Player-turned-pundit Jamie Carragher has tipped his former teammate Steven Gerrard for the Liverpool top job in the future with the latter taking charge at Villa Park.
Gerrard was confirmed as the new boss for the Midlanders after days of speculation which had surrounded the sacking of Dean Smith and the Aston Villa’s hunt for a replacement nearly midway through the campaign.
The former Liverpool skipper Gerrard’s appointment was announced to much fanfare on Thursday with the 41-year-old leaving Scottish outfit Rangers after a three-year-long spell to make his move to the Premier League.
With Gerrard backed by many as a successor to the current Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp when the German’s deal on Merseyside expires in the summer of 2024, the Aston Villa appointment has sent out mixed signals.
His old teammate at Anfield Jamie Carragher, however, told Sky Sports ( via The Daily Express) that the Villa job comes at the right time for Gerrard and the Englishman will be a perfect candidate for Liverpool in the near future should he do well in his new surroundings.
“No [it’s not a stepping stone], and I think it’s disrespectful to Stevie and disrespectful to Aston Villa that this comes up.
“I know this is the question for everyone, but I can assure you that Aston Villa is a football club that isn’t a stepping stone for anyone.
“They’ve won a European Cup; they’re the biggest club in the Midlands, one of the biggest clubs in the UK.
“Now, I’m sure everyone is well aware that one day, if it works perfectly, Stevie would like to manage Liverpool.
“But I can guarantee you that Stevie would only want to manage Liverpool if he merited it, and the football club and supporters would think that themselves.
“Liverpool are not in a position to give a job in the future to someone just because he had a great playing career.
“If Stevie does amazingly well at Aston Villa and is qualifying for Europe and maybe can add a Carabao Cup, maybe that will then put him in the equation for Liverpool.
“But Liverpool, along with Manchester United, Man City, Chelsea, they will be attracting the best managers in the world.
“That’s obviously a challenge for Stevie to make himself one of the best managers in European or world football, and then I’m sure he’ll have a great shout.
“But if he doesn’t get there, I don’t think Stevie will be willing to take a job if he felt someone else could be better at Liverpool.
“I don’t think the club would either, so I think for Stevie, it’s about focusing on Aston Villa and not worrying about anything else.”
