Chris Sutton destroys the Gerrard Media Myth on BBC 5 Live
Chris Sutton has taken apart the English media myth that Steven Gerrard is a successful upcoming manager.
With the media rammed with former Liverpool players and Jurgen Klopp getting hero worship for winning the EPL their former skipper gets a very sympathetic hearing down south despite results.
A couple of European results have covered up for a lot of domestic disasters with no-one looking into how the Ibrox club managed to lose back-to-back matches against Hearts and Hamilton who were bottom of the SPFL when they sunk Gerrard’s dreams.
Winning 17 points from 10 matches after the winter break and being knocked out of the Scottish Cup by relegated Hearts isn’t the stuff of glittering CVs.
Being bracketed with Frank Lampard has also helped Gerrard’s case with the Chelsea boss introducing half a dozen Academy prospects and earning a Champions League place despite a transfer ban.
Gerrard’s excuse at every turn is to buy new players but after two seasons his star players are three that he inherited from previous bosses- Alfredo Morelos, James Tavernier and Ryan Jack.
Last night BBC 5 Live spent time previewing the start of the SPFL season with Sutton happy to burst a few bubbles as Glasgow Live reported:
“I think the issue is there’s this perception down south that Steven Gerrard has done a good job at Rangers, and as far as I’m concerned that couldn’t be further from the truth. Now’s the time to prove himself. He hasn’t won anything in the last two seasons.
Host Kelly Cates asked: “Is the perception that he’s done a good job down to the fact that people still think there’s something of a rebuilding job at Ibrox, that they’re doing it under different circumstances?”, to which Sutton replied: “Maybe so, and I’ve seen comments this week that he wants to bring more players in. He’s brought I think nearly 30 players. He’s been backed.
“The big question has been over the last couple of seasons do Rangers keep finding the money for him to bring players in, so he can’t complain about that, but he’s had long enough now.
“And the issue for Rangers the last couple of seasons has been quite simple. It’s not been the start of the season. It’s been after the new year they have just fallen away.
“I mean I didn’t see it happening last season Kelly, with what happened after they played so well at Celtic Park. They were dominant, they were absolutely dominant, and whatever happened in Dubai, who knows, but they came back a totally different team.
“Fell away unbelievably. The form was poor, Morelos came back, he looked heavy, didn’t look quite at it. And that was their issue. And they’ve only got themselves to blame.
“They were in a brilliant, brilliant position. They just haven’t been consistent enough, and that’s the question again this season.”
Sutton hasn’t been included in the Sky Sports team for the new Scottish season but will be giving his views regularly on BT Sport, BBC 5 Live, the Daily Record and of course on Twitter.