Steven Gerrard - yes or no

[dave.woodhall]

The more I think about it, the more it's going to be a media circus and we'll be seen as a stepping stone. It doesn't scream "Ambition!!!!" but then again, five Premier League transfer windows in, nothing they've done so far really has.

[PaulWinch again]

The one bit that gives me a bit of comfort on us being a “stepping stone” is that we are going to have to do pretty well for that to come to fruition.

[ozzjim]

The more I think about it, the more it's going to be a media circus and we'll be seen as a stepping stone. It doesn't scream "Ambition!!!!" but then again, five Premier League transfer windows in, nothing they've done so far really has.

On the flip side, I can't see Gerrard taking it without assurance that the ambition is there, so may well lead to a signing or two that does.

[Brazilian Villain]

I am of an age that tells me that exceptional footballers in their day do not make great managers. 

Too young to remember Clough.

Yes, yes I am. He was never considered exceptional though I think. 

251 goals in 274 club appearances (till injury cut his career short) is pretty exceptional but your general point stands.

[Risso]

The more I think about it, the more it's going to be a media circus and we'll be seen as a stepping stone. It doesn't scream "Ambition!!!!" but then again, five Premier League transfer windows in, nothing they've done so far really has.

I think prior to the Grealish sale, we were the biggest net spenders in Europe since they came in.

[Dick Edwards]

The more I think about it, the more it's going to be a media circus and we'll be seen as a stepping stone. It doesn't scream "Ambition!!!!" but then again, five Premier League transfer windows in, nothing they've done so far really has.

I think prior to the Grealish sale, we were the biggest net spenders in Europe since they came in.

And Purslow said we'd have rejected Man City's offer for Grealish if there hadn't been a release clause. Rejecting a £100m offer for one player suggests some ambition there.

[boozey182]

The more I think about it, the more it's going to be a media circus and we'll be seen as a stepping stone. It doesn't scream "Ambition!!!!" but then again, five Premier League transfer windows in, nothing they've done so far really has.

I think that's the thing that has really got to me most about this. I really believed that they meant business, I really thought that this time next year....

But, whether you think Gerrard will turn out okay or not, it doesn't change the fact that this is not an ambitious appointment. This isn't a coup. This is the sort of appointment a very average Premier League club makes, and hopes for the best.

Of course, a very average Premier League club is a massive step up from where we started, and represents an amazing return on investment, but I had (foolishly) bought in to the idea that we were aiming higher.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling for the owners to go, and I am incredibly grateful for what they have done up to now, but I do feel a bit flat. That's probably my own fault for getting too carried away, especially in the summer when it felt like the sky was the limit.

[Villan82]

The more I think about it, the more it's going to be a media circus and we'll be seen as a stepping stone. It doesn't scream "Ambition!!!!" but then again, five Premier League transfer windows in, nothing they've done so far really has.

Summer 2018 compared to now? There is no comparison.

[cdbearsfan]

I voted no but its not a resounding no.

The stepping stone is the dominant discussion, but could that leave us in a healthier position with a little bit of success and better options once Gerrard leaves?

Who is to say Liverpool will sack Klopp at a convenient time, when it's an ideal point to recruit a new manager? They could go on a poor run of form and get rid in November and our starfucking friend Christian Purslow will be on the phone to Liverpool asking if Jordan Henderson has done his coaching badges yet.

[edgysatsuma89]

The more I think about it, the more it's going to be a media circus and we'll be seen as a stepping stone. It doesn't scream "Ambition!!!!" but then again, five Premier League transfer windows in, nothing they've done so far really has.

On the flip side, I can't see Gerrard taking it without assurance that the ambition is there, so may well lead to a signing or two that does.

That's what I'm clinging to.

[London Villan]

The more I think about it, the more it's going to be a media circus and we'll be seen as a stepping stone. It doesn't scream "Ambition!!!!" but then again, five Premier League transfer windows in, nothing they've done so far really has.

I think prior to the Grealish sale, we were the biggest net spenders in Europe since they came in.

And Purslow said we'd have rejected Man City's offer for Grealish if there hadn't been a release clause. Rejecting a £100m offer for one player suggests some ambition there.

Actions speak louder than words. We are a well run mid-table PL club. That’s clearly our ambition now.

[Beard82]

I think this is a case of Purslow being trusted enough by the board to make the call.

This is the call he wants to make.  he, more than anyone else needs to hope this works, as if it doesn't he'll ruin the reputation he has carefully rebuilt.

For me the biggest disappointment was I was expecting an ambitious appointment, not appointing someone ambitious

Reading through some of the stuff - I can see the logic, but similarly I can see bits that don't add up to it being a success

If it takes him 3 seasons to get us a top half finish him and CP will be gone IMO.

Or we have reached a ceiling our board is happy with

[ChicagoLion]

I voted no but its not a resounding no.

The stepping stone is the dominant discussion, but could that leave us in a healthier position with a little bit of success and better options once Gerrard leaves?

Who is to say Liverpool will sack Klopp at a convenient time, when it's an ideal point to recruit a new manager? They could go on a poor run or form and get rid in November and our starfucking friend Christian Purslow will be on the phone to Liverpool asking if Jordan Henderson has done his coaching badges yet.

Sorry Christian Jordan’s earmarked for cone duty, but Stan Boardman is on his way.

[algy]

Strong presser: https://twitter.com/RampantRyanJack/status/1458093442337316869?t=lh7Kll3Glb0blH_Tbf5VGw&s=19.

Interesting reads: https://www.skysports.com/football/story-telling/11788/12236762/the-evolution-of-gerrards-rangers; https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/mar/07/steven-gerrard-pressure-rangers-champions.

Rangers fans seem bummed that he's going.

Not convinced inexperience means he's not worth bringing in, particularly if the more experienced alternatives haven't been successful.

I'm among the 17%.

Have to say, I'm turning. I've got very little to back this up other than a hunch, but I have a feeling it might be 'right time, right place' for us and Gerrard. The little I've read about him, he comes across as a progressive, modern coach. There's no denying that he is a 'name', albeit one made as a player rather than a coach. He'll move the club to the front of people's minds, and that's a good thing for where we are now. We've a modern coaching setup now, it's not the one man Martin O'Neill show, so I think it's less of a concern that he's not as experienced.

 As long as he brings a decent proportion of his coaching staff with him, I think I'm "in".

[Clark W Griswold]

The more I think about it, the more it's going to be a media circus and we'll be seen as a stepping stone. It doesn't scream "Ambition!!!!" but then again, five Premier League transfer windows in, nothing they've done so far really has.

I think prior to the Grealish sale, we were the biggest net spenders in Europe since they came in.

And Purslow said we'd have rejected Man City's offer for Grealish if there hadn't been a release clause. Rejecting a £100m offer for one player suggests some ambition there.

Actions speak louder than words. We are a well run mid-table PL club. That’s clearly our ambition now.

That's what we're looking like at this moment in time. We'll never know on the Grealish thing but if he pushed hard for a move (even without the clause) we know how that normally goes. I don't blame them for that, he wanted to play at the very top now and we couldn't offer it.

Going back to Dave's original comment i think if the ambition was to get back in the PL and stay there they lived up to that for sure. They bought a new squad in 2019 which then struggled, they then bolstered it in 2020 to establish us further. They spent shit loads but they needed to just to get there. It's not a bad ambition in itself from where we were in 2018 but lets be honest they've talked about the ambition being to aim for the CL, and as fans we buy into this talk. We didn't see anything in 2021 to suggest that's really the case. Taking Gerrard as the new manager doesn't do a lot to change that view and my biggest issue with it is this stepping stone to Liverpool idea, which makes us not look very ambitious at all. They'll really need to give him the money to go out and get a couple of sit up and take notice players, moreso than any individual player signed so far.