GARY MAC HAS GOT YOUR BACK
Warnock happy pal can still rely on his Gers No.2
Stephen Warnock recalls Steven Gerrard turning to Gary McAllister in his time of need after he first broke into the Liverpool first team.
And the former Kop defender believes having McAllister’s experience to draw on at Ibrox has been crucial as Gerrard closes in on delivering Rangers’ first title in a decade.
Warnock knows McAllister better than most having first encountered him as a youngster at Anfield, where the former Scotland skipper enjoyed an Indian Summer.
He then worked under Gary Mac during a loan spell at Coventry City and again at Aston Villa when he was No.2 to Gerard Houllier.
And the 39-year-old reckons
McAllister’s influence will have been huge for Gerrard in his first senior managerial role, which is on course to deliver major silverware at the third attempt.
Gerrard faced a huge challenge when last season was halted due to Covid-19 with the former England captain ending a second successive season empty handed.
But it was during times like that Warnock, who spent five years at Liverpool with pal Gerrard after coming through the youth ranks, believes he would have needed McAllister most as well as the belief of the Ibrox board.
Ger rard knew that he required an old head next to him when he landed a huge gig for his first job as boss.
And McAllister’s experience from coaching and managerial spells at Coventry, Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Villa has been invaluable.
Warnock, who won two England caps and was part of the 2010 World Cup squad when Gerrard was captain, told MailSport: “The one thing I always remember about Gary’s time at Anfield was that Steven was going through a really bad spell in the first team.
“He was struggl ing with confidence and form and openly admits that period of time was critical in his career.
“Gary was the player Steven turned to and he helped him out. I’m not saying it was a terrible time but it was a testing time for Steven and a lot of people knew it.
“Gary was hugely helpful in getting him back to his best.
“Steven was about 20 and going through a dip which is understandable as a young player but Gary played alongside him and was always helping him out.
“When you’re a young player and have the ability Steven had then your get- out is to always to try to hit an unbelievable pass to get the confidence back.
“But Gary told him it was the other way round and to keep things simple and slowly build things back up again.
“His help was invaluable and I’m sure it’s the same now as a manager. The big thing when you’re looking for an assistant manager is that you don’t go for a yes-man who will agree with everything you say.
“You need someone who offers an opinion and Gary will have brought that to Steven.
“They obviously know each other from their Liverpool days but Steven also knows Gary has worked with the likes of Gerard Houllier and has made mistakes as a manager.
“Gary is a huge thinker and he’ ll have learned from the mistakes he made.
“He can guide Steven at times and be that voice around the training ground to pass on the message to the players.
“That’s the most important job as the assistant manager because they become the link.
“They have to lift the players when they need it, not that
there’s been much need for that this season.
“But even learning from the mistakes they made from last year and not getting caught up in things, Gary is good at that side of the game and Steven needed that experience.
“The assistant is the one who has to put an arm around players and get them up to where they need to be – or knock them down a peg or two if it’s needed.
“Gary’s personality allows him to do both and I’m sure he has been a huge help to Steven at Rangers.
“I’m delighted for them both because when you look at certain jobs you think it will be easy.
“But going in at Rangers and trying to overturn a dominant Celtic was a huge job. Questions were asked of Steven when he was missing out on cups.
“There is so much pressure at big clubs to win trophies but when he didn’t do that in the first couple of seasons there was total support from the board and that helped him.
“I know Steven would never have stoppedped believing in himself butt they believed in him and they deserve massive creditredit for that.
“In thesee times with no fans, it’ss testing to motivate players and anyone who wins a league thishis season wi l l havee done a phenomenal enal job so for r Rangers to be so far ahead and on the verge of winning the league is incredible.”
While Warnock remembers McAllister helping Gerrard in his early playing days he admitted there was some sage advice for himself ,which proved a turning point in his own career.
He said: “Gary came in at Liverpool when I was a youngster on the fringes and wwhile we never played together in the first team, I played in a few reserve games with him and he was always good with the young players. “When he took the Coventry City job I got a phone call to say he wanted to take me.
“It was great because he’s a legend so when someone like that wants you to be part of their squad it’s very nice.
“It went really well but I remember gett ing a text message from him one morning asking me to go and see him before training.
“I’d played about 10 games for him but when I went into his office he told me he was leaving me out at the weekend.
“I asked him why and he said he’d noticed I’d dropped off a bit and that he wanted me to take a step back as it was my first full season playing and it would do me good.
“I went back to the dressing room and I was furious so I went back up to see him and asked what I needed to do to get back into the team. He told me: ‘Listen, this will hurt you but it will help you going forward in your career.’
“He said every player will have a dip in form and it’s how you deal with them.
“I had three games out and never looked back – I got Player of the Year that season.
“It was one of those moments where you look back and think he was so right in what he said.
“Sadly, Gary’s wife fell ill that season so he stepped down and was a big miss.
“I next encountered him at Aston Vi l la when Gerard Houllier brought him in.
“Gary was living in Leicester at the time so he was the ideal appointment and Gerard knew what he could bring.”
Gary’s help for Steven now will be as invaluable as it was as a player