It was announced today that Aston Villa have signed Steven Gerrard as their new manager. He signed on a 3 1/2 year deal (since we're halfway through this season already).
I mentioned in my last SDU that the grade for firing Dean Smith was pending, but now that they've brought in his successor in Gerrard I'd say it was a slight improvement with some serious risk. Somewhere in the C/C+ range. Gerrard has yet to manage in England, and while he dominated in the Premier League during his illustrious playing career at Liverpool, it remains to be seen whether or not that will translate to being gaffer.
I'll also say that this appointment showed what Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris (the owners) were thinking: they wanted to make a big name splash and were willing to pay the 4.5 million pound release to Rangers for SG's services. It certainly looks like they have genuine European ambitions, and with Gerrard they now have a coach who's been there with his old club Rangers. He's also won the Champions League as a player. This seems like the most logical next step for both the club and the manager.
But in classic European football fashion, despite a lot of the boxes being checked, this still comes with massive risk. Critics argue that Gerrard underperformed in Europe with Rangers, and that his overall success in the Scottish Premier League doesn't equate to the much more cutthroat English Premier League. He's also a Liverpool legend, and if/when Jurgen Klopp leaves Anfield there's no doubt Gerrard will be tempted to go (if Liverpool will have him of course). He's definitely not the passionate Villa lifer that Dean Smith was - nobody should expect the same level of loyalty if a bigger club comes knocking for his services.
Ultimately this C/C+ grade could swing either way by the end of SG's term. I have high hopes that he'll lift the team in these first few weeks, and am also hopeful that the owners will give him some money for the January transfer window. If they can turn it around and end up somewhere in the mid-table mix by May then I'd say it's a successful first half season. Worst case would still be relegation, which is always the nightmare in the back of mid-level clubs' heads. I see that as less of a possibility now though, given the nature of this managerial move. If they continue to slump I wouldn't be shocked if Edens and Sawiris spent like madmen in January - not to the level that the Saudis and Newcastle will, but along similar lines.
Crazy times in Aston right now. And while I'm bummed that the Grealish/Smith era couldn't end in a Disney-like fashion, I'm excited for the next chapter and still have high expectations going forward.
UTV
-ZB James
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