๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ & ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ-๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ.
Final talks between club chairman Dave King and the Liverpool legend took place yesterday and a deal was struck to take Gerrard to Glasgow, the Scottish capital, where he will begin his senior managerial career.
He took his first managerial job at the beginning of the current season, when he took over Liverpool's U18's, where he managed an impressive 3rd place league finish in his only season at the helm.
โWhen I got the call, it was a no-brainer,โ said Gerrard, who will take on the role officially on the 1st of June. โI got a special feeling from that call. The most important thing is the opportunity and the challenge. I wish I could get rid of the next four or five weeks because I canโt wait to meet all the players.
โIf I didnโt have confidence then I wouldnโt have taken this challenge on. In terms of targets: I just want to win football matches. Thatโs my buzz, thatโs the demands here.โ
When the former Liverpool & England captain was quizzed about his lack of experience as a manager he replied : โIt seems to be an issue for a lot of people, but itโs not an issue for me. Iโve been around a big club for a long time. Iโve been around big managers and worked under big managers. Pressureโs not a bad thing for me. In football, if youโre working under pressure youโre in a good place. Bring it on: I donโt mind being under intense pressure.โ
Dave King, the Glasgow club's chairman claimed : From the very beginning, talks have been extremely positive and we believe that Steven is the right man to drive Rangers forward. He was extremely impressive throughout our negotiations and we are convinced that he has the necessary knowledge and temperament to lead the club to the success we all desire. This a special day for our club, our fans and for Steven.โ
Gerrard's former team mate and midfield partner at Liverpool, Gary McAllister, will be his assistant when he takes charge of The Gers. โI couldnโt ask for anyone better to take this challenge on with me,โ added Gerrard.
Celtic's manager Brendan Rodgers, expressed his excitement at the prospect of facing his former player & club captain when he was in charge of the Liverpool side who almost won the league a few seasons ago next season. โI am sure he will be looking forward to his first job and like I say, I am happy that he now enters into my world of coaching and managing,โ he said. โObviously itโs his first job. He will have an idea in relation in how he wants to work.
โThat level of professionalism all his career made him a great player so I am sure he will take all those attributes into management. But only over time will you see the identity of his teams, how he wants to work and play.โ
Gerrard played a total of 703 appearances for Liverpool scoring an incredible 185 goals and assisting a further 115. He won't have an easy task on his hands when he takes over The Gers though, as they are currently in 3rd place in the league table, 13 points below their bitter rivals Celtic, who trashed them 5-0 in their last encounter last Sunday.