‘Live in fear’: Some Liverpool and Rangers fans on alert after managerial vacancy arises

Add as preferred source on Google

News of Joachim Löw’s impending departure from the German national team has fans of Liverpool and Rangers putting 2 and 2 together.

It was confirmed on Tuesday morning that the 61-year-old will depart after 15 years in charge of his country, during which time he won the 2014 World Cup and finished second in the 2008 European Championships.

His long reign will come to an end after this summer’s Euros, and inevitably attention has turned to Jürgen Klopp.

When he celebrated Liverpool’s Premier League title win last summer, it was unthinkable that just months later there would be talk of his departure.

Their title defence has crumbled in spectacular fashion, however, and after six home defeats in a row the prospect of him leaving Anfield seems less far-fetched.

The Mirror made the connection on March 4, and now that Löw’s exit has been confirmed speculation is likely to intensify.

Should Klopp depart, Steven Gerrard will inevitably be in the frame to replace him.

The Liverpool legend’s managerial stock is at a high after his Rangers side were crowned Scottish Premiership champions on Sunday, and he has repeatedly been tipped to eventually end up in the Anfield dugout.

These supporters have been joining the dots…

https://twitter.com/tmoraitauthor/status/1369244025891471360?s=20

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson believes Gerrard won’t be managing his former side any time soon, but says he would struggle to turn the offer down.

Writing for BBC Sport, he said: “There has always been the issue of whether Steven will manage Liverpool or not. Due to Liverpool’s poor season, everyone is saying ‘Steven will be next, Steven will be next’, so that shout has grown louder.

“What I would say is that, for all the success at Rangers, managing Liverpool is on a different spectrum.

“It would be a massive step. It would be a big gamble for the club’s owners – Fenway Sports Group – to appoint him.

“I think the one-eyed Liverpool fan would be saying ‘Get Stevie G in’ if Jurgen Klopp were to leave, but I think others would take a step back and go: ‘He’s done an absolutely fabulous job at Rangers, he was a great player, but maybe he would need to take another job in the Premier League first’.

“I also don’t see Klopp going anywhere. He has been as close to Bill Shankly as the club have ever had, he won’t be losing his job anytime soon.

“The trouble for Steven then is that other managers who have moved on from their first job as a stepping stone to something bigger end up not having the same success, so he has to be very, very careful.

“He’ll already be thinking about winning the Premiership again next season and the chance for a shot in the Champions League with Rangers will be at the forefront of his thinking too.

“But, in the unlikely event that Liverpool come calling this summer, Steven could not say no.

“Because you won’t get asked twice.”