Brendan Rodgers has revealed his huge disappointment over Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa sacking as he hailed the job he did at Rangers as 'fantastic'.
The Liverpool and England hero was axed from his role at Villa Park last night with the final straw coming in a 3-0 defeat to English Premier League new boys Fulham. Harrison Reed, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Tyrone Mings' own goal settled the contest in favour of the home side and ultimately cost the former Ibrox gaffer his job.
Villa currently sit 17th in England's top flight - just outside the relegation places on goal difference from Wolves after just two wins in 11 league outings this term. Club chiefs invested heavily and backed the ex- Rangers boss in the summer transfer market but things haven't worked out as planned with the board acting now in a bid to save the season.
READ MORE: Steven Gerrard sacked by Aston Villa as club issue very short statement on former Rangers boss
Former Celtic and current Leicester City boss Rodgers - who has been under increased pressure - watched his side win 2-0 at home against Leeds United to move onto eight points - one behind Villa at the bottom end of the table.
Gerrard played under Rodgers at Liverpool before renewing rivalries on the sidelines while he was at Rangers and his old gaffer at Celtic. The 49-year-old is convinced things would have went in an upward trajectory had the board and fans shown patience.
The former Celtic boss said: “I’m bitterly disappointed for Steven, of course, because he did a fantastic job up at Rangers. He got the opportunity to come to the Premier League and I assume ambitions are to be up there in European football.
“It just seems the way of it now that every day a manager is losing his job or under threat to lose their job. Stability and patience seems to be running out in football. So I’m really, really disappointed because I believe given time and with that patience he could have got them to where he wanted them to be and where the club wanted to be."
A short statement on Gerrard's sacking read: "Aston Villa Football Club can confirm that Head Coach Steven Gerrard has left the club with immediate effect."
A club spokesman said: “We would like to thank Steven for his hard work and commitment and wish him well for the future.”
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