Gerrard appointed Aston Villa manager

GBNEWS24DESK//

Gerrard emerged as the favorite for the Villa job after the Midlands club sacked manager Dean Smith after a run of five successive Premier League defeats.

In a statement, the club’s CEO Christian Purslow said Gerrard’s “ambitions, philosophy and values” matched the club’s.

Gerrard was in charge of Rangers for three-and-a-half years and last season broke arch-rivals Celtic’s nine-year domination to lead the Ibrox club to a 55th Scottish title on the back of an unbeaten league campaign.

Villa will be Gerrard’s first senior coaching role south of the border and the former midfielder, who played more than 700 games for Liverpool between 1998 and 2015 and won nine trophies at the Anfield club, said he was proud to be appointed.

Villa’s recent loss of form has left them in 16th position in the table and only two points off the relegation zone.

While Gerrard has never coached in the Premier League he was in charge of the Liverpool Academy for a while and helped develop some of the club’s young talent.

Purslow said that and Gerrard’s outstanding work at Rangers made him the standout candidate.

Gerrard’s is the first major appointment since the club’s American owners took over.

Gerrard’s departure from Rangers is a blow to the Glasgow club although hardly surprising as he has always expressed a wish to test himself in the Premier League.

In a statement Rangers chairman Douglas Park thanked Gerrard for restoring the club back at the top of Scottish football after a tumultuous decade in which they were relegated to the bottom tier after a financial meltdown and insolvency.

Gerrard thanked Rangers for giving him the opportunity to begin his managerial career.

Villa’s first match under Gerrard will be at home to Brighton and Hove Albion on Nov. 20.