STEVIE: REDS JOB A DREAM
ROUGH JUSTICE
FROM BACK PAGE return to his hometown club. But he insisted he’s hoping the Champions League-winning Reds boss is way out in his prediction.
He said: “His comments are obviously flattering from my point of view. But, as a Liverpool fan, if I’m correct in what he said, it was ‘if I get sacked today’. Well Jurgen isn’t getting the sack!
“I don’t want him to get the sack and neither does any Liverpool fan on the planet. We hope he is at the club for many, many more years.
“He is someone I get on really well with. He has been a big help and support since I decided to go into coaching. He has been an open book with me.
“But I’ve no immediate plans to go back down the road. I’m really happy at Rangers, I’ve got a big job. But it’s nice and flattering when someone speaks about you like that.
“The way I look at it, there is certainly no rush. Would it be a dream? Of course it would.
“But I’m in a fantastic job right now at a huge club. I’m honoured to be the Rangers manager, very thankful and appreciative of the opportunity.
“I’m right in the mix of this, my head is totally on the job in hand. But when the best coach in the world says something so flattering, of course it’s nice. As I say though, when you look right into the quote it was, ‘If I were to be sacked today’.
“If you had a list of managers in the betting shop for who is up for the sack, Jurgen would be right at the very bottom.”
Klopp is practically bomb proof at Anfield but his contract is up in 2022 and he has already hinted he could opt for a spell out of football when the time comes.
Gerrard has been tipped as the long-term successor but he said: “It does seem a long way off, especially when fixtures are slapping you in the face up here.
“But it will be here before you know it because it does fly when you are in these seasons. It was the same as a player.
“The last 15 months have gone really quick. It has been an eventful journey of ups and downs. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and I’m sure there is more in the pipeline.
“It’s just important to focus on now. A lot can happen from now until 2022. I’m really happy and settled here, focused on my job.”
Gerrard has a regular hotline to Merseyside but insisted he’s not out to copy Klopp when it comes to his style in the dugout.
The Ibrox boss is his own man – but admitted he’s keen to learn from the game’s biggest hitters.
Gerrard said: “There is a realisation he is one of the busiest men in football. It’s not something I do on a regular basis.
“But I know for a fact if I do pick the phone up or ask to meet him for a coffee, he will do it at the drop of a hat.
“I don’t think I could ever model myself on Jurgen. It doesn’t matter what I do or what strings I add to my bow, I will never have the charisma and presence of Jurgen.
“Some managers are special and born to do what they do. He is certainly one of them.
“I’m very young and at a completely different end of the scale to him.”