Former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has been raised as a cautionary tale of managers moving too quickly by a former Merseyside rival.
The Liverpool icon has been out of work since leaving Aston Villa last October and resisted a recent chance to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq. But the 43-year-old remains keen on rebuilding his managerial reputation after his chastening experience at Villa Park ended within a year. And now former Everton star Kevin Kilbane has namechecked Gerrard and Frank Lampard as two examples of modern managers who were catapulted into leading jobs amid their global profile. The former Republic of Ireland did so amid talking up former Toffees team-mate Lee Carsley, who has public support in Ireland as a potential successor to Stephen Kenny as the ROI national team struggles to ignite.
Speaking to the Irish Times, Kilbane said: "Carsley’s name has been doing the rounds. I’ve no inside information but I can say he is ready to become a senior manager after 10 years learning his trade. Carsley can coach for the rest of his days because of the foundations he laid before taking a big job. Starting at Coventry City as player coach, he honed his craft at Brentford, Birmingham City and the FA underage ranks before a stint under Pep Guardiola at the Man City academy led him back into England’s underage structures.
"To my mind his coaching path is the opposite of those of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Perhaps he knows the modern game will expose a coach who has not done the work."
Kilbane's verdict might not ring true in the eyes of Rangers supporters who watched Gerrard secure an unbeaten Premiership season en route to title glory in 2021 plus consecutive trips to the last 16 of the Europa League. The critique comes amid several links to newly-promoted Championship side Sheffield Wednesday for Gerrard.
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