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A surprising, unlikely name added to Tottenham manager shortlist

Gary Pearson
Gary Pearson

Hotspur HQ

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MAY 15: Rangers Manager Steven Gerrard poses with his medal during the Scottish Premiership match between Rangers and Aberdeen on May 15, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Former Liverpool great and Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has been, somewhat surprisingly, added as a potential candidate in Tottenham’s never-ending search for a manager. 

The Telegraph recently reported that Daniel Levy is impressed by Gerrard’s first three years of football management, which have seen the 41-year-old lead Rangers to their first Scottish Premier League title in over a decade. Rangers’ title-wining season prevented Celtic from capturing their 10th in a row, automatically lifting Gerrard to legendary status in the Glasgow.

And while Gerrard has little chance of taking over the helm at Liverpool any time soon, envisioning him pull Spurs’ strings from the touchline is a rather peculiar notion. The other question is whether managing Tottenham would lessen the likelihood of Gerrard being able to one day land the Liverpool coaching assignment.

He has, in a relatively short timespan, proven his managerial credence in Scotland. There is no doubt about that. Large portions of Tottenham’s fan base are on board with the prospect of Gerrard coaching Tottenham, while, as usual, another sector are dead set against the proposition.

He is the least experienced of all managers in the long line of potential suitors to land the job. Though his vast playing experience goes a long way in offsetting that palpable lack of coaching experience.

Gerrard is enjoying his time in Scotland and will probably think long and hard about taking a job that is clearly unwanted by so many of his counterparts. Why stir the hornet’s nest when things are going so well at Rangers, especially considering the high-risk nature associated with the Tottenham job?

Then again, the lure of coaching in the Premier League will certainly appeal to Gerrard. Though I’m not sure working under Levy is what Gerrard has in mind for his first Premier League coaching assignment.

Gary Pearson

Gary Pearson

A freelance sports journalist, Gary primarily focuses his attention on football coverage (proper football, that is). He is a sports aficionado and has lived in five continents – Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Currently residing in the mountainous region of Canmore, Canada, his family hails from jolly old England while he spent the lion's share of his formative years in Calgary, Canada, home of the Calgary Stampede, the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and the 1989 Stanley Cup Champions. He is an ardent Flames and Tottenham Hotspur supporter and dreams of more fruitful days, when the Flames once again lift Lord Stanley aloft, a seemingly impossible goal if the past few decades is anything to go by. Spurs are closer to glory, but are still starving for the rapturous joy their supporters so obviously deserve.