STEVIE WON’T WALK AWAY.. THAT’S NOT THE PERSON I KNOW
Murphy: My pal’s no quitter
ALLY McCOIST famously coined the phrase “We Don’t Do Walking Away” but Danny Murphy reckons it could just as easily have been current Rangers boss Steven Gerrard.
The Ibrox gaffer cast doubt over his future following the disastrous Scottish Cup quarterfinal exit at the hands of Premiership bottom dogs Hearts.
That defeat in Gorgie means Gerrard looks likely to finish his second season in charge without a trophy and the club’s wait for serious silverware may be set to stretch to at least a decade.
The Light Blues trail league leaders Celtic by a dozen points, albeit with a game in hand, going into tomorrow night’s home clash with Hamilton.
Gers also face a Europa League last-16 clash with Bayer Leverkusen but the odds on Gerrard lifting a major honour are lengthy and he admitted to having some serious thinking to do over the weekend.
That has led to speculation that he could be about to quit but his former Liverpool team-mate Murphy claimed there isn’t “even one per cent” chance of that happening.
Murphy believes his old Anfield pal, whom he spent six years alongside in the Reds first team, allowed his anger to get the better of him and in the cold light of day will realise how far he has taken the club despite silverware appearing elusive.
It was Gers legend McCoist who came up with the soundbite that inspired Ibrox legions about refusing to throw in the towel during the club’s darkest days.
And Murphy, speaking on talkSPORT radio, said of Gerrard: “I’d be amazed if he walked, gobsmacked. It’s not in him, it’s not the person I know.
“I don’t think there’s any chance of that at all, not even one per cent. With the wisdom he’s got around him in people like Gary McAllister, today when they think about where they’ve come as a club, it will calm down.
“I’ve read between the lines. He’s angry and frustrated and he’s taken some responsibility himself regarding what he’s seeing on the pitch isn’t what he wants from his players.
“Therefore, he’s doubting himself and thinking, ‘Am I getting my message across?’”
Gers have toiled domestically since the start of the year with a staggering 10 points dropped after putting themselves in a good position in the title race with a derby win at Parkhead before the winter break.
Despite their woes at home, the Light Blues produced stunning back-to-back wins over in-form Portuguese side Braga and Murphy believes the comedown after the high of the second of those wins contributed to the loss at Hearts.
The 42-year-old former England midfielder said: “In isolation, this one game isn’t a big deal. You do have a bad performance after an intense away European game.
“This is what you have to remember and I know this from playing in numerous games abroad. You’re talking about travel, the physical output of the game then the euphoria of the win. It’s a bit like the Lord Mayor’s show, there’s a comedown, it’s hard to pick yourself up, even though it’s a cup game at Hearts.
“It’s just human nature. If you go and get a result at the Nou Camp then you’re away at West Brom on the Saturday it’s just not the same.
“Now I know Braga are not one of the biggest teams in Europe but the same principles apply. The performance is allowed, sometimes.
“I don’t think that’s the big issue, going out the Cup. It’s more about inconsistency since coming back from the break.
“They’ve lost way on Celtic in the league and the performances have dropped.”
Gerrard wears his heart on his sleeve and has questioned his players’ character this year and on
Saturday whether they shared his desperation to win.
But veteran boss Sam Allardyce insists the 39-year-old has to learn to rein in his hardhitting post-match comments and put on a brave face.
Asked if Gerrard could continue to show his disappointment, Allardyce told beIN Sports: “No. Privately when you’re in your own space you can. But publicly you can’t.
“You’ve got to show your players you’re right behind them, you’re going to criticise them constructively because of the poor performances they’ve given, and you’ve shown them the way forward by acting positively.
“Players can sense when you’re not performing at your best and that can affect them. You’ve got to be brave enough to overcome however down you feel, and pick yourself up and be bright, bubbly and positive.”
On Gerrard’s admission that he would have to think over his Gers future, Allardyce added: “He has put his own position in doubt.
“People will read into that what they want to, even going as far as thinking he’ll walk away. I don’t think he will.
“Somebody needs to pick him up, particularly his staff.”
He’s really angry and frustrated and he’s taken some responsibility
DANNY MURPHY GIVES HIS VIEW ON GERRARD