Rangers have the perfect personality to lead them back to greatness
With his profile and background, everyone knows precisely what Steven is about
WATCHING Steven Gerrard patrol the technical area with his emotions on display causes more than a flicker of recognition within Dick Advocaat.
He sees just a little of himself in the man now occupying the role he assumed 21 years ago. A personality utterly focused on success and with the drive to get there. Precisely what Rangers need for the last push to restore the club to its past prominence.
Advocaat will get a close-up view of Gerrard’s managerial passion this evening. They will be yards apart on the touchline in
De Kuip, opponents in a high-octane Europa League encounter that could potentially secure a place in the last 32 for Rangers with a game to spare. For all of the misty-eyed reminiscing about his own time in Glasgow, Advocaat’s job is to prevent that outcome.
The 72-year-old won five trophies in a threeand-a-half-year tenure during a very different era at Ibrox. Incredible rates of spending, sanctioned by Sir David Murray, created a star-laden squad that achieved domestic dominance before Martin O’Neill’s arrival at Celtic altered the landscape.
Nowadays, Gerrard is fighting to deliver Rangers their first piece of major silverware in eight years — a burden that Advocaat argues only the strongest are able to carry. Whatever the outcome tonight, he is certain his 39-yearold adversary is made of the necessary material.
‘You can see Rangers have the right personality there in Steven Gerrard,’ said Advocaat, looking in relaxed mood as he spoke to Scottish journalists after his main UEFA media conference. ‘You can see the way he is on the touchline.
‘With his profile and background, everybody knows what he is about. You can see it in the players, as well, because everyone is really fighting for their position. Rangers also have some good players on the bench, it is not about just 11.
‘Do I see any of myself in Steven Gerrard? He was a much better player than me! On the touchline, maybe I was even more passionate than him. Maybe. But I saw him in the first game against Feyenoord and against the referees, it is a little bit the same as I do. In that way, definitely.’
One thing Gerrard may never match is Advocaat’s longevity. The Dutchman is now in his 17th job since leaving
Ibrox, with two wins and two draws recorded from his first four games since answering the call to replace Jaap Stam in Rotterdam.
Of course, plotting Rangers’ downfall is not a new experience. Advocaat was in charge of Zenit St Petersburg when they defeated Walter Smith’s side 2-0 in the 2008 UEFA Cup final in Manchester.
Just as then, sentiment won’t come in to it tonight. But Advocaat still glows when he considers what managing in Glasgow meant to him.
‘When I was at Sunderland, I came back to Glasgow with my friend Bert van Lingen to the training ground, the stadium and the house where I lived in that period,’ he smiled.
‘Rangers was something special. When we came up to the stadium, we saw a different man behind the desk