And the brand played on..
Gerrard on song but some Villa fans sound a warning as new boss rolls out greatest hits
YOU could take your pick of tribute acts in Birmingham this weekend.
If The Smyths are your thing then it was the O2 Academy or Broasis who were playing down at the Clumsy Swan.
Then there was Stevie G and his new power generation stealing the show at Villa Park.
It was quite the gig which ended with a standing ovation from the Holte End. If you didn’t know better you’d be fooled into believing it was a hero’s homecoming and the real thing.
Arms folded in trademark fashion, dress trousers, collar and tie with the three-quarter length coat. Steven Gerrard in all his managerial glory but something just didn’t sit right.
There were more than a few giveaways. For one, Jeff Beck’s Hi Ho Silver Lining provided the background music and Tina Turner was nowhere, not a hint of Simply the Best.
Then there was the biggest giveaway of all.
The sour taste in the mouths of many Rangers fans over the departure of their hero would have become full dry boak at the sight of his sprint down the touchline celebrating a goal five minutes from time.
Cue the last cardboard cutouts taking pride of place in any Rangers supporters living rooms finding their way into bins.
Gerrard’s transfer of emotion from one club to another in the space of a few days is a well-worn trick in football.
Say all the right things, tickle the belly of the fan base, flick their switch, Rangers one week and Aston Villa the next.
It’s cynical to suggest that Villa’s win over Brighton allowed their new boss to display a mock affection for the Midlands club but there was a feeling on Saturday night that the gaffer doth protest too much. He said: “I was authentic today. It was not a show for anyone.
“If anyone doubted what it means to be being in that position, just watch me after them goals. That’s real, the feeling, that’s how it is.”
Which begs the question, will the real Steven Gerrard please stand up as it’s only a few short months ago he said this: “I’m as ambitious as anyone connected to this club.
“I want to try and get this club Champions League football and to defend our title with our life, and I want to put the cup thing right.”
A few weeks back when quizzed on speculation about the Newcastle job, he said: “Do I look happy? Do I look settled? Don’t ask me silly questions.”
This was a return to Premier League showbiz and it’s easy to understand why Gerrard left Glasgow with barely a backwards glance but not everyone is convinced.
Talking to Villa fans, there was a consensus that brand Gerrard was what tempted Villa’s owners into giving him the job rather than his body of work.
His predecessor Dean Smith was right up the supporters’ street as a lifelong fan whose father had worked the turnstiles as a steward. Gerrard always wanted to be back in the Premier League and there’s no denying everything looks that bit better there.
Even Shane Duffy was doing a decent impression of being a steady and commanding central defender as he marshalled Brighton’s backline.
For the majority of the contest, it was the visitors who looked the likelier until Villa broke the deadlock through Ollie Watkins’ excellent finish six minutes from time before Tyrone Mings smashed home a second two minutes later.
Gerrard went to applaud his new set of fans and he said: “It was a fantastic sight at the end of the game. There was a lot of relief and a lot of emotion at the final whistle. The fans helped us a lot today.
“There are talented players in this squad including John McGinn, who was superb.”
And with that he was off, hero or Villan? In football it’s possible to be both.