By Ryan Day
On Thursday morning former Liverpool Captain and Legend Steven Gerrard was appointed as the new Head Coach of Premier League strugglers Aston Villa.
The 41-year-old will live long in the memory of Rangers fans for being at the helm when winning Scottish Premiership number 55, whilst also preventing arch rivals Celtic making it ten in a row. As well as that, Gerrard brought European football back to Ibrox, albeit a brief stint in this seasons Champions League after losing in the Qualifying stages to Swedish outfit Malmo.
Whilst on the face of it this appointment looks a good fit for both parties, the new Villa Gaffer has more to lose than the Midlands club. After a huge influx of costly signings in the summer, the Villa fans and Board of Directors would have expected more from their start to this year’s campaign. Sitting 16th currently the Villains are in real danger on heading back to the Championship, however Gerrard is likely to have another sizable war chest in January, whilst also being able to call upon some players returning from injury such as Danny Ings and Leon Bailey.
After his incredible stint in Scotland which was his first managerial assignment, Villa fans will be expecting their new boss to move them towards the upper echelons of the league table and they would be right to expect that......but what if things don’t improve at Villa Park in the near future?
Whilst the club can’t even begin to imagine the damage relegation would cause, it will know from previous experience that it can bounce back in time, however relegation for Gerrard could end his hopes of managing his boyhood club Liverpool when Jurgen Klopp calls time on his impressive reign at Anfield.
Whilst Liverpool would struggle to appoint a Manager with a Premier League relegation on his CV, Stevie G can take belief in the fact that fierce rivals Manchester United still appointed Ole Gunner Solskaer despite his torrid Premier League experience with Cardiff City.
Every Liverpool fan will be hoping that by the time Klopp decides to end his tenure at Liverpool, that Gerrard would have turned Villa into a consistent top ten side, however if by the time Liverpool next go in search for a new manager, Gerrard has a PL relegation on his CV then the Reds fans may never see their hero in the home dugout at Anfield.
What do you think? Would relegation at Villa cost Gerrard the job at Liverpool in the future?