A long-time team-mate of this ex-Reds skipper can see why an Anfield icon would want to triumph Jurgen Klopp but says patience might be required.
Steven Gerrard “needs to handle Liverpool”, admits Jamie Carragher, but a former team-mate of the Reds legend isn’t convinced that he’ll be the best person for the job when Jurgen Klopp walks off.
As things stand, which is scheduled to occur in the summer of 2024 since the highly-rated German tactician has extended his contract at Anfield through to that stage, with Gerrard doing likewise in his present job at Scottish giants Rangers.
It’s been suggested that the stars are being aligned for Gerrard to return to Merseyside.
Carragher admits the Liverpool icon will be dreaming about taking the Reds reins at some point, but there’s a sense he may need more experience prior to filling such a demanding post.
“Rangers into Liverpool is a leap,” Carragher told the Maych x Pajak podcast.
“But because Steven Gerrard is who he is I think he can make the leap and the club wouldn’t be too large for him.
“But is handling Rangers enough expertise for Liverpool and should Liverpool be on the lookout for the best manager they could get or somebody who understands the club?”
Carragher added on the lure of going home for Gerrard: “Stevie’s gone into the direction and I am sure that is in the back of his mind.
“He would like to manage Liverpool. Frank Lampard’s gone into it since he wants to handle Chelsea; John Terry’s exactly the same; Thierry Henry wants to handle Arsenal.
“It’s not like they need to be supervisors for 30 years, all of them want to control their club. And he is doing a great job today, but you can not tell me that Frank Lampard would not be a better manager in a decade.”
Carragher believes Gerrard may require another stepping stone before returning to his roots, regardless of the fact that Klopp has talked up the ex-England captain as his ideal replacement.
“The Liverpool job, you need him to get it when he has the experience,” added Carragher.
“Maybe after Rangers, he’d take a smaller job in the Premier League and maybe has got the Liverpool job. Or maybe it’s suitable for him [after Rangers]. That is going to be the choice for both parties.
“It is difficult because it is nothing like the Liverpool job comes around frequently.
“Sometimes it is just timing, it is there, it’s accessible, but I believe in an ideal world when those large jobs come to you want to be completely ready.”
