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Rangers boss Steven Gerrard hopes to persuade Walter Smith to take up an advisory role at Ibrox
Gerrard firmly believes Smith, who had two hugely successful spells in charge at Ibrox, can still have a vital part to play at the club
By Colin Duncan
23rd June 2018, 10:30 pm
STEVEN GERRARD is hoping former Rangers bosses Walter Smith and Graeme Souness can help him plot Celtic’s downfall this season.
The new Gers manager revealed he is keen to get Smith on board as soon as possible so he can start picking his brains.
WILLIE VASS
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Steven Gerrard hopes to pick the brains of some Gers icons
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Gerrard firmly believes Smith, who had two hugely successful spells in charge at Ibrox, can still have a vital role to play at the club.
The Liverpool legend plans to speak with the 70-year-old when he returns from Rangers Spanish training camp later this week.
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And he also refused to rule out the possibility of Smith being offered an advisory role as part of the new set-up.
He said: “My main priority right now is getting myself settled in Glasgow and getting myself settled in the role.
“Then I will certainly be leaning on the likes of Walter Smith and Graeme Souness and and bending their ears. — they will probably be getting sick of the sight of me.
“I have met Walter quite a few times. He is a top fella and I am really looking forward to sitting down with him. We will invite him in.
“To be fair he doesn’t need an invite to come in. None of the ex-managers and players do.
“We want to use them. This club needs to become one and ex-players and ex-managers are all part of that.”
WILLIE VASS
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Graeme Souness managed the Ibrox club for five years
Gerrard, who is in his first managerial role, reckons Smith’s vast knowledge of the Scottish game can prove invaluable.
He said: “I haven’t really thought about it in terms of roles or at what level we want to use him.
“I think we just want to get him round the table and have a chat with him — get his thoughts and his experience, how he saw last year and get some advice.
“I never got the chance to work with Greame at Liverpool, but I have done a couple of TV appearances with him and charity events with him and being a midfielder myself he is certainly someone who I look up to.
“So if I can get his ear as well it will only be to my advantage.”
Gerrard also has his former Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish on speed dial although he’s not quite sure he will pick up now, given his allegiances lie on the other side of Glasgow.
He said: “Kenny is my hero, if you are a young boy and you grow up in Liverpool, Kenny Dalglish is the man.
“I know he is a Celtic man but we are friends and Kenny is that type of man. He is a real football man.
KEITH CAMPBELL - THE SUN GLASGOW
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Walter Smith won over 400 games in charge of the Light Blues
“He has given me many bits of advice over the years.
“Our relationship is very strong although he will probably let the phone ring out now!”
Gerrard, who hung up his boots two seasons ago at LA Galaxy, admits he’s known for the past five years management was the path he desperately wanted to follow.
He added: “Around the age of 32, 33 while I was still playing, I decided this is what I wanted to do because I loved the game. The game has been a big part of my life.
“I was at Liverpool from eight years of age and went full-time at 16 when I left school.
“From 16 to 36 it was all that I knew — full-time football, being around top players, top managers.
“That’s where the education had begun.
“Towards the end of my career I knew I wouldn’t really be able to just walk away from the game and go into anything else — football is all I know.
GETTY - CONTRIBUTOR
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Gerrard played under Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool
‘I’m not sitting here thinking that I’m a top manager.
“It is something that I will try and grow into, mould into and improve. I don’t want to stand still. I want to keep trying to grow.
“But this is what I’ve craved since I came out of a playing kit. I craved that responsibility, that pressure, that three important points at the weekend.
“Looking back at my playing career now, I feel as if I should’ve maybe played on for one more year.
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