Steven Gerrard | Al-Ettifaq Manager

Deery said:
I can understand your dislike for Gerrard but let’s not pretend he wasn’t a great player if he had moved to Real Madrid that time I’ve not doubt he would’ve won more than a few LaLiga’s..
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I'm not really pretending about him not being a great player, I never rated him the entire time he was playing. The comparisons with Lampard, the guy who regularly hit 20 goals a season mark and got them multiple league wins, let alone Scholes have always been hilarious.

Regardless of that, success refers to trophies not what would have been, and he's nowhere near most of the top players in terms of trophies during his time.
 
Read earlier that Rangers only get £3m from this good business from Villa if true.
 
Needham said:
No bitterness amongst the Rangers support that he's left you so soon?
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Im more disappointed in the timing & the way it seems to have came about. A week after Walter Smiths funeral, a few days after telling the Rangers TV interviewer "Do I look happy to you" when asked about Newcastle's interest, a week before a cup semi final, & 2 weeks before a make or break Europa League game.

Players away on international duty, staff down in London for a "holiday", apparently not even spoke to his captain or any of the players about a move before he left, just leaves a bit of a sour taste in the mouth for me.

No problems with him leaving for a decent EPL club, just not sure of the way it's all transpired.
 
Gio said:
Not great to be honest. Last year was obviously exceptionally good, but we didn't make the Champions League which was a big failure and we've been slow to get going despite being top of the table. We have a tough run of fixtures coming up with Celtic improving so the timing is pretty poor from his perspective. As much as most of us appreciate how far he's taken us, I think most fans will be a little let down by the timing of the move when he had a strong chance to win another title and get us back in the Champions League. Had he done that, I reckon most fans would have understood him moving onto a new challenge and wished him well. It's a little tainted right now, but provided we get the next appointmetn right and once the dust settles he'll be looked back fondly.
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Agree with this. Me and pal were discussing it last night saying if this was in the summer (second title won, possibly a cup and Champions League football back at Ibrox) no one would be begrudge him the move. I think the timing and optics is very poor, with a semi final after the international break and still the knockouts of the Europa League in our own hands. Interesting to see who the next appointment is, saw GVB as the favourite and Russel Martin seconds.
 
Moby said:
I'm not really pretending about him not being a great player, I never rated him the entire time he was playing. The comparisons with Lampard, the guy who regularly hit 20 goals a season mark and got them multiple league wins, let alone Scholes have always been hilarious.

Regardless of that, success refers to trophies not what would have been, and he's nowhere near most of the top players in terms of trophies during his time.
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Big difference in Chelsea and Liverpool back then though, Chelsea had basically two teams of star quality at a time, Liverpool had two or three stars.
 
People go on about the risk for Gerrard

But surely where ever he went or stayed is a risk?

He was never walking straight into the Liverpool job from Rangers

Not saying his stock is high in the elite sense, but his stock is higher, he’s won the title undefeated all season, he got them to the last 16 in Europe last season too, he’s currently got Rangers 4 points top of the league…..he either stays with the risk of losing the title race devaluing his stock as a manager….or leave on a high whilst an opportunity in the EPL is presenting itself in the here and now. Staying with Rangers too challenge a better Celtic this season and with the fans back and winning the title again would of course have risen his stock even higher, but why risk throwing away his currently decent position when there’s an opportunity?

With hindsight….it was quite an obvious move for Gerrard.

And surely the challenge and ambition of a club of Villas size with ambitions that will no doubt be….we want to be where Leicester (not so much this season so far admittedly) and West Ham are, is far more enticing than what the Scottish scene has to offer, no offence but it’s the truth Scotland.
 
Deery said:
Big difference in Chelsea and Liverpool back then though, Chelsea had basically two teams of star quality at a time, Liverpool had two or three stars.
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He ballsed it up in the season when his team had stars. 08-09 when he had a peak Torres, Alonso and mascherano in midfield and a well oiled team, who was leading the league in Jan and bottled it when they needed him to break down the teams they drew and in 13-14 when he had a peak Suarez rinsing the entire league and they literally lost because of him making the biggest individual blunder in PL history. That's literally two leagues they lost down to his incompetence. A real asset.

And again, the dude in the video literally said "massive success as a player", which makes no sense when talking about the poster boy for never winning the PL.
 
GoonerBear said:
Im more disappointed in the timing & the way it seems to have came about. A week after Walter Smiths funeral, a few days after telling the Rangers TV interviewer "Do I look happy to you" when asked about Newcastle's interest, a week before a cup semi final, & 2 weeks before a make or break Europa League game.

Players away on international duty, staff down in London for a "holiday", apparently not even spoke to his captain or any of the players about a move before he left, just leaves a bit of a sour taste in the mouth for me.

No problems with him leaving for a decent EPL club, just not sure of the way it's all transpired.
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Yeah as I said to another poster, the optics and timing are really poor. A very busy and key time and disappointed it's happened now.
 
I have no problems with wishing him success. He's done an admirable job in his coaching career so far and I'm interested to see what he's like at this level.
 
iHicksy said:
I just can't see him as some kind of modern tactical manager with modern coaching ideas. Strikes me as the same type of manager as Keane/Lampard/Ole - living of their reps as players and all about "Hardwork, passion and determination"
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His coaching staff do most of the actual training ground coaching. He openly admits that. He has a guy called Michael Beale with his that is highly rated on coaching circles now. Gerrard rates him highly, & says he'd not step on his toes as he's the expert.
 
Moby said:
He ballsed it up in the season when his team had stars. 08-09 when he had a peak Torres, Alonso and mascherano in midfield and a well oiled team, who was leading the league in Jan and bottled it when they needed him to break down the teams they drew and in 13-14 when he had a peak Suarez rinsing the entire league and they literally lost because of him making the biggest individual blunder in PL history. That's literally two leagues they lost down to his incompetence. A real asset.

And again, the dude in the video literally said "massive success as a player", which makes no sense when talking about the poster boy for never winning the PL.
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You can’t just whitewash a players career with one mistake made in a league challenge and I don’t agree with 08/09 United were much the better side then even with a peak Torres and Gerrard.
 
Brave move ….if it goes wrong, it could cost him taking over from Klopp (whenever that may be)
 
Deery said:
You can’t just whitewash a players career with one mistake made in a league challenge and I don’t agree with 08/09 United were much the better side then even with a peak Torres and Gerrard.
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When that one mistake cost his team the league title when they had not won it in ages, yeah that's gonna get talked about especially when you are trying to defend him 'having massive success as a player'!

Pretty weird having to argue against Steven Gerrard not having won trophies in his career, didn't think I'd have to even against Liverpool fans. :lol:
 
GoonerBear said:
His coaching staff do most of the actual training ground coaching. He openly admits that. He has a guy called Michael Beale with his that is highly rated on coaching circles now. Gerrard rates him highly, & says he'd not step on his toes as he's the expert.
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I hope Ole is taking notes on this.........
 
Gerrard plays a very similar style to Klopp so the idea he plays boring football is slightly bizarre.

Actually, it’s quite identical with constantly overlapping full backs, 3 hard working players in midfield and goals expected from the front 3. The main striker initially scored a lot of goals however recently has been more involved in the link up play. Morelos has improved his overall game however is guilty of missing a lot of chances.

He has left Rangers in a significantly better position than where he got them and stopped 10 in a row. He should be fondly remembered by those at Rangers regardless of how he has left.I’ll never be a fan of Gerrard personally but he’s done well up there.

It will be difficult to keep a hold of Kent, Kamara, Aribo, Morelos, Goldson and Tavernier.
 
Moby said:
When that one mistake cost his team the league title when they had not won it in ages, yeah that's gonna get talked about especially when you are trying to defend him 'having massive success as a player'!

Pretty weird having to argue against Steven Gerrard not having won trophies in his career, didn't think I'd have to even against Liverpool fans. :lol:
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Not how envisioned my morning either but that’s how Redcafe goes sometimes :lol:
 
He knows he can't expect to go straight to Liverpool from Rangers, so it's a smart move going to a midtable, but big English club, and knows he has a 2 year audition to move in when Klopp has had enough.

Does mean Liverpool get 2 walkovers a year though!
 
Moby said:
When that one mistake cost his team the league title when they had not won it in ages, yeah that's gonna get talked about especially when you are trying to defend him 'having massive success as a player'!

Pretty weird having to argue against Steven Gerrard not having won trophies in his career, didn't think I'd have to even against Liverpool fans. :lol:
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Champions League - 1
UEFA Cup - 1
FA Cup - 2
League Cup - 3

He outperformed for “most” of his time at Liverpool during a time where Liverpool and the Liverpool teams he was apart of as a hole, under performed. So to come away with 7 Trophies, one being the Champions League which he single handedly won pretty much, isn’t exactly unsuccessful.

His success isn’t just remembered by trophies, but as a player being widely regarded as one of the best midfielders the premier league has seen is hardly unsuccessful either.
 
TheLiverBird said:
Champions League - 1
UEFA Cup - 1
FA Cup - 2
League Cup - 3

He outperformed for “most” of his time at Liverpool during at time where Liverpool and the Liverpool teams he was apart of as a hole, under performed. So to come away with 7 Trophies, one being the Champions League which he single handedly won pretty much, isn’t exactly unsuccessful.
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Congrats, our standards for 'massive success' are a bit different.
 
Hopefully the Liverpool board have got the Edward Woodward book of management, and will be waiting for Stevie to relegate Villa, then go back to Rangers with his tail between his legs, before appointing him at Liverpool to take over from their own most successful coach in the modern era.
 
Seems to be making the right moves. I'm sure his goal is to eventually manage Liverpool, but it just makes so much sense to start in a lesser league and then build further experience in the PL before taking on the big job. He is avoiding doing a Lampard and diving in too early and somewhat staining his reputation with the fans.
 
Moby said:
Congrats, our standards for 'massive success' are a bit different.
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I don’t think standards for massive success are different

I think our views on a particular individual are probably wildly different.
 
Despite just one training session, Gerrard has realised he is Villa's best midfielder
 
lefty_jakobz said:
Although I do think he will do a decent job at Villa, he should have stayed at Rangers until the end of season, won his second title, brought back Champions League to the club then left a legend.

Now he’s just Rangers Brendan Rodgers ie a snake
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Chance of a job as big as Villa being available at the end of the season is slim. He probably saw it as an opportunity he had to take as it might not come again.
 
I wonder how Rangers and SPL fans feel. Both Brentan and now Stevie G both left posts when they were doing really well with their respective clubs. Leaving a club when you are winning titles to joining a mid-table PL club. Just goes to show where the SPL is right now. I don't want to use the phrase tin-pot, but...
 
Deery said:
Read earlier that Rangers only get £3m from this good business from Villa if true.
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4.5m I saw, just shows the difference in money available to PL clubs versus the rest. I'm genuinely intrigued by this appointment, Gerrard has actually achieved something to warrant a shot in the PL (unlike most ex players) and is apparently very hands on. Being ex Pool, I want him to fail drastically but it is nice to see more English coaches coming through.
 
Moby said:
I'm not really pretending about him not being a great player, I never rated him the entire time he was playing. The comparisons with Lampard, the guy who regularly hit 20 goals a season mark and got them multiple league wins, let alone Scholes have always been hilarious.

Regardless of that, success refers to trophies not what would have been, and he‘s nowhere near most of the top players in terms of trophies during his time.
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Obvious you don’t like him ….trophies or no trophies, Gerrard was a fecking brilliant player.
 
Ayoba said:
I wonder how Rangers and SPL fans feel. Both Brentan and now Stevie G both left posts when they were doing really well with their respective clubs. Leaving a club when you are winning titles to joining a mid-table PL club. Just goes to show where the SPL is right now. I don't want to use the phrase tin-pot, but...
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That mid table club gets 150m+ to play in the PL Rangers got leas than £5m for winning the SPL. If money was the same at both leagues I don't think SG would have left Rangers
 
Moby said:
Obviously I don't agree with that but the discussion was about him having 'massive success' as a player, not his ability.

Made me chuckle.
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Notice you cut out my comment “trophies or no trophies”

…that made me chuckle
 
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