Is it wrong to criticise Steven Gerrard?

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Is it wrong to criticise Steven Gerrard?


After the latest in a long and increasingly regular line of bad results, we’re starting to witness, at Ibrox Noise, the old fan patterns starting back up.

It began with Mark Warburton – the Magic Hat could do no wrong, and even when his SPL campaign floundered he still had a strong core among the support who backed him to the point of dividing the fanbase.

Pedro came in and somehow he got indoctrinated as a cult manager with a ‘staunch’ backing by a great portion of the support.

Graeme Murty was next, to be seen by a glut of fans as up there with Walter Smith. Yes, really – comparisons were made.

And now Steven Gerrard, having had a tough 2019 at best at Ibrox is experiencing that same blind faith by many supporters who won’t criticise him and instead blame the players.

We’re not justifying, criticising, or anything else with regards Stevie, it’s just that we’ve seen this before, and it’s been a recurring pattern for Rangers fans for the best part of four years, seven if you include certain similar treatment of Ally McCoist.

What are we saying? Rangers managers, whoever they are, will always get a strong tribal backing by a lot of fans even when things start to go south, and those fans will justify, reason, defend and praise their man to the hilt.

Which is not us saying Gerrard is a failure or a success – we’ve seen his bad side and his good side as a Rangers manager, with European success followed by a 5-1 gubbing by Celtic, and topping the table and beating Celtic being followed by losing in two cups to Aberdeen – both sides of Gerrard have seen lofty highs and painful lows.

It’s just that right now there’s definitely more lows. This year hasn’t seen a single good thing at Ibrox in terms of general progress. Beating Aberdeen in the league is the literal highlight and that’s just not good enough. Not for the ambition we have.

The squad is really getting it thick right now – and it’s true they’ve most definitely not delivered this calendar year – not in the matches that count anyway. Too many players just aren’t up to the level we’d hoped, but then most of them were signed by Stevie.

Those who back him cannot reconcile that with his signings without looking hypocritical.

For the record, we don’t ‘not’ back him, we’re just fed up with those who shoot down anyone who dares to question him.

Why is it perfectly moral to slag off all the players but not Steven Gerrard – why is he immune when all of them (him included) are paid by our club to deliver results as a unit? Are the players less worthy than Stevie?

We don’t understand why fans are choosing to support part of Rangers and not the other part – then attack sites like ours for posing questions at the manager.

This rookie season for Gerrard has been patchy at best – and as we’ve said before, blindly supporting and not questioning is not the path to progress. Even SG himself welcomes the criticism, and we applaud him for having more humility than his most fervent advocates do.

After all, how can you fix things which are broken if you refuse to recognise the problems in the first place.

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16 COMMENTS

  1. As you say IN he's a rookie manager. Like young players breaking into the team you expect them to make mistakes. Steve G has made plenty of mistakes. The thing is he doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes.
    Ok we beat the manky mob at new year, which gave us all false hope. It was after all only 3 points.
    My mate works in the medical department at parkhead and said there was a sickness bug within the team in the build up to the old firm. Even if that wasn't the case we still let ourselves get carried away, it's what supporters do.
    The question is – How long are we prepared to let Steve G learn on the job? I think he will be given the start of next season. If we don't make it past the qualifying rounds of the Europa he will be gone.

  2. No , give the manager a chance, change for what six or ten good games with different players and manager then we start again. Let thing settle down sure there will be mistakes that's football. Yes we have improved S.G. will know what changes he needs to make so lets all calm down and give him a chance.

  3. Some fans defend him saying he is a rookie. So was Souness and he won the league first time of asking. It is that simple.

    Gerrard doesn’t seem to be learning from his mistakes – what are his advisors saying to him? Who is challenging him internal ?

    He shows no signs of improving. Why is he be treated by differently by previous Rangers managers unable to dig themselves out of a hole.

    Next game against Celtic should give an indication if he is up for the fight or not.

    Given the results after the long awaited win over Celtic – was that victory just a “flash in the pan”.

    We will fine out, and if negative, the Board must look for alternatives now before it is too late – sadly it might already be.

    • Souness brought in the England captain and goalie. Very different financial world.
      What alternatives? How much and where will the money come from?

  4. Steven Gerrard is still learning about Scottish football and the clear reality that everyone plays harder dirtier and with more effort and passion when they play the light blues . He has also only had a season to change our poor mental and game structure . Yes he may have signed a couple of duds all managers do but he will learn I do believe that he is a winner . IN you can post what you think it's fine by me however those who call for his head when it's a work in progress or we don't win everything or every match are off the mark perhaps next season …Onwards

  5. As big Brenda the tranny lover said, he took the mhanky mob as far he could well….
    Stevie G has took Rangers as far as could and wished he would do "walking away"
    the guy is not a manager yet and his honeymoon period is over, time to get rid

  6. In addition to my previous post ..SG is bang on about the Kilmarnock challenges tackling and downright hateful aggressive attitude …that's why Jordan Jones wasn't playing they didn't come to play but to kick !!!!;Just like the SS on Tuesday , the refereeing does not protect football players when we play anyone!!! By the way please note this does not happen when they play the Rotten Mob thier aggressive attitude and wish to injure is not present….Or am I being paranoid …..???

  7. I've never been a fan, who puts players and even managers, before what's best for our club. Yes, the team are underperforming. Bit in my opinion, they are under-peforming because half the team as it stands, are simply not good enough. As such, that makes me question if Mark Allen is good enough. I have definite questions as to what McAllister is actually doing atm. Because if he's an old hand, you'd think he would know to advice SG v closely. But still we see bad calls, late substitutions and inclusions of players who NEED to be benched. Good players like McCrorie, left out. Goldson is absolutely rank rotten. I'll give him this season, but if still like this, spring NEXT season, it'll be a v different story. Everybody knows we have 'high expectations; at Rangers. I don't see that as wrong. High expectations, SHOULD lead to higher standards. Not at our club atm, though.

  8. Yes, Gerrard should be criticised. Yes, good player, but so was John Greig (oh to have the big man in defence today!) and anyone who is old like me will remember what happened there!!
    Great players, does not mean great managers. Gerrard is no where good enough for Rangers. Never will no matter what caliber of player he has as he believes his tactics and theory of play is right? Gerrard if that is how your going to play teams in the future, then we will never win the league!!

  9. I have no problem with people criticising the manager, or even calling for his head. What I do have a problem with is those people not suggesting an alternative, an answer, a way forward.
    If someone wants SG out, fine, they are entitled to their opinion. If they didn't realise rookie managers make mistakes, they are not as sharp as they think. If however, they didn't want him from the start and have been consistent in their criticism, I will respect that even if I disagree. Remember, Goldson and Coulibaly were walking on water a few months ago, so those saying they are never good enough should also have been saying it then. As well as proposing who they wanted instead.
    Yes, some of the players currently at Rangers are not good enough. Yes, some of SG's signing have not been good enough, both loans and buys. But what manager has ever got every buy right. Rob Kiernan, anyone?
    My understanding, which may be wrong, is that McAllister has his coach's badges and SG doesn't.
    I agree he seems not to act quickly enough with subs – although yesterday's were early, so maybe he is learning. I agree that we should look at other formations, I would like to see a 3-5-2 with Tav and Kent, but maybe he has on the training ground and they are not working either.
    I am a big fan of McCrorie, but when Kamara looked like the second coming nobody was complaining.
    I do think there are players who need dropped, but SG sees everybody on the training ground, I don't.
    So yes, there are concerns. We have lost far too many points in games we should have won. Our performance levels seem well below the autumn European games.

    But changing manager is not the answer here. Some players will be moved on in the summer, the ones he has put faith in and not been repaid. I think Kent will improve with age, personally. We have badly missed the goals of Windass and we desperately need one or even two No 10s. We need another quality striker to play with Morelos. We need to replace Worrall and MacAuley (Halkett please). If we get offered big money for Tavernier, I think he can go with my thanks for what he has done. If he stays, I would replace him as captain, but until then I will support the Rangers captain.
    Where the money will come from, I think the European run should help and must be repeated next season or we could be back to square one. Otherwise, if Tavernier goes, that will bring in serious funds. Morelos, even more but we may struggle to replace him.
    See what I did…. questions and answers/thoughts. Not just moaning

  10. IN you say that you don't "not" back Gerrard but suggest that those that do do so in blind faith. Well I have backed, and continue to back, the manager but don't do so blindly. I know what's happening. I see what's going on. I get angry and frustrated too. But sacking the manager every year is not the answer. Despite everything most fans seem to accept we are better than last year. So let the manager get on with it and improve us again next year. Sure so some of his signings haven't worked out but he can only sign the players we can afford and what money we had was spread very thinly this year. Sure he has made mistakes but you can't absolve the players of any blame. It is they who are under performing. We know they are all capable of so much better and are not producing enough in the big games.

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