Steven Gerrard Opens Up on Rangers Regret and Morelos Management
In a candid revelation, football legend Steven Gerrard has publicly admitted for the first time that he now regrets his decision to leave Rangers when he did. The Liverpool icon, who led the Ibrox club to the Scottish Premiership title in his third full season, departed abruptly in November 2021 to take over at Aston Villa, a move he defended at the time but now views differently.
Broken Promises and Recruitment Concerns
Speaking on The Overlap podcast, Gerrard explained that his regret stems from post-title conversations with Rangers management. "I regret doing it now, sitting here. I didn't at the time," he confessed. The discussions about recruitment and finances following their championship victory left him feeling the club wasn't prepared to build on their success.
"The promises weren't as strong as what I thought they would be," Gerrard revealed. He described the approach as more about settling issues rather than ambitious planning, which was compounded by Rangers' Champions League play-off loss to Malmo that summer. When the Premier League opportunity with Aston Villa emerged, he found it difficult to refuse despite his reservations.
Managing the Maverick: Alfredo Morelos
Gerrard also provided fascinating insight into his management of Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos, who scored 17 goals during Rangers' title-winning campaign but presented significant disciplinary challenges. "Morelos at Rangers was tough to manage," Gerrard recalled, describing him as having "maverick behaviours" and a tendency to "bend the rules."
The former manager admitted to sometimes having to "bite your tongue and turn a blind eye" to Morelos' conduct while trying to maintain team values. "It's just trying to not get caught by the players when you're doing it," he explained of the delicate balancing act required.
Strategic Recruitment to Counter Reliance
Recognizing Morelos' importance but also his unreliability, Gerrard revealed his strategic thinking behind signing Jermain Defoe and Kemar Roofe. "I knew the time would come where I could get into a place where he's maybe less important," he said of Morelos.
"That's why I brought Jermain Defoe in. That's why I brought Kemar Roofe in," Gerrard explained. "Because when he was having these periods, where he would be challenging or break your rules and your values, Defoe and Kemar Roofe were itching to play and they were as good as him."
Gerrard's subsequent managerial career saw him sacked by Aston Villa and later by Saudi Pro-League side Al-Ettifaq, adding context to his reflections on his time at Rangers. His honest assessment provides rare insight into the complex decisions football managers face regarding club loyalty, career advancement, and player management.
