He will be at the heart of everything
HAVING racked up more than 20 jobs in a coaching career that can be traced all the way back to 1981, Dick Advocaat is a man with a phenomenal wealth of experience.
In charge of Rangers between 1998 and 2001, the Dutchman is now watching from afar as Steven Gerrard takes the plunge into management at Ibrox.
The former England captain is obviously a relative novice in terms of the technical area, having previously spent a year at the helm of Liverpool’s Under-18 team.
Advocaat, though, remains confident Gerrard will be able to hit the ground running in Glasgow and draw upon his illustrious past as a player.
The 38-year-old formally begins a four-year contract with Rangers today and will meet up with the squad he has inherited when they return for pre-season training later this month.
‘He will walk straight into that dressing room and command respect,’ insisted former Holland boss Advocaat, who is finally set to retire from management at the age of 70.
‘I spoke recently with Dirk Kuyt, who obviously played with him for a long time at Liverpool. He said in the dressing room, he was the man. He was involved in everything.
‘He was centre of all the talking, asking: “What will we do next, how can we change?”. He was a real pro.
‘I was really impressed by the appointment. It’s a great name. Steven was a great football player, a legend in Liverpool.
‘Now he’s got the opportunity to be the manager of a big club, so it’s very positive.
‘I don’t worry about his experience. He has so much of it as a player and has always had great managers around him at Liverpool and the national team, so I don’t think that will be a problem, not at all.
‘I can only see the positives for Steven and for the players at the club.’
Gerrard has not exactly taken on a gentle introduction to first-team management. The to-do list confronting him is lengthy enough to spill off the end of his desk in the manager’s office at Rangers’ Auchenhowie training base.
Strengthening the squad is an obvious priority but there is also a pressing need to move on many of those who will be deemed surplus to requirements at the start of a new era. With some on lucrative contracts, that may be no easy task.
Rangers have added Scott Arfield and Allan McGregor this summer, while also confirming that Jamie Murphy’s loan move has been transferred into a three-year permanent contract. The club also remain keen on a move for Brighton centre-back Connor Goldson, but an agreement is yet to be reached after two offers were rejected.
Gerrard will hope to have others on board by the time his squad departs for a ten-day training camp in Andalusia on June 17. It is then that preparations for the new season will begin in earnest.
That campaign will pitch Gerrard up against Brendan Rodgers, his former manager at Anfield who is seeking to land Celtic’s eighth successive title.
Advocaat believes Rangers can push their Old Firm rivals closer next season and argues that Gerrard’s presence could attract some important additions.
‘Having Gerrard as manager, having that name involved, will definitely help bring players to Rangers, especially English players,’ said Advocaat, who replaced Walter Smith 20 years ago.
‘The difference when I arrived was that I had to change the whole team almost.
‘But Rangers didn’t do that bad last season. Okay, they finished third but they were not so many points behind Celtic. With some good players, experienced players, they can close the gap in my opinion.
‘I’m certain that Gerrard will bring the competition back between Celtic and Rangers.’