“Will not be the next Liverpool manager” – Neil Jones casts doubt over 38 y/o’s future plans

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has dominated the back pages in recent days, having confirmed his move from Rangers to Aston Villa. Seemingly since Gerrard took his coaching badges, there has been talk about him eventually becoming Liverpool manager, so Reds fans will be hoping he is a success at Aston Villa as that would stand him in good stead for an eventual Anfield return.  

Second favourite to succeed Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager is his current assistant, Pep Lijnders. The Dutchman has one previous managerial role, an unsuccessful spell in charge of NEC Nijmegen in 2018. There has been speculation that Lijnders could succeed Klopp, meaning Gerrard would have to wait before taking the top job. 

On the latest episode of our Journo Insight Show, we asked Goal’s Neil Jones on the likelihood of Pep taking over as Liverpool boss.   

Neil said: 

“I am almost certain Pep Lijnders will not be the next Liverpool manager, from his perspective as much as the club’s perspective. I have not heard anything that would suggest it would be on the agenda. He may well be someone who is kept around as part of the staff. Steven Gerrard is going to be the next Liverpool manager, provided he doesn’t take Aston Villa down to League One in the next two years!” 

Redmen Reacts

Neil certainly seems to have poured cold water on the idea of Liverpool continuing in the old Boot Room tradition of promoting the assistant manager to the main role.

If Gerrard does well as Aston Villa manager, then that will mean he has been a success at two historic British clubs. This would be favourable preparation for the big job, especially in comparison to his former England midfield partner Frank Lampard.

Lampard only had one season in charge of Derby County before he took over at Chelsea, where he looked badly out of his depth at the end of his time there.

Gerrard’s first task is to arrest Villa’s recent slide and get them up the table. Hopefully he can follow in footsteps of former players-turned-managers Bob Paisley and Kenny Dalglish and lead the Reds to glory at some point in the future.