By support

9th May, 2018 | 10:26pm

Mick McCarthy: This man will be key for Gerrard to earn success at Rangers

Former Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy thinks having former Scotland captain Gary McAllister at his side will be “key” to Steven Gerrard’s success at Rangers manager.

The Liverpool legend will take the reins on June 1st and will be assisted by his former Anfield team-mate as they look to stop Celtic’s recent dominance of the Scottish game and lift the club’s first major trophy since 2011.

McCarthy thinks Gerrard’s attributes as a player bode well for his managerial career and thinks having someone “tried and tested” as a coach will help him.

“It’s great for Steven to get that job. It’s good for them both in terms of profile,” McCarthy said, as quoted by the Scottish Sun.

“How he’s been as a player — how meticulous he was, how professional he was and how good he was — if he can take all those attributes into it, then great.

“He’s got Gary Mac in there with him as well, and he’s well tried and tested in coaching and someone who did well in his spell as a manager.

“That’s key because I think you need somebody with you. I took the job at Millwall at 32 and Ian Evans was my assistant.

“I’m probably still here as a manager because he was with me.”

Football Insider verdict:

McAllister’s appointment as assistant manager seems a shrewd one as it brings someone with good knowledge of the Scottish game – and unique environment that Scottish football is – as well as being someone Gerrard knows and trusts. The former Scotland skipper has been around the course as a player and manager and can be a massive benefit for Gerrard as he takes his first steps in management. It will be interesting to see who else Gerrard adds to his backroom staff as he prepares to take charge in three weeks and whether or not he looks to surround himself with other coaches who also have experience as a manager in their own right. Having someone beside him that knows how ridiculous Scottish football can get will also help Gerrard as there will no doubt be a few situations that he finds himself that will be as far removed from life at Liverpool as you can get.

In other Rangers news, the Gers are firmly in the running to sign this Premier League enforcer who has put his £4.5million mansion up for sale ahead of summer move.

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