Newcastle United have been linked with a sensational move for Steven Gerrard. At first, it’s probably dismissed as mindless transfer talk. But when you think about it, it actually makes perfect sense.
It’s fair to say that the move to the MLS wasn’t the most successful for Gerrard. As a player, he was probably better than Beckham who went down a storm in the MLS. But it just didn’t happen for the ex-Liverpool legend.
So with his contract expired, he announced his intention to leave the MLS and has since been linked with numerous coaching jobs at home. Most recently he turned down a role at MK Dons as they didn’t seem to fit what he was looking for.
However, a move to Newcastle is one that would be hugely beneficial for both club and player. A player like Steven Gerrard playing for the club would have a huge impact on the young players that are currently at the club, and it would give the opportunity for Jono Shelvey to learn from his ex-teammate once again.
It is unclear whether he wants to retire from football, but he would give Newcastle an added boost if he was to play for them this season and help to make them even more of an unstoppable force at that level.
And for Gerrard, it would represent an opportunity to coach and learn from his old manager Rafa Benitez who knew how to get the best out of Gerrard. They had a synergy that is quite unique, and it is clear that Gerrard respects the managerial ability of Benitez.
So there is probably no better place for him to learn and develop his craft.
There has been a lot of talk of Gerrard going straight into management, but there really is no rush. Many players that have jumped into the deep end have failed because they haven’t had the proper grounding in management to succeed.
Take Gary Neville for example. He was a superb pundit on Sky Sports, and sounded like he knew the game inside out. But by going straight to the top and managing at Valencia he became unstuck and didn’t last long at all. It could have all but killed his managerial career before it has began.
Gerrard is highly thought of as a captain, and seems to have the right mentality to be a successful manager in the future. And while Benitez didn’t give too much away, it sounds like he is open to the idea.
“If Stevie wants to talk, I am here. He is a player with great experience anyway, but if he wanted my advice that would be okay.
“Each individual is different. If Stevie feels he wants to be a manager then he should go for it.
“You don’t know for sure until you do the job, because management is not just about tactics. It is also about having the right personality.”