Outspoken football pundit and former manager Ian Holloway has delivered his nine-month verdict on Steven Gerrard at Rangers.
Holloway admitted to having his “eyebrows raised” when he first heard that Gerrard was going to Ibrox for his first senior job in May, but says that the former Liverpool legend has been “brilliant” in his first nine months at the club.
“He’s been tremendous for the game,” Holloway said on talkSPORT (Drive, Friday, 5pm).
“My eyebrows raised to start with a club like that without any real resources, but he’s been brilliant. I’m really happy for him because he’s a wonderful, wonderful person.”
Asked what he made of players like Gerrard and Frank Lampard taking high-profile jobs as their first as managers.
“It doesn’t always work,” Holloway said. “There’s no other job like a football manager. Some of the best have gone too fast, too soon.”
OPINION
Gerrard has had a few disappointments along the way since he arrived at Ibrox. Not making it out of the Europa League group stage was one, along with losing to Aberdeen in the semi-final of the cup. But the over-riding reaction from fans is one of a love-in and if you look at the last Old Firm game, that Rangers won 1-0, you can see why. Rangers played their rivals off the park and should have won by a much bigger margin. Rangers are still in the hunt for the Premiership, albeit behind their rivals Celtic, but there’s no doubt that Rangers are more competitive this season, and they’re playing the sort of football the fans want to see. Changing the squad he inherited was always going to be a long-term project and if Gerrard can’t inspire his team to the title this season, there’s a real feeling that they’ll have an excellent shot in the 19/20 season. And winning the Premiership brings with it the riches of the Champions League and a potential changing of the guard in Scotland.