KEITH JACKSON
K.jackson@dailyrecord.co.uk
IT’S fair to say the trademark smile had slipped a little.
Kris Boyd may have been grinning his way through these last 18 months in carrying out his duties as a TV pundit but this labour of love took an unexpected twist on Sunday when Aston Villa ordered Dean Smith to empty out his office drawer.
Yesterday, Record Sport revealed Villa are considering making an official approach for permission to offer Smith’s job to the man who has turned the fortunes of Boyd’s old club around.
Rangers could discover as early as today if that awkward conversation is about to begin, with Villa last night confident they could land their top target for under £3million in compensation.
And, as Boyd faced Sky’s cameras yesterday afternoon, the one-time Ibrox goal machine did look like a man already bracing himself for some most unwelcome breaking news.
“The decision will be down to Steven Gerrard, whether he decides it’s the right move for him and his career,” Boyd said when asked to assess the state of play, as Villa chief Christian Purslow’s period of intense back channelling continued behind closed doors.
“I don’t think Steven’s been motivated by finances like a lot of managers are when they move from club to club. With Steven’s playing career I think he’ll have plenty in the bank, that’s for sure.
“So he’ll decide if it’s the right move for his career.”
Money talks though. And Boyd has been around the block often enough to know that, in England’s top flight, it tends to shout and bawl.
Which is why he believes Rangers could salvage a silver lining in the event that Purslow picks up the phone later today. Perhaps even a golden one.
He went on: “It’s my understanding that Aston Villa haven’t spoken to Rangers at this moment in time.
“But even if they do, they’re going to have to come with a large chunk of money because, at the end of the day, Rangers have now got themselves back in a position where they can negotiate with people whether it’s for players or staff.
“I don’t think Rangers are in any great hurry to replace Steven Gerrard with the job that he has done.
“Yes, Aston Villa have sacked Dean Smith so they need to go and speak to people but it will be down to Steven Gerrard because, at the end of the day, if he decides it’s the right move for his career then there’s not really much that anybody can do.” Boyd, though, has not given up all hope.
In fact, he has not ruled out the possibility that Gerrard might see his long-term aim – of one day returning to Anfield as Jurgen Klopp’s successor – derailed by a sudden detour to the Midlands.
Boyd said: “Everybody says he’s going to be the next Liverpool manager but Jurgen
Klopp’s not going to leave any time soon.
“Is it better to be at Rangers, winning things and competing in Europe?
“No disrespect to Aston Villa – can he get them to the top end? Yes. Sixth, seventh, eighth? Maybe.
“Yes, they are a huge football club but that experience in Europe that you get as manager of Rangers is what you are going to need if you’re going to get that Liverpool job further down the line.”
And yet, reluctantly, Boyd accepts Gerrard’s A-lister profile – coupled with his achievements north of the border – was always likely to attract interest from England’s top flight.
He continued: “Brendan Rodgers was obviously up here before Steven Gerrard so that gave the Scottish game a high profile in terms of managers.
People were starting to speak about it.
“It was a big risk from Rangers to appoint Steven, someone who hadn’t managed before, but he has taken to it like a duck to water.
“He’s been unbelievable since he came up here.
“When you look at the state Rangers were in to where they are at this moment in time, he’s done a fantastic job. Steven, his staff, the players – they deserve enormous credit for the job they have done over the last few
years to have stopped Celtic’s dominance.
“It’s like everything, it does come to an end one day. But Rangers, at this moment in time, are not in any great rush to get rid of Gerrard.
“They’re obviously sitting at the top of the league, four points clear, and still with an opportunity of getting into the last 32 in the Europa League.
“If you win the league this year you go straight into the Champions League as well so there’s a lot of things still to be achieved up here. Steven is still to win a cup in Scotland. Is that something that floats his boat as well?
“Obviously, the lure of the English Premier League is a big one. It’s something a lot of people struggle to turn down.
“But Steven won’t make this decision off the back of doubling or trebling his wages because, as I said, he doesn’t need the money. He will make this decision if it’s the right choice for his career.”
Boyd added: “What I will say is even if Gerrard has to move on – and it’s all speculation right now – Rangers are in a position where it’s an attractive job again.
“There was a lot of risk for Steven to come up here in the first place. But because of the job that Steven and his staff have done, the Rangers job will be attractive to people as well.
“You’ve a lot of people out of work who would be interested in the Rangers job at this moment in time.”