boss is million miles away from stress of being manager in Glasgow
ALAN STUBBS is adamant his neighbour Steven Gerrard would be taking a huge risk by walking away from a Jurgen Klopp masterclass into a first proper managerial role at Rangers. The Ibrox outfit’s interest in the Anfield legend is being viewed as bold. But having been in Celtic’s dressing room in 1999 when rookie John Barnes made the same transition without a shred of top-team gaffer nous he reckons it would be even bolder of Gerrard to consider it. The former England captain is taking his first steps in coaching with the Under-18 team at Liverpool. Gerrard is being viewed as a future Reds boss and the pathway appears open for him. Stubbs believes he will take that job one day but reckons going to Glasgow right now has a massive health warning attached. Barnes was a disaster at Parkhead and axed just six months into his role. Stubbs reckons it’s a huge challenge to go from Academy coach to Ibrox gaffer and said: “If Rangers are discussing Steven as a manager it’s an unbelievably bold move. Not just by Rangers but also by Steven. “Steven has just had a new baby and moved into his new house in Formby where I live. We’ve crossed paths in the village and he’s realising with the Under-18s the hours that have to be put in. “For me it’s early days. I’m not too sure if I can see it. Of course, anything can happen with Rangers at the moment. “Klopp is doing amazingly well at Liverpool and could learn so much from him. He’s on the first steps of potentially managing Liverpool in the future. If he stays he’ll go Under-18s to Under-23s then to the first team. “Steven’s held in such high regard at Liverpool he could go through the system to be manager. He was a fantastic player, similar to if Ryan Giggs had stayed at Manchester United. I could have seen it with him before he took the Wales job. Working with Louis van Gaal, then Jose Mourinho, then making the step up himself.
“I’m not sure many clubs would do it as the financial platform in football has changed but I believe Steven could.”
Stubbs can see similarities between Barnes’s appointment 19 years ago and the potential for Gerrard to take over across the city.
He said: “Of the players going straight into management there’s a high percentage that don’t work out. Players don’t understand what goes into it, we’re very naive.
“We’ll walk into training and think the session’s just been discussed for five or 10 minutes beforehand. These sessions take years of experience. Some managers work a month in advance. Unfortunately it’s not just about picking signings and 11 players, there’s a lot more to it.
“It’s really important you have a really strong backroom team with you. The blend needs to be right. When John came into Celtic, Kenny Dalglish admitted he had a budget and took a gamble on him.
“He thought he’d be able to carry what he did as a player into management and, unfortunately, it didn’t work out.
“John would have known or had an idea from the pressures of playing but I feel going into management it’s tenfold.
“If Rangers are looking for a name I’m not sure that’s the right path. If it’s a name and the right person that’s different.
“Patrick Vieira did the Under-23s at Manchester City then went to New York City. The apprenticeship has been done and now he’s linked with Arsenal. That’s a sensible way. He’s done his hours, but it might be early for Steven. He’s still learning. “To go from Under-18s to a club the size of a Rangers is a phenomenally huge task.”