SG: Rangers has filled a 'huge void'

[Virtuoso 27,180]

Quote

 

Steven Gerrard says challenge of managing Rangers has helped fill 'huge void' in life following retirement

Steven Gerrard has admitted that there was a “huge void” in his life when he quit playing football and that Rangers are one of the few clubs that could have given him the same buzz as a manager. 

The former Liverpool midfield player revealed his feelings as the Ibrox fans savour the status of Scottish league leaders for the first time in seven years, following the win over Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday.

Rangers, though, also have the worst disciplinary record, with Scott Arfield’s sending-off in Edinburgh being their seventh red card of the campaign, a statistic which Gerrard said had come as “a surprise and a shock”.

On balance, though, his new incarnation in Glasgow has proved particularly satisfying because, in Gerrard’s view, the intensity of the task replicates his experience with Liverpool and England. “It is very similar, very similar. I am absolutely loving this,” he said.

“When I came out from being a player, there was a huge void in my life and this is as close as you can get to being in the mix and feeling the emotions that I missed. I am loving the challenge and really delighted to be the manager of this club

“It is a wonderful club and I just hope that, come the business end, we are still in this position where there is a lot of attention and focus on us and we reward ourselves for all the hard work that we have put in so far and the hard work we will put in between now and the end of the season.

“I don’t see myself being a manager of numerous clubs throughout my career. I think it has to be a certain draw, it has to give me a certain feeling. I turned down quite a few jobs before I got this opportunity. I said on day one that it felt different. That is the reason I am enjoying it so much.

“I don’t think I could influence this game by still playing, but on Sunday, when that roar came just before kick-off, I thought ‘I would love to be playing in this’. What a set-up Tynecastle is, what a stadium – fans on your shoulders, banter flying from both sets of fans.

“All my staff are trying to referee the game. All Craig Levein’s staff are trying to referee the game. Then you have got 22 players out on the pitch and they are the lucky ones because when someone takes that away from you, it is tough. Well, it was for me.”

Gerrard, however, has been prompted to address the propensity for dismissals, which has made life significantly more difficult for Rangers in domestic competition and in Europe. “I spoke to the players this morning,” he said. “Look, some red cards we have deserved, some we feel a little bit hard done by, but it is what it is.

“We’ve had seven, which is too many and we’ve told the players that. We want them to be tough, compete and be fair and be as hard to play against as we can, but we have to make the players aware of the knock-on effect. We have played over 280 minutes with either 10 men or nine. Now we have coped very well in those circumstances, but players have to work hard in those minutes – they do more sprints, more accelerations and decelerations – so it has more strain on the body that makes it more of a high risk of injuries.

“We also lose key players for important fixtures in the future, so it’s not just the isolated incidents that concern us, it’s the knock-on effect it has on the squad.”

Levin said after Hearts’s defeat that his team had effectively been playing the match officials as well as Rangers, but Gerrard declined to be drawn into a slanging match.

“It seems like after a great game, we are talking about officials, players’ behaviour within the game,” he said. “For me, it was a great contest between Alfredo Morelos and Christophe Berra. Berra stood up to Morelos really well at times, was really physical and aggressive with him and stopped him a lot of times.

“Alfredo gave as much back and it was a great contest. Alfredo won the battle and we should be talking about the two players doing really well to make it such a good game. What was wrong within it? That’s what football is about.”

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/12/04/steven-gerrard-says-challenge-managing-Rangers-has-helped-fill/

[kris1984 1,563]

Tremendous 

[Amac9 2,060]

I'm sure having that wife of his at home would fill a huge void for me.

[eejay the dj 31,964]

SG is convincing me . We will eventually do 55 with him as our Manager . His passion for us. Is already shining through .

There are exciting times ahead bears . And I feel they are just around the corner

[The New Era 339]

I’m absolutely buzzing reading that.

One of our greatest signings ever IMO.

[Gman36 3,477]

8 minutes ago, Amac9 said:

I'm sure having that wife of his at home would fill a huge void for me.

You blew it mate... Surely some comment about filling her huge void? Unless you're dreaming of her getting the strap on out. 

[KingKirk 26,443]

I think the manager is here for a long time tbh

[plumbGER 24,518]

Some of the shite threw his way earlier in the season by the forum experts is beginning to look stupid now, albeit we are still not there yet but Steven Gerrard has us on the right track at last, not bad for a naive under-18's coach with fuck all experience. Rangers so far looks to be perfectly ok for him to cut his teeth in management and he seems to growing into the role just fine.

Long may it continue.

[eejay the dj 31,964]

1 minute ago, KingKirk said:

I think the manager is here for a long time tbh

And maybe another reason to want Liverpool to very well . Klop does well there and we will have SG for much longer

[Drum 160]

Levin:: "we have effectively been playing the match officials and Rangers"

Gerrard: "it was a great contest ... Berra stood up to Morelos really well" 

 

[RoyalBlues 54]

I love this man

[Amac9 2,060]

12 minutes ago, Gman36 said:

You blew it mate... Surely some comment about filling her huge void? Unless you're dreaming of her getting the strap on out. 

No way her void is huge.

 

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

What a man. 

Still cant really believe that Stevie G is our manager. 

[Siam69 27,798]

1 hour ago, Drum said:

Levin:: "we have effectively been playing the match officials and Rangers"

Gerrard: "it was a great contest ... Berra stood up to Morelos really well" 

 

Morelos won!

[dee9 4,013]

Really enjoyed that. He seems to be really enjoying it here.

I will say one thing Tynecastle is a stadium I have always enjoyed for the very same reasons as the gaffer said.....the fans are literally on the shoulders of the players. Always very intense and that's why I was so proud of everyone of our players and staff on Sunday for being brave and standing toe to toe....especially after going 1 down and then a man down later.

Builds huge confidence and team spirit. Bring on the sheep tonight. 

[josmc 525]

The more I think about it the happier I am that we have him as our manager. I don’t know if it was a stroke of genius, or a bit of luck and desperation by Mark Allen, but I’m happy either way.

You can see that the players are willing to run through walls for him ( maybe too much ,given the red cards) but I’d rather have that than guys like Josh Windass who couldn’t give a fuck whether we were winning or losing as long as his hair looked good.

Steven Gerrard will undoubtably make mistakes and we will undoubtedly have some poor results along the way. However, let’s 

just be very thankful that he’s here. 

[.Williamson. 87,119]

Thought we were going to get a story relating to tonight being about the gay community when I read the title 

[eejay the dj 31,964]

Just now, Drum said:

Levin:: "we have effectively been playing the match officials and Rangers"

Gerrard: "it was a great contest ... Berra stood up to Morelos really well" 

 

A month ago .It was about how we couldn't win an away game 

This month the focus is on our red card count and disciplinary record 

These media scumbags are desperate for us to fail 

It will absolutely kill them to have to pen something positive about our club 

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

14 minutes ago, .Williamson. said:

Thought we were going to get a story relating to tonight being about the gay community when I read the title 

Too much. 😂

[billscott 2,464]

2 hours ago, Drum said:

Levin:: "we have effectively been playing the match officials and Rangers"

Gerrard: "it was a great contest ... Berra stood up to Morelos really well" 

 

i said the same to my neighbour last night who is a hearts season ticket holder  that was the first time i have seen him since sunday  the contest between alfredo and berra was like a throwback to the good old days of football  both players battling each other and enjoying the contest too much of the mamby pamby stuff nowadays

[Jimfanciesthedude 25,558]

The qualities gerrard had as a player are evident in how we play, very aggressive, fighting attitude etc, we just need him to learn the managing aspect of his job now (that will come in time) things like substitutions, man management during a game etc

One things for sure, he's earned the right so far to try learn them here, 

[dummiesoot 16,258]

I read and listen to his interviews, two names stick in my mind with the manner of those interviews, Wallace and Smith. He clearly has not won like these managers but he comes across like them. 

Two words instill in me when these interviews pop up

"battle fever" 

[kelvd1873 7,657]

40 minutes ago, eejay the dj said:

A month ago .It was about how we couldn't win an away game 

This month the focus is on our red card count and disciplinary record 

These media scumbags are desperate for us to fail 

It will absolutely kill them to have to pen something positive about our club 

I can’t to wait to watch the aftermath of #55 unfold 😂😂

[cushynumber 25,178]

you just feel the difference between a real football man such as gerrard, and a pretend football man such as Warburton.

[TEFTONG 61,221]

15 minutes ago, cushynumber said:

you just feel the difference between a real football man such as gerrard, and a pretend football man such as Warburton.

It's ok to "talk the talk" (Warburton). But give me a man who will "walk the walk" anyday. (Gerrard).

The application of hard work and dedication can only result in Trophies for our Club.