STEVEN GERRARD FEELS the opportunity to take over at Rangers was a “no-brainer” and he is looking forward to the pressure of his first job as a manager.
Gerrard signed a four-year deal with the Scottish Premiership side on Friday and will be tasked with ending the seven-year dominance of the league by Old Firm rivals Celtic.
The Liverpool legend, who succeeds Graeme Murty at the club, will start work on 1 June and Gerrard confirmed former team-mate Gary McAllister will be his assistant at Ibrox.
And after previously being linked with MK Dons, Gerrard believes Rangers is the right club to step into senior management, having worked at Liverpool as an academy coach this season.
“I needed to weigh up a lot of things but a huge opportunity presented itself,” Gerrard told a news conference. “I’ve been lucky enough to come up and sample some Old Firm games.
“When the call came it was a no-brainer for me. I had a different feeling in my stomach about the other opportunities I had to be a manager. From that first phone call I had a special feeling, I knew Rangers was for me.
“The most important thing is the challenge and I’m very excited. I wish I could get rid of the next four or five weeks as I can’t wait to get on and meet the players.”
Gerrard rejected the suggestion his appointment represents a risk for Rangers due to his lack of experience.
“It’s not an issue for me, I respect everyone’s opinion,” Gerrard said. ”I’ve been around a big club and big matches for a long time. I’ve watched big managers, I can’t do anything about not having experience but I have the right characteristics to take on the challenge.
“I’m looking forward to the schooling. Pressure’s not a bad thing for me, I’ve always lived under it. In football if you’re working under pressure you’re in a good place. I’ve missed that pressure since I stopped playing football. That’s why I love being involved in football.
“Bring it on, I don’t mind intense pressure, I knew it before I decided to become Rangers manager. I’ll do my very best. The supporters are a big reason I wanted to come here and be a leader. I can’t wait to be out there leading this team.”
Joining Rangers means Gerrard will face off with his old boss at Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers, who is on track to lead Celtic to a second successive domestic treble having masterminded two heavy Old Firm victories in the last three weeks.
“I haven’t spoken to Brendan recently,” former England captain Gerrard said. “But we are fine, we’ve always been fine and I’m ready for the challenge.
“I knew straight away from the phone call I wanted to look into it but of course I’ve spoken to friends and family and people in the game I’m tight with. I won’t give any names.
“My assistant will be Gary McAllister, he’s a long-time friend of mine and I played alongside him at Liverpool. I have huge respect for him and while I don’t have a lot of experience, he has been around the game for a very long time. As a partnership, that will be strong and he will be a rock for me.
“As soon as I asked him, he said yes. The way he carries himself and treats people, I learned so much from him as a footballer and a human being. I couldn’t ask for a better person to be here with me.”
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To be fair he has a proven track record of stopping Brendan Rodgers winning titles
@gary sheehan: give it ten minutes and someone will be taking offence to that joke and asking you ‘did you make that up yourself’ or ‘i haven’t heard that one before’
@gary sheehan: wow, did you make that up yourself? Haven’t heard that one before!
@Laura Walsh: cheers Laura could count on you
@Mel Roberts: no bother Mel got your back
Most surprising thing is that the comments are not closed on this article…..
@richie mellotte: give me ten minutes to air my views on that club and I’ll get them closed
Skumbag player, Skumbag Club. It’s a no brainier. Gerrard and Rangers are perfect for each other.
Some crowd at Ibrox for this announcement at 3pm on a Friday. I can’t understand where people get the time…have they any job/family/anything else, that they could spend their time doing.
Same when clubs announce a new signing. There could be 50000 at a stadium for the unveiling.
@jonathon carroll: jobs and benefits office is also located in the govan stand, probably in to get their crisis loan for the weekend
@jonathon carroll: i guess they can take time off from standing around murals of the union jack staring threateningly at random passers by.
@Mel Roberts: Hahahahahah lol
@jonathon carroll: It’s bank holiday weekend there too so maybe they get to knock off early.
So an ex-player of one foreign team becomes manager of a different foreign team and it’s news ???
Get down to your local LOI pitch tonight !!!!!
@Victor Sonovich: Because, Victor, when it comes to football, Ireland is very much part of the UK. No matter what the table thumping nationalists say. Can you even buy a LOI jersey on Grafton Street? I don’t know. But there are plenty of British football club jerseys for sale.
Obviously this time its different. They have found away around the massive debt. By passed financial fair play and promised poor gerard the sun moon and stars. Its no wonder the fairytale could only be sold to a rookie manager.
Ex Liverpool player becomes manager of rangers
Goes on to have massive success winning loads of Scottish titles
Returns and manages Liverpool
What could possibly go wrong????
Oh wait a minute………….
@John Kelly: who are you referring to:
souness or Barnes ??
Gone by December, Rangers Co. is an absolute basket case.
” No brainer ” Should that be No brain?
Is he not a celtic fan.. It has been reported he had a framed celtic Jersey on his bedroom wall
@ColmD: not sure if he’s a Celtic fan but I have saw him at Parkhead on more than one occasion to watch a game.
@ColmD: what difference does it make it’s a job. They wanted him and he liked the sound of what he heard so he said”fu*K it ill give it a go”.
He’ll be long gone before Celtic do the 10 in a row
Played most of his career at club founded by orange man. No surprise his got Rangers job. Following Souness footsteps except Souness could win titles even at Rangers before he destroyed Liverpool on his return as manager.
Ah sure at least it cheered up that shower for the afternoon hahaha
Gerard has always had a worried look on his face .
He must have always known he was destined to be the Rangers Manager . Now he genuinely has a reason to have that worried look on his face . That club is a basket case and Gerard’s worries are only starting .
Huge fan of Stevie G. I Admired the good Aberdeen,Rangers and Celtic teams of yesteryear’s but have lost touch with the Scottish game since it collapsed. I’ll certainly keep an eye out for Ranger’s now. Hopefully Stevie is a big success.
@Mixer: well if you’ve lost touch let me fill you in. Rangers cheated, all their titles are tainted. Owed the tax man millions and had to fold.
Now there is a club called the rangers, or sevco or newco, whatever it is they currently go by and the bigoted fans or the former club known as rangers now support the new club who have zero history. Confused? Even scooby doo couldn’t work out the rangers and their fans
First step in management with a club with little funds to spare ! Ally Mc Coist ran for cover from them ! Can’t see Gerard making a difference in a short time ? So time will tell ?
Just watched the video of him at the picth in front of the unwashed.
Chants of f**k the pope and the Vatican at the unveiling of a Catholic manager. They really have no class those zombies
@Mel Roberts: is he a catholic as there is a long history of Liverpool fc’s Protestant connection. Not one Irish man played on a Liverpool team until the late 70’s in a city full of Irish. Everton was historically the Irish catholic club so likely if Gerard is catholic he would be an Everton supporter?
@Colm: he’s born and raised a Catholic. Can tell you from living in Liverpool you are correct about everton been seen as the Catholic club but it’s nothing on the scale of Glasgow. Religion doesn’t really determine who people support over here so much.
All the top mangers all started out at small clubs so they could make their mistakes there and improve before taking on a bigger club…this has nothing to do with Brains and all to do with Gerrard’s massive ego.expect every current and former Liverpool player to be linked with rangers too
@Marc Richardson: he is starting out at a small club, they’ve only been in existence for a few years
Disgusting. He’s a nobody to me now tbh
@Carl Johnson: sure one less person to buy for at Christmas lad
Rangers will be lucky to be still around in 4 years. And if they are, they won’t be challenging for the Scottish league title…Financial numbers are all wrong. First priority is to stop hemorrhaging money..
Stevie Ger