Steven Gerrard returns home.

[El Rojo]

it would be nice to not have a bunch of choirboys in the middle of the park, people who will impose themselves on the game rather than just be another player on the pitch.

The club won't thank him when Nivea end their sponsorship.

[Ne Moe Imya]

That all sounds pretty encouraging. Great that he seems to have his own philosophy and views rather than just giving it the party line. He'll make mistakes along the way, of course, but hopefully he'll learn from them. Great to have him back.

 

It does?

 

Frankly, it worries me.  If you're looking for someone to come in to inspire a youngster, communicate some of his natural passion and work ethic, Gerrard is the perfect person for that.  But for day-to-day coaching, I'm honestly very far from convinced.  It's encouraging that Inglethorpe will be there on a daily basis, so I'm sure it's not as if Gerrard is going to have these players in a vacuum, but what he says there is not a good thing to my mind.

 

There's nothing specific you can point to and say "that's way off" but it's just a general sense of "it's about effort and physicality" rather than "let's develop vision and technique in these lads" which is what we were hearing and seeing earlier.

 

Honestly, though, all of that pales in comparison to the main reason I don't really like the move of putting him there.  I just really dislike the idea that former players are automatically given credit for a lot of management skills when they have no experience in it.  I think they definitely can help develop lads but I'm not sure there wasn't a better coach already in the youth setup with years of experience who could have done a better job in that position when Beale left.

[El Rojo]

It does?

 

Frankly, it worries me. If you're looking for someone to come in to inspire a youngster, communicate some of his natural passion and work ethic, Gerrard is the perfect person for that. But for day-to-day coaching, I'm honestly very far from convinced. It's encouraging that Inglethorpe will be there on a daily basis, so I'm sure it's not as if Gerrard is going to have these players in a vacuum, but what he says there is not a good thing to my mind.

 

There's nothing specific you can point to and say "that's way off" but it's just a general sense of "it's about effort and physicality" rather than "let's develop vision and technique in these lads" which is what we were hearing and seeing earlier.

 

Honestly, though, all of that pales in comparison to the main reason I don't really like the move of putting him there. I just really dislike the idea that former players are automatically given credit for a lot of management skills when they have no experience in it. I think they definitely can help develop lads but I'm not sure there wasn't a better coach already in the youth setup with years of experience who could have done a better job in that position when Beale left.

It's relatively low stakes stuff initially and he should command more respect than most in his position.

 

I'd be hugely concerned if he was brought in to stand around the first team like a spare prick, which isn't the case.

[SlugTrail]

The club won't thank him when Nivea end their sponsorship.

swap it out for "brut" or "old spice", make men of them.

[El Rojo]

swap it out for "brut" or "old spice", make men of them.

Definitely - and taches and perms should be mandatory for all youth players.

[Bjornebye]

I know absolutely nothing about coaching youngsters.

 

That said, i have heard two interviews since he came back and both have focused on physicality and tackling.

 

Doesn't really inspire.

The two things we are badly lacking

[SlugTrail]

Definitely - and taches and perms should be mandatory for all youth players.

We should petition the club to make this mandatory.

[SlugTrail]

the blueprint for the future

 

[TheHowieLama]

Definitely - and taches and perms should be mandatory for all youth players.

 

 

The two things we are badly lacking

[El Rojo]

the blueprint for the future

 

Pure quality - and you haven't even included Terry Macca.

[VladimirIlyich]

Pure quality - and you haven't even included Terry Macca.

Nor Jimmy Case(the real one and not our nutter on tlw)

[3 Stacks]

It does?

 

Frankly, it worries me.  If you're looking for someone to come in to inspire a youngster, communicate some of his natural passion and work ethic, Gerrard is the perfect person for that.  But for day-to-day coaching, I'm honestly very far from convinced.  It's encouraging that Inglethorpe will be there on a daily basis, so I'm sure it's not as if Gerrard is going to have these players in a vacuum, but what he says there is not a good thing to my mind.

 

There's nothing specific you can point to and say "that's way off" but it's just a general sense of "it's about effort and physicality" rather than "let's develop vision and technique in these lads" which is what we were hearing and seeing earlier.

 

Honestly, though, all of that pales in comparison to the main reason I don't really like the move of putting him there.  I just really dislike the idea that former players are automatically given credit for a lot of management skills when they have no experience in it.  I think they definitely can help develop lads but I'm not sure there wasn't a better coach already in the youth setup with years of experience who could have done a better job in that position when Beale left.

 

Agreed. It all sounds very "get stuck in lads" instead of "we'll focus on technique and intelligent play" which is what it should be. 

[razor]

Willfully ignoring the fact that Stevie had technique and was an intelligent player as well as having physical attributes.

 

I doubt Stevie's coaching will be centred entirely on "let them know early doors".

 

He's 100% right in my view.

 

What is the tiny, almost immeasurable difference between a player who makes the grade and one who doesn't?

 

It's not "give the contract to the one who can do more keepy-uppies."

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

It read to me like " skill is fine but if you don't have guts and commitment forget it " although that could apply to most of the first team too.

[razor]

And intensity and drive.

 

The things that distinguish Marcus Rashford from Adnan Januzaj for example.

[suzy]

I love Stevie G but he didn't have a curly wig so forget it. I don't think a player as good as Stevie can be a good manager.

 

Kenny Dalglish did alright!

[suzy]

Kenny is Scottish and he is an anomaly. Great players usually make shite managers.

 

Not sure what being Scottish has got to do with it! But, I agree, in the main great players don't normally make great managers

[Aventus]

Kenny is Scottish and he is an anomaly. Great players usually make shite managers.

Most football players are thick as pig shit. I think that's where the problem lies, it doesn't translate over well.

 

Stevie seems reasonably intelligent though, so I can see him having a decent management career if he wants it.

[Chairman Meow]

Well Scottish people are known for being tight so he didn't spend much in the transfer window.

And they are also known for being big poopy heads and shite at football except for Kenny and Alan Hansen they were alright, I guess.

 

Negged on behalf of Nicol and Souness.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Negged on behalf of Nicol and Souness.

St John and Liddell.

[Boss]

I remember David Thompson talking about us playing Arsenal at Anfield once. This was when they had a team of superstars like Vieira, Petit etc.

 

Thompson went up to Gerrard before the game, being the older player, to reassure him because Gerrard was only a kid at the time. He said "you okay Stevie?" and Gerrard just looked at him and said "we're gonna smash these today". 

 

Thompson said the way he said it was so matter of fact, like it was an inevitability. Gerrard went out and bossed the game. That's what i think he means when he's talking about toughening the players up. Could you imagine Woodburn, Arnold, Ejaria or Ojo having an attitude like that?

[stringvest]

I remember David Thompson talking about us playing Arsenal at Anfield once. This was when they had a team of superstars like Vieira, Petit etc.

 

Thompson went up to Gerrard before the game, being the older player, to reassure him because Gerrard was only a kid at the time. He said "you okay Stevie?" and Gerrard just looked at him and said "we're gonna smash these today". 

 

Thompson said the way he said it was so matter of fact, like it was an inevitability. Gerrard went out and bossed the game. That's what i think he means when he's talking about toughening the players up. Could you imagine Woodburn, Arnold, Ejaria or Ojo having an attitude like that?

 

 

nor Henderson, Wijnauldum or Can.  In fact when you asked the question Can wouldn't have been paying attention, so he'd be like 'uh - what?'

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

I remember David Thompson talking about us playing Arsenal at Anfield once. This was when they had a team of superstars like Vieira, Petit etc.

 

Thompson went up to Gerrard before the game, being the older player, to reassure him because Gerrard was only a kid at the time. He said "you okay Stevie?" and Gerrard just looked at him and said "we're gonna smash these today".

 

Thompson said the way he said it was so matter of fact, like it was an inevitability. Gerrard went out and bossed the game. That's what i think he means when he's talking about toughening the players up. Could you imagine Woodburn, Arnold, Ejaria or Ojo having an attitude like that?

The only current player I could imagine having an attitude like that is Milner.

[Kevin D]

I remember David Thompson talking about us playing Arsenal at Anfield once. This was when they had a team of superstars like Vieira, Petit etc.

 

Thompson went up to Gerrard before the game, being the older player, to reassure him because Gerrard was only a kid at the time. He said "you okay Stevie?" and Gerrard just looked at him and said "we're gonna smash these today". 

 

Thompson said the way he said it was so matter of fact, like it was an inevitability. Gerrard went out and bossed the game. That's what i think he means when he's talking about toughening the players up. Could you imagine Woodburn, Arnold, Ejaria or Ojo having an attitude like that?

He became a much better player as he got older, but that is still my favourite version of Gerrard.

[jamespp]

sounds more John Sitton than Rinus Michels but at least he's not scared to do what he wants against the grain