Gerrard brings his passion to a Rangers revival
ONE game in and Steven Gerrard already sounds like a manager. ‘I’ve told the players we will play different systems and formations. We aren’t going to say, “This is your position and you’ll only play there”,’ he said after starting his new career at Rangers with a win.
Somewhere, you can imagine Rafa Benitez with a wry smile given the endless debate over the captain’s role at Liverpool all those years ago.
It’s been a promising summer for English managers long-mocked for ‘Mike Bassett syndrome’. Gareth Southgate showed at the World Cup that you can be English and successful. Gerrard (right) is cut from the same cloth, both thoughtful and passionate, with the added advantage of an iconic playing career.
More than 49,000 turned up to see him as much as Rangers in Thursday’s 2-0 victory over Macedonia’s FC Shkupi in the Europa League. The second leg of their qualifier is in Skopje on Tuesday.
‘I am a perfectionist,’ said Gerrard. ‘I always search for things we can do better.
‘We all know the pressure that is going to come at Rangers. The fans are desperate for goals and to be entertained. So are we.’
Gerrard’s arrival in Glasgow has been a shot of adrenaline for a football-mad city bored of Celtic’s domination with seven straight SPL titles.
He has a free shot this year — improve without being expected to dethrone Celtic — but next season Gers fans will demand their rivals are stopped from equalling a record ninein-a-row championships.
‘I’ve seen it’s very different from playing,’ said Gerrard. ‘You have to do a lot more thinking and preparation. Your focus as a player is to get yourself right, you become a leader as you get older, but it is still an individual focus rather than having 23 players to prepare.
‘You have to make big decisions and some have nothing to do with football. But I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t driven by success. I missed the buzz of fighting for important results and big competitions. I have that back now.’
Now Gerrard – and the blue side of Glasgow – hopes to have the same effect on Rangers that Southgate had in bringing his England side so close to a World Cup final appearance last week in Russia .
FOUR Everton players scored hat-tricks as new boss Marco Silva kicked off his reign with an astonishing 22-0 win at Austrian side ATV Irdning. Kevin Mirallas led the way with five goals — Cenk Tosun, Oumar Niasse and Ademola Lookman also completed trebles. New Arsenal boss Unai Emery was also celebrating in his first game, with PierreEmerick Aubameyang scoring three in an 8-0 win at Borehamwood.