Former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp has been left raving over new Rangers boss Steven Gerrard as he backs him to get the Light Blues out of their “mess”.
The Liverpool icon has officially taken over at Ibrox after being announced back in May, replacing Graeme Murty in the dugout after the former youth coach was dismissed in the final weeks of the season.
Having finished third in the Scottish Premiership, Redknapp believes that Gerrard has a lot of work to do in his blasting review of the situation in Glasgow, but states he is the man to lead them to fight in a two horse race for the title against fierce rivals and reigning champions Celtic.
He told the Daily Record: ““If Stevie can pick them out of that mess and get Rangers closer to Celtic and pushing, it’s going to be fantastic for the club and for Stevie.
“Listen, Stevie was a great player, but he’s also a very intelligent guy. There is only way for Rangers to go and that is up
“Rangers and Celtic are massive clubs. One is in great shape at the moment with what Brendan has done and the other one has been in a mess.”
Opinion
Redknapp might have never worked with Gerrard but there is no doubts he would have been told all about what the Liverpool boss has to offer by the likes of son Jamie and nephew Frank Lampard, who is also making the foray into management. Rangers simply did not push off the way they wanted to last season, courtesy of mismanagement from both those in the boardroom as well as in the dugout – most notably Pedro Caixinha and his summer clear out. Now Gerrard is at Ibrox to fix all the mistakes that have gone before and he certainly has his work cut out, but the Anfield hero is not one to shy away from a challenge. What he and everyone must realise is the size of the task facing him is astronomical and the gap which exists between Rangers and Celtic is on much more than a footballing scale. The finances at both clubs are worlds apart and it will take some savvy spending to try and close the gulf which has opened up across Glasgow.