Jumping at Newcastle job might damage Gerrard... but so could staying put
STEVEN GERRARD won’t be interested in Newcastle. Too much of a risk. He loves Rangers too much. He has unfinished business here. It will damage his reputation. You don’t want to be the first man in the door after Steve Bruce anyway. Better to hang on and be the next guy in after that.
It has been coming from all angles. Football person after football person telling you why St James’ Park holds nothing on Ibrox for the former England captain as the Magpies’ new owners whittle down the list for the soon-to-be-vacant manager’s job.
Listen, these guys must have their reasons for believing Gerrard would prefer a club that ‘haven’t spent a penny in two windows’ in Scotland ahead of one with new-found access to unimaginable billions of oil money in the world’s biggest, bestest league.
It is just impossible when you live in the real world to shake the feeling the Rangers boss would absolutely jump at the chance to listen to what the Saudis say when, and if, they come calling.
This idea that he wouldn’t consider it because it doesn’t fit into some kind of grand chess strategy or simply because he’s pyoor troo bloo anawrat is surely just naive madness.
From his old Liverpool pal Danny Murphy to former Ibrox captain Barry Ferguson and all sorts of others in between, including Kris Boyd and Andy Halliday, the view is clear. It’s a no-go. Not even up for discussion. It is both a fascinating and perplexing viewpoint.
In most cases, the focus appears to rest on the rebuilding job he would face at a club stuck at the wrong end of the English Premier League and what would happen if he didn’t make them a top-four team in jig-time. He’d be chewed up and spat out. Forgotten about for the Liverpool job he cherishes. It all just seems too simplistic. For all the conversation over what might go wrong if Gerrard leaves, has anyone considered the potential for future damage to his reputation should he stay?
Gerrard has already stated publicly that Rangers need to spend big money to keep improving. Not just any old money. Big money.
It sounded like a warning of impending doom, a reminder that the progress made during his time in charge, particularly in Europe, cannot continue without investment — or at least some kind of functional transfer model rather than the black hole that exists right now.
On Thursday, Rangers begin a Europa League double-header against Brondby in the wooden spoon position in Group A. It is a section they should qualify from, but they have been making heavy weather of it so far.
Yes, Gerrard would no doubt like to ringfence his Rangers legacy with a second title and a return for the club to the Champions League group stage through automatic qualification.
But what could hanging around for that campaign do to his stock? A shortage of quality additions has led to staleness this term. On current form and with the current personnel, they would be in danger of some real pummellings against Europe’s elite and Gerrard must see that.
It was surely part of the reason he issued that clarion call to the board the other week.
There is an understanding that Scottish clubs cannot compete financially. Brendan Rodgers, after all, was forgiven atrocious results in Europe when Leicester City took him from Celtic. Regular thumpings generally add little to anyone’s resume, though.
As for the argument that Newcastle won’t be able to attract top talent immediately, let’s wait and see.
Manchester City bought Robinho from Real Madrid the same day Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi group took over in September 2008 and seemed to get up and running on the recruitment front pretty quickly.
Forgive this moment of great revelation so early on a Sunday, but cash is king in football, a game so devoid of morals and ethics at the top of the pyramid that valid outrage over Saudi Arabia’s very involvement is weakened and dampened down by every other scandal playing out at the same time.
Players, agents and managers — even those ‘non-legacy fans’ — all follow the money. Newcastle talk about being in this for the long-haul, but the likelihood is that it won’t take a huge amount of time to become competitive, providing anticipated budgets materialise.
Gerrard, of course, comes across as a guy who would always seek to do things by the book, to respect his employers. It is also very easy to believe him when he says Rangers have got under his skin. It is a special institution.
However, it operates in a backwater struggling to stay even remotely relevant in the wider, politically-driven scheme of European club football.
Liverpool might be his dream role, but it is hardly a case of just waiting for Jurgen Klopp to drop off the keys.
You don’t get to pick and choose at Gerrard’s stage in the game. Timing, circumstances, ownership, someone failing to remember what happened when Chelsea went down the ‘legend’ route with Frank Lampard.
Everything can have a say in that desire for perceived destiny to fulfil itself.
Shots at the real top level are few and far between for coaches outwith the recognised elite. They are also difficult to turn down. Particularly when they come with unimaginable amounts of dough to blow on A-list players.
For all the current lack of structure, bat away Newcastle now and you are running the risk of one of life’s classic ‘what if’ moments returning to haunt you.
In addition to that, what else is Gerrard going to get if Liverpool opt for a different path?
It won’t be bigger than new-look, nouveau-riche Newcastle, who might just be ready-made to overlook his shortage of trophies and experience in exchange for the image and branding he would deliver for Saudi backers looking to make a spectacular arrival.
Qatar’s co-opting of Barcelona icon Xavi and the channelling of his image and influence in recent years shows how the game at that level is becoming about way, way more than just putting together training drills.
Gerrard’s time here already felt like it was entering its closing chapters. These persistent links with Newcastle simply raise a new question that doesn’t appear to be cutting through so much of the conversation on the matter.
Why would you remain a big fish in a small, impoverished pool when there’s a club out there with the resources and potential to make you king of the world?
For such a nakedly ambitious character, the answer appears self-evident.