Former Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has claimed that the ‘perfect step for’ Liverpool would be for them to replace Jürgen Klopp with Steven Gerrard when the German boss calls it a day as Reds boss.
The former Borussia Dortmund manager extended his Anfield contract at the end of April meaning he will remain on Merseyside until 2026 whilst our ex-captain is preparing for his first full season as a Premier League boss with Aston Villa.
Our former No. 8 took over at Villa Park in November after a successful spell in Scotland where he guided Rangers to their first league title in 10 years and Skrtel clearly feels his old teammate is destined to succeed in the Anfield hot seat.
“At the moment we have Jurgen Klopp and he is the best man for the job,” the Slovakian told the Times (via Liverpool Echo).
“I see Stevie as the manager after because he’s getting the experience now. He was in Glasgow [at Rangers] and now he’s in Aston Villa. I hope he can do a good job there and then one day, when Jurgen or Liverpool decide to go a different way and they bring new people in, he will be the one. That would be the perfect way and a perfect step for the club and also for Stevie.”
Gerrard will not just be gifted the job once Klopp leaves – he has to prove that he has what it takes to succeed in the English top-flight from the dugout rather than from the middle of the park.
The scouser has already proved that he has the ‘pull’ that will attract players to whatever side he’s in charge of.
Villa have already confirmed the permanent signing of Philippe Coutinho earlier in the window as well as Sevilla defender Diego Carlos and Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara.
Gerrard will continue to be linked with a return to Liverpool as manager, but Skrtel has admitted he’s surprised at the fact another of his former teammates is yet to step into the managerial scene.
“To be honest with you, I was thinking that [Jamie] Carragher would be the first one [into management],” the Slovakian added.
“Everything from when he opened his eyes in the morning until he went to sleep was about football. He would be getting a massage and he was on the phone watching other leagues, watching the Italian league. I was thinking, ‘He will be the one’. I didn’t ever think that he would be involved in these TV shows [punditry] and even a fan of Instagram. He wasn’t a fan of social networking at that time.
“But, yes, Stevie obviously has the personality and also his quality on the pitch. The guy loves football and he understands football.”
We still have a few more years of the Normal One to enjoy before we can think about Stevie G coming to Anfield, but the future is certainly looking exciting.