CHARLIE NICHOLAS believes the Liverpool job is still ‘far too early’ for Steven Gerrard.
The Liverpool legend ended Celtic’s nine-year reign in Scottish football by emphatically guiding Rangers to the title this season.
Gerrard’s side have blown away the rest of the competition having won 28 league games and drawing four, without yet tasting defeat.
Rangers are also impressing in Europe as they take on Slavia Prague in the second-leg of their Europa League Round of 16 following a 1-1 draw in Czech Republic.
Gerrard, 40, has made it no secret of his dream to return to his boyhood club when the time is right.
Current boss Jurgen Klopp still has three years left on his contract at Liverpool but has seen his title defence blow up in smoke.
Asked about Gerrard’s achievements with Rangers, Celtic legend Nicholas told Paddy Power’s Cheltenham Watchalong: “Steven Gerrard has done an excellent job at Rangers, he has really turned it around for the Blue half of Glasgow.
“Everyone up there must think he is guaranteed for the Liverpool manager’s job at some point in the near future.
“I still feel it is far too early for him to come to Liverpool. However, I would much rather have him down south and not doing well for them lot (Rangers).
“Rangers have been struggling financially in recent times, but they’ve managed to be supportive in a financial sense to Steven Gerrard.
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“Ryan Kent was a big buy, but he has doubled his value at least since his time at Rangers.
“Gerrard now has saleable assets and has made every player better, very much like Brendan Rodgers did when he went to Celtic.”
Rodgers, who was Liverpool boss before Klopp, won back-to-back titles with Celtic before taking the Leicester job in February 2019 where his stock has continued to rise.
Fellow Liverpool hero Phil Thompson added: “Steven Gerrard has been astonishing this season.
“Rangers are five years behind Celtic in terms of finances and team building.
“People have been talking about Steven Gerrard going to Liverpool since he started at Rangers, although if you are serious about football, you know Jurgen Klopp’s been quite incredible.
“He added another two years to his contract, and Gerrard did the same two days later, which got people’s tongues wagging about Gerrard taking over at Liverpool once Klopp finishes, and that was before Klopp’s patchy form.
“Klopp’s Liverpool will still be a major force next season. However, Liverpool will have a big problem if they do not make Champions League football this year.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
