Former Liverpool assistant manager, Alex Miller has lauded the character of former Reds captain and Rangers manager, Steven Gerard, saying the ex-England international has a good heart.
Miller assisted both Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez at Anfield for nine years, who was once a player in the Scottish League who played Rangers before he went into a managerial role with Hibernian FC.
The Scot got to Liverpool in1999- at the time when Gerard’s exploits were surfacing to the Anfield. He knew within days of arriving that the club had a special homegrown talent on its hands. He said Gerard is the kind of player who was to succeed in the round leather game.
“He was the kind of young player who wanted to succeed. He had that inner drive that top professionals need. He could run, he could tackle. He had a fierce determination.” He stressed
He lauded the attributes of the Rangers manager which he has possessed at the wee days of his football career which eventually made him one of the youngest captains as of that period
“I’d been in the door a week when Gerard Houllier asked me to have a look at the entire set-up and give him my opinion on everything. I said I felt he had a future England captain in the young lad Gerrard.”
“He was made captain at a fairly young age and was a good one but he wasn’t overly vociferous. What he would do was go and sit with players individually. He’d ask them, ‘How can I help you?’ ‘How can we become better?’
“He had so many attributes and even at that young age he wouldn’t be dominated by older professionals at the club and in matches. He had a bit about him.”
The former Scotland defender said he has some qualities which are not possessed on the pitch, showing his leadership qualities.
“He wasn’t the type who would come in and moan at people. He had a very positive attitude, even from a very young age.”
He narrated how former Liverpool’s number four got charged and he still maintained his innocence which his family members relied upon and were not disappointed.
“Steven has a good heart. That’s what I liked most about him, to be honest. Forget that he was a terrific football player. He had a good heart.” Alex Miller noted
“The boy got charged after Istanbul and thrown in jail but always maintained his innocence. His family was convinced he was innocent as well and they were told that legal representation would cost them £28,000. It was money they didn’t have.” He narrated
Three years on, Gerard has been pulling up great display, managing the Rangers, as the Scottish side is on the top of the log with 69 points, fifteen point gap between them and Celtic who occupied the second position. The Light Blues have not lost a league game, which infers the top managerial skills of the 40-year-old, which Miller has never doubted his success in the league.
“I knew that he could handle it. He had the perfect temperament for it. He’s a wee bit streetwise and that helps in Glasgow!”
“I knew he’d get respect in the first couple of months because of who he was but if you don’t know what you’re doing that respect changes after a period of time and people will say, ‘He was a great player but he can’t coach or manage’. But he’s gone about it methodically. He’s got decent people round about him as well, and the board backed him.” He ended
