Gerrard makes it very clear how he feels about Klopp and the Liverpool job in opening Aston Villa presser đ«
Let's first see how the ex-No.8 fares in the West Midlands before calling for a fairytale reunion
Imagine having spent your first week at your brand spanking new job (in what is arguably perceived to be an upgrade on your prior role - no disrespect meant to Rangers), only to be questioned about the next job far off in the distance.
Two-and-a-half years, to be precise, as far as Steven Gerrardâs concerned if he indeed does have one eye on the Liverpool job beyond the expiration date of incumbent boss Jurgen Kloppâs current terms.
Even if it was the case - and no one is denying that the temptation wonât be there in the summer of 2024, should Klopp call it a day - youâd be foolish to admit your intentions to sail off into the sunset with a new employer in future.
Forget instantly ruining your relationship with the fans. What player is going to be fully committed to a manager whoâs intent on departing in just over two yearsâ time?
As such, Gerrardâs answer to a reporterâs question, following such a line of inquiry in his opening press conference as Aston Villa manager, was expected.
âVery unfair,â the former England international quipped when asked how âfairâ it would be to suggest that the Aston Villa job was just another âstepping stoneâ to the big one: the head coach position at his old stomping ground, Liverpool.
In the journalistâs defence, one can certainly understand the allure of the question given Gerrardâs obvious connection to the red half of Merseyside.
Thereâs a sense of unfinished business at Liverpool.
Despite taking home the Champions League in the famous âMiracle of Istanbulâ, amongst other prestigious domestic trophies, part of Gerrardâs fame lies in his failure to secure the one accolade that mattered most - the Premier League title.
The chance to be involved around or in the side that broke our 30-year English top-flight duck has been and gone.
Jurgen Klopp will be forever remembered as the man that slapped awake the sleeping giant that was Liverpool, forced it into a pair of robust but sparkly pyjamas, and dragged it kicking and screaming into the exalted European scene.
We very much belong alongside the ranks of European heavyweights that have populated the knockout stages of the continentâs premier competition; our sixth Champions League trophy is more than proof of that fact.
âI donât think thereâs anything wrong in football to have dreams and aspirations,â Gerrard elaborated on his opening answer.
âBut as I say, Liverpool have got a world-class coach that theyâre very happy with.
âIf he was to sign a lifetime deal right now, Iâd be very happy for them and him.â
Hello, hello, Steven!
Hardly an answer that rules out the possibility of another managerial switch in time, however, the respect Gerrard has for Jurgen Klopp is absolutely without question. He did, after all, spend some amount of time in his vicinity as a youth coach prior to taking his first management job in Glasgow.
Equally, whilst he canât be expected to disrespect his new club or its fans (especially not within earshot of Aston Villaâs chief executive, Christian Purslow), Gerrard canât be expected to outright rule out his âdreams and aspirationsâ.
The 41-year-old was never going to come out in front of reporters and burn a Liverpool scarf to demonstrate his loyalty to the cause.
When the time is right, however, our former No.8 will be more than tempted by the possibility of a return to his boyhood club.
For now, though, there are no doubts in our minds that the coach is more than committed to the job at hand, for which we wish him all the best of luck with.
Letâs first see how he fares in the West Midlands before calling for a fairytale reunion.
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