1 hour ago
2
Steven Gerrard left a lasting impression on Wrexham star Josh Windass during a "scary" stint under his leadership at Rangers.
The Liverpool icon, who is currently out of work, embarked on his managerial journey at Ibrox in 2018, breaking Celtic's domestic stronghold by leading the Gers to their first Scottish Premiership title in 10 years in 2021. He's recently been linked with a return to Glasgow, as well as Wrexham, amid Rangers' current struggles.
Gerrard was a titan on the pitch, and his straightforward approach made a significant impact on those who trained under him. Windass spent two years at Rangers from 2016 to 2018, including a brief spell under Gerrard.
The 31-year-old, son of Hull legend Dean Windass, is currently showcasing his skills at Wrexham in the Championship after transferring from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer. He has previously spoken about Gerrard's stern persona and disclosed some of the comments that had his Rangers colleagues raising their eyebrows.
Windass offered a glimpse into the Liverpudlian's management style on the Pitchside podcast in February last year, stating: "He didn't really speak, he was just scary. He just stood there with his arms folded. The coaches did most of the work; he was just like the disciplinarian."
Windass also recalled an instance when Gerrard delivered a toe-curling quip about his former Liverpool teammate Fernando Torres.
He said: "The funniest thing I remember was in training in preseason, genuinely what happened is that I'd pulled off the center-half and he [Gerrard] has whipped one round the back, I've gone through and scored. He comes up to me and he's like, 'I used to do that for Torres, lad.'"
Recalling a time he took on his boss in a shooting drill, Windass added: "I beat him in a shooting drill and he had Copas [soccer boots] on because he'd just got the job and I was having a laugh, and he was like, 'You won't beat me when I get my Preds on' - and I started laughing and he's blank face staring at me.
"He's like, 'No, seriously, once I get my own boots on, you won't.'"
Windass left Ibrox in 2018, initially joining Wigan, while Gerrard made an ill-fated move to Aston Villa in November 2021. He lasted just 11 months at Villa Park before being dismissed and replaced by Unai Emery.
Gerrard subsequently took the reins at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq, where he remained for 18 months before departing by mutual agreement in January this year.
He has remained unemployed since and was recently linked as a possible successor to Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson. This followed the Welsh club, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, enduring a challenging beginning to Championship life.
Reports surfaced suggesting discussions had taken place amongst Wrexham's leadership regarding the future of the former Bolton and Sunderland manager. However, the club's non-executive director Shaun Harvey later dismissed the speculation and labelled it as an "absolute disgrace."
Despite this, Manchester United legend Bryan Robson thinks that Gerrard would be interested in taking over if Parkinson were to be sacked.
"He's had a good experience now in Saudi but you know a job like that would definitely interest him if he does want to go back into management," he said. "I think Wrexham at this moment in time should give Phil a bit more time [though] because he has done a great job for them."
English (US) ·