Steven Gerrard lands SFWA Manager of the Year prizeGerrard beat Callum Davidson, Steve Clarke and David Martindale to the award
Steven Gerrard has been named the Scottish Football Writers’ Association’s top manager following his title success with Rangers.
Gerrard beat Callum Davidson, Steve Clarke and David Martindale to the SFWA William Hill Manager of the Year prize.
The Ibrox boss said: “I’m delighted to receive the award. I receive it collectively with my staff. I think that goes without saying because we are very much a team here.
“I think we have achieved the success we have this season as a team of staff and I thank all of you guys in the press for voting for me and I certainly cherish the award.” Gerrard admitted he had felt the burden of following past Ibrox managers before winning the title – and stopping Celtic claiming a record 10th consecutive crown.
“I think I said in my first press conference that I got a feeling about this offer,” he said. “I felt like there was a connection to be made.
“I had admired the club from afar for many years and I had been up here and sampled the atmosphere and what the supporters were about.
“But also I had the education to know what the institution was about and what it meant to the people and it was an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down.
“Having said that, when I first took the job you do feel the size of the job and the pressure and the responsibility of the role and that is because of the managers who have gone before – Walter (Smith) and Graeme Souness as two recent ones.
“And it is a tough position to be in because you have got to try and follow in their footsteps and try and add to the wonderful success they have had.
“To sit here now having produced a league, and an historic league, is ever so satisfying.” Clarke had been voted among the top four after leading Scotland to their first major tournament in 23 years.
Martindale made the list after winning his first eight games as Livingston boss, not tasting defeat until his 15th, reaching the Betfred Cup final and guiding the club into the top six.
The votes were cast before Davidson followed up his Betfred Cup success by leading St Johnstone into the Scottish Cup final to continue a remarkable debut season in management.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-40287296.html'A little secret’: Steven Gerrard admits to phone chats with Mr. Ferguson>Rangers manager has taken advice from his former rival
>Former Liverpool captain Gerrard praises ‘iconic figure’
It is an alliance that will feel incongruous to many immersed in the bitter rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United. But Steven Gerrard has revealed Mr. Ferguson has been on hand for advice during his tenure at Rangers.
In a Guardian interview published on Monday Ferguson hailed the “magnificent” work done by Gerrard, after the former Liverpool captain made Rangers champions of Scotland for the first time since 2011.
“It’s very high praise and I’m extremely flattered,” Gerrard said. “He’s an iconic figure in the game. Through no fault of our own we became big, big rivals at Liverpool and Manchester United, the two biggest clubs in British football.
“We were massive rivals for many years and he’s someone that even though he was a rival I looked up to him immensely because he is such an iconic figure in the game. What he achieved in the game is up there with the very best who have ever lived. So I’m really flattered and humbled by his words.”
It transpires the former Manchester United manager – and Rangers player – knows a little more about Gerrard’s three-year Ibrox tenure than he disclosed. Gerrard was speaking as he collected the William Hill Scottish Football Writers manager of the year award in Glasgow.
“I’ll let you into a little secret: I’ve had a couple of conversations with him,” Gerrard said. “Since I retired we have parked our rivalry up and he gave me time on the phone to bounce a few things off him, a few questions to do with the management up here at Rangers.
“He was fantastic in those conversations. At some point moving forward I’d love the chance to sit down with him and have a coffee. He’s agreed to that and that’s fantastic from his point of view because he doesn’t have to give me his time, especially being a rival. But I think that goes to show what type of man he is. He’s not just the iconic manager we all know.”
Gerrard has previously spoken about the value of leaning on the lauded former Rangers managers Graeme Souness and Walter Smith for support. “When you are trying to learn and you are striving to be better it isn’t just listening to these people after you have won a league,” he said.
“This has been a journey and sometimes you feel like you are going down the wrong road or you are hitting a few bumps or maybe you need some advice that is non-football related.
“I wouldn’t say they are all mentors – that is a bit too extreme – but it is nice to know that you can pick the phone up to someone that has been there and done it. When you are trying to learn and grow, to have people who have been so successful and who have gone through what I am going through now many, many times that is invaluable for me.”
Rangers have two games left, starting with the trip to Livingston on Wednesday, in what remains an unbeaten league season. “I don’t want to mark myself out of 10; I think that is for other people,” Gerrard said. “But I have just won an award for being the best manager amongst a set of fantastic coaches so obviously I am not doing too badly.”
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/12/rangers-steven-gerrard-phone-chats-sir-alex-ferguson
