Gabby Agbonlahor tips Frank Lampard for Rangers job with Steven Gerrard comparison
TalkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has tipped Frank Lampard to take over at Rangers, making a comparison to what Steven Gerrard did at Ibrox.
Agbonlahor suggested that Lampard’s experience at both Everton and Chelsea in the Premier League would make him a good fit for the job, while the move to Glasgow would also be a benefit to the manager’s career.
He also admitted that it would be a tough job to go into, with the expectations of the fans weighing heavily on any manager, and the pressure provided by Celtic a difficult task to match.
Speaking live on talkSPORT Breakfast on 4 October, Agbonlahor was asked whether Lampard could do the job at Ibrox when he stated: “There’s no reason why not. He did an okay job at Chelsea, kept Everton up.”
Host Sam Matterface then asked: “Would Rangers be a good move for his career, at this stage?” To which Agbonlahor responded: “I think so, yeah.
“Look what Steven Gerrard did there, stopped Celtic winning ten in a row, won the league there. There’s no reason why Lampard can’t go in there and do a good job.”
Matterface questioned: “Is there anybody else, if they’re not going to consider Lampard, that they should be looking at, Rangers?” When the former Aston Villa striker replied: “Is it [Kevin] Muscat that put his name forward?
“It’s hard. It’s such a tough job because Celtic are a top team, aren’t they? It’s a tough job to go into and you don’t get time there. Those Rangers fans, you know they want success straight away.”
An easy comparison, but they’re not the same
The Gerrard and Lampard comparison is inevitable given the constant discourse surrounding their playing careers, but as managers, their situations are not the same. The Rangers job was Gerrard’s first venture into management, while Lampard has had experience elsewhere.
To look at the latter’s record at both Chelsea and Everton, both clubs where he was ultimately sacked, would suggest there are a number of better options for Rangers to pursue if they want to improve their form at Ibrox.
One thing Agbonlahor got right, though, was the pressures of the Ibrox support. At Rangers, you simply have to win. It’s not enough just to not lose, you have to win every single game you play. Especially against Celtic.
As Michael Beale became the most recent man to find out, if you can’t guarantee trophies and a strong title challenge, you will not last. The importance of getting the right man in charge is paramount for the club, whether that’s Lampard or somebody else.
In other Rangers news, one journalist has named an outstanding candidate for the job.