Glen Johnson says Steven Gerrard will 'definitely' be Liverpool boss
‘Timing in football is everything’: Ex-Liverpool star Glen Johnson says his former team-mate Steven Gerrard will ‘definitely’ become Reds boss in the future… but insists he WON’T want to follow Jurgen Klopp when he leaves
- Glen Johnson expects his former teammate Steven Gerrard to manage Liverpool
- But he says that Gerrard must be careful about following Jurgen Klopp at Anfield
- Johnson says Gerrard is on the right path after returning to the Premier League
- Gerrard left Scottish side Rangers to take charge of English club Aston Villa
Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson expects Steven Gerrard to manage the Merseyside club in the future.
However, he says Gerrard must be careful about following Jurgen Klopp at Anfield given his success with the fans and the club.
Nevertheless, Johnson believes Gerrard is on the right path after returning to the Premier League to manage Aston Villa.
Glen Johnson expects Steven Gerrard (above) to manage the Merseyside club in the future
Speaking to William Hill about Gerrard’s transition back to Liverpool, Johnson said: ‘Timing in football is everything.
‘I think Stevie will definitely be manager of Liverpool one day, but when that seat opens up, we’ll never know what the situation will be and where Stevie is in his career.
‘You don’t want to follow (Jurgen) Klopp! It’s like trying to follow Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. It’s those roles where you need to take it at the right time, but you never know when the right time is.’
However, he says Gerrard must be careful about following Jurgen Klopp at Anfield given his success with the fans and the club
Nevertheless, Johnson (above) believes Gerrard is on the right path after returning to the Premier League to manage Aston Villa
Johnson’s comments came shortly after Gerrard dismissed claims he was using Aston Villa as a stepping stone on his journey back to Liverpool.
The former Liverpool and England skipper – who has made no secret of his desire to return one day to Anfield as manager – used his first press conference at the club to say: ‘It’s very unfair to describe this as stepping stone, you will never hear me say that.
‘I am really honoured and proud to be here. I’m all-in and I will give this job all it needs to be successful.
‘I am 100 per cent committed and so are my staff. There is nothing wrong with having dreams and aspirations.
‘Liverpool have a world-class coach in Jurgen Klopp. If he was to sign a lifetime deal right now I would be very happy for him and them.
Johnson’s comments come shortly after the former Liverpool captain (middle) dismissed claims he was using Aston Villa as a stepping stone on his journey back to Anfield
Gerrard told fans that he was ‘honoured and proud to be’ the manager of Aston Villa
Gerrard also revealed that he has been in regular contact with Klopp and that he had heard from the Liverpool boss after he took the Villa role.
The former Liverpool captain said: ‘I’ve been in touch with Jurgen Klopp since day one. We live in the same area and I bump into him when he’s walking his dogs. He is a great coach and I hope he stays for a long time.
‘He sent me a message saying he was looking forward to a big hug on the side on December 11 and it’s something for me to look forward to as well.’
Villa paid Rangers £2.5million to seal their No 1 candidate and the club’s chief executive Christian Purslow said Gerrard’s arrival was a ‘fantastic moment in this club’s history’.
Johnson agreed with Purslow and shut down claims that Gerrard’s appoint was ‘risky’ due to his age and experience.
He said: ‘For Villa, any new appointment is a risk and yes, he’s young, but he’s proven that he’s done a good job. It’s not super risky and I think it’s a relationship that could work well.
But he did admit to being in regular contact with the current Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp (R)
‘They’ve had a rough spell, but I’d say Villa are definitely good enough to stay up. There are at least three teams worse than them, and if Stevie gets them playing then he’ll easily keep them clear of relegation and build them up next season.’
Johnson also believes it was the right time for Gerrard to take up a managerial role in the English top-flight as he had achieved everything he could in the Scottish Premiership.
The former Liverpool defender said: ‘What he’s done at Rangers at such an early stage in his managerial career has been amazing.
‘He’s built a good team around him. Maybe he did what he could up there. No disrespect to Rangers but they’re never going to be competing at the top of the Champions League.
Johnson believes Gerrard’s appointment at Villa is good for the club and the manager
‘And there’s only so many seats that are taken in the Premier League where most managers want to manage, so I’m not surprised that he took the job (at Aston Villa).
‘It’s another hurdle in his career and I think he’ll do a good job.
‘There’s only so many opportunities that come around to manager Premier League clubs. This seat was open, and if someone took it then they’d maybe be there for 10 years.
‘I think it is the right time for him to leave (Rangers). He brought them back from the dead, so it’s a good time to take on a new challenge and get Premier League experience.’
Share this article
Source: Read Full Article