FACING A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME

Despite his career, Gerrard will never have witnessed a derby quite like this

THROUGHOUT 710 appearances for Liverpool and 114 caps for England, Steven Gerrard probably forgot more about football than most people will ever know.

Few, then, who have seen him taking his first steps in management with Rangers will expect the Anfield legend to go weak at the knees as midday tomorrow approaches.

For a man who had never known the loneliness of the dugout until so recently, he exudes a remarkable air of calm.

If personal experience is anything to go by, though, Brendan Rodgers believes his former Liverpool skipper’s heart will beat that little bit faster as his senses threaten to overload.

Gerrard can take it from one who knows. No matter his extraordinary journey in football to this point, this moment will be truly unique.

‘He’ll feel the sense of occasion, that’s for sure,’ declared Rodgers.

‘Steven is from Merseyside and as a local boy he experienced the whole Liverpool v Everton thing, or the Liverpool v Man United thing. But this game is different. He’ll feel the raw passion.’

If it may be true that there is no such thing as a meaningless Old Firm match, it also follows that some are more important than others. Tomorrow’s clash at Celtic Park falls squarely into that category.

With the league yet to settle, gaining an early psychological advantage over a bitter rival would be huge in any event.

But this is Rodgers v Gerrard. The former Anfield manager and the ex-captain squaring up as bosses for the first time. The next chapter in a relationship that has had its moments. It’s positively seismic.

‘Our relationship was different, of course, as player and manager,’ added Rodgers. ‘Stevie was heading towards the end of his career (when Rodgers was at Liverpool) and has now made the step in. It’s great to see them (former players) do that.’

When Gerrard left his role as a youth coach at Anfield to take the Rangers job, there were more raised eyebrows than at a plastic surgeon’s convention.

Having finished third behind Aberdeen in the league in each of the past two seasons, conventional wisdom suggested the Ibrox club needed an experienced hand on the tiller. Not someone who would make mistakes on the job.

With each passing week, it is a theory with diminishing credibility. In taking Rangers into the Europa League group stage with a revamped squad, Gerrard has made an impressive start.

After countless years of tumult and wrong turns, the 38-year-old has put a lighted match to the light-blue touch paper.

‘They have certainly got better players,’ said Rodgers. ‘Stevie has done well. There is good organisation, they have that bit of spirit that comes with pre-season and doing well in Europe. That will give them confidence.

‘They have good players. The boy (Scott) Arfield, I liked when he was at Burnley. (Connor) Goldson at the back, I liked when I saw him at Brighton. There are other good players, as well.

‘We’ll find out. I think I said at the beginning of this season that this year the challenges keep coming on to you.

‘Aberdeen will be better, as will Hibs and Hearts. Obviously, we expect Rangers, with their investment and Stevie coming in, to be better — but time will tell.’

It’s now three years since Gerrard left Anfield for LA Galaxy and the longest of goodbyes undoubtedly put strain on his relationship with Rodgers who, the midfielder held in print, had ‘misled’ him about the number of big games he would be used in.

Whether settling a score with his old boss was a prime motivation for Gerrard moving to Rangers in June, only he knows. There have certainly been no ambles down memory lane over dinner of late.

Rodgers, though, did make a point of contacting his opposite number to offer his congratulations after Rangers edged past Ufa on Thursday.

Asked about any recent contact, he said: ‘Not a great deal. Some text messages. You are so busy focusing on your own job.

‘The bit of spare time you have off, you are with your family. You don’t get much time to talk. I look forward to catching up with him. I sent him a message after they qualified.’

Relations between the pair could never have been quite as frosty as some would have you believe, however. Just ask any Merseyside estate agent worth their salt.

When Gerrard did eventually pack up and move to Los Angeles, Rodgers bought his mansion in Formby from him.

‘I still own it,’ said the Celtic boss with a smile. ‘I have Jurgen (Klopp) in it at the minute. He’s renting it.’

So what of all the theories written by keyboard warriors and given some credence by Gerrard himself? That cracks appeared in the pair’s marriage of convenience in that final season at Liverpool?

‘I’m not sure where it comes from,’ insisted Rodgers. ‘I think people would like to go down that route. It’s certainly nothing I’m aware of. It’s never easy whenever you leave your club and move on.

‘It’s never been an issue. He was great for me at Liverpool as a captain. I think he said something likewise when I came in as a manager — that I helped him change role and his position in the team. He had a couple of great seasons for me.’

Rodgers was aware that Gerrard’s long-term ambitions lay in following his path to the dugout. But was even he taken aback at point of entry?

‘(Pep) Guardiola started at Barca B in front of 3,000 or 4,000,’ said the Celtic manager. ‘It depends on the individual’s needs. Steven has looked at Rangers, big club, big support base, and fancied the challenge.

‘I always felt this was the route he would go down. In terms of coaching, it was something we spoke about during our time there, when he and Kolo (Toure) started their badges.

‘It was clear he was going to go down the management route and it was then a case of when and where he stepped in.’

Two late aberrations against Aberdeen and Motherwell aside, Gerrard’s transition from playing to managing could hardly have gone more smoothly.

Were it taking place far from Rodgers’ line of sight, a helping hand or two may even have been extended.

Come lunchtime tomorrow, though, the handshake and the platitudes will be brief.

‘When you cross the line, you want to win,’ said Rodgers. ‘There’s no question about that.’