New Delhi: Steven Gerrard’s managerial career has been a rollercoaster ride, and now, the Liverpool legend finds himself at yet another crossroads. After his short stint in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq, the 44-year-old is being strongly linked with a return to English football. According to the Derby Telegraph, Gerrard has emerged as the frontrunner for the managerial post at Derby County, after the firing of former manager Paul Warne, following a disastrous run of form from the club.
Gerrard’s managerial career was off to a smooth start as the manager enjoyed great success with Scottish side Rangers, guiding them to a invincible season on the way to the Scottish Premiership. His time in Saudi Arabia, however, did not go as planned. Al-Ettifaq, a team that had high hopes under his leadership, suffered a worrying dip in form, winning just five of their 17 league matches this season.
With the club edging dangerously close to the relegation zone, Gerrard and the club hierarchy decided to part ways by mutual consent at the end of January, with the club now being managed by former Saudi Arabia U23 coach, Saad Al Shehri. Now, with Derby County in desperate need of direction, the opportunity to rebuild his managerial reputation in the English game could be too tempting to ignore.
The Rams’ struggles this season have been well documented and despite early signs of promise under Paul Warne, a horrific run of eight consecutive defeats saw them crash out of the FA Cup to Leyton Orient and sink into a relegation battle. Even a handful of new signings in the January transfer window couldn’t reverse their fortunes, forcing the club’s leadership to act swiftly.
🚨 Steven Gerrard is the red-hot favourite to take over as Derby County manager.
(Source: @TheSunFootball) pic.twitter.com/WdzhtPIFca
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) February 8, 2025
They could find some respite if Gerrard is appointed as he has experience in rebuilding a squad that’s been in trouble. His managerial peak so far came during his time at Rangers, where he led the Scottish giants to their first Premiership title in a decade while going an entire league season unbeaten in the process. That success highlighted his tactical awareness, leadership qualities, and ability to inspire players, traits that could make him the ideal candidate for Derby’s revival.
Gerrard’s desire to prove himself in England remains strong, especially after his previous stint with Aston Villa ended prematurely. His time at Villa Park started promisingly, but after less than a year, a series of underwhelming performances saw him dismissed. While his tenure in Saudi Arabia did little to repair his reputation, a fresh challenge in the English Football League could provide the perfect stage to demonstrate his managerial growth.
If he takes the Derby job, Gerrard will need to navigate the intense demands of the third tier of English football. The Championship is often considered one of the toughest leagues in Europe, and Derby’s current predicament means he won’t have much time to settle in. However, if he can steer the club to safety and lay the foundations for a promotion push next season, it would significantly enhance his credentials for future roles—perhaps even a return to the Premier League.
Another England legend to take charge of Derby County?
The Rams have recently made a habit of appointing England legends as managers and coaches and have had varying degrees of success with them. They appointed Frank Lampard as the manager of the club back in the 2018/19 season and the former English International had a fruitful spell at the club. Lampard began his managerial journey with the Rams and utilized his Chelsea connections well to bring in quality players to the club.
The addition of budding youngsters like Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount helped Derby to the final of the promotion playoffs that season, narrowly missing out on promotion that year. Part of Lampard’s coaching staff was another England legend in Ashley Cole, both of whom left after that season for Chelsea. They then appointed another England legend a few years later as Wayne Rooney took charge of the club.
Rooney’s tenure at Derby wasn’t a fruitful one for both parties involved as his time at the club ended with the club going down to League One following a 21 point deduction. That prompted Rooney to hand in his resignation after almost two years in charge of the club. If Gerrard is appointed as the manager of the Rams, he will become the third England legend of the same ‘Golden Generation’ to have managed the club in the last seven years.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard called time on his Saudi chapter earlier this year, leaving Al-Ettifaq after one and a half years at the club, and it seems like he is already set for his next chapter. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
