Newcastle Fan View: Is Stevie G the man for the Magpies?

When news broke on Yahoo that Steven Gerrard was leaving LA Galaxy the rumour mill started up immediately. There are already numerous reports online that both Newcastle United and Celtic are interested in Gerrard but the only reason the link seems to even exist is the Liverpool connection both managers have. This isn’t new though, I remember in the summer tweeting something about Gerrard linking up with Rafa again when there were rumours that he might leave the MLS. It was pretty tongue in cheek tweet to be fair but is it going to become a reality in January?

The Rafa link is strong but perhaps a stronger draw for Gerrard would be a return to Liverpool, something Jurgen Klopp has not ruled out. Whether he would get a game for Liverpool is debatable but I guess a lot depends on whether Gerrard is ready to retire from a playing career (something he has denied) and is seeking first team football, or whether a bit part role in a flourishing Liverpool side would be enough for him? If it is the former then I suspect he may struggle to feature for Liverpool right now.

Whilst it is just a link with absolutely no substance at all, there is a lot of debate going on today in the Newcastle United online forums, Twitter and the like about whether a move for Gerrard would be a good thing, or something to avoid. I have some concerns either way but overall I am edging towards the “for Gerrard” side.

At the age of 36 I would assume he wouldn’t be fit enough to play in every game, nor would he perhaps expect to, or even want to. But if the deal was right, and we weren’t in a position where we upset the harmony in the squad, I would welcome Steve Gerrard at Newcastle United. Rafa plays a squad rotation system which would suit Gerrard perfectly; we have cover for most positions and do have numbers in midfield but the one player who doesn’t seem to have a like for like replacement is Jonjo Shelvey and in my eyes, Gerrard could fill that roll. Would he be here for the long term? No, of course not but a short term 6 month contract with an option of another 12 months might suit both Newcastle and Gerrard perfectly. Something else to consider is we could be losing 4-5 players to the AFCON pretty soon - cover is no bad thing.

For me Gerrard would bring a winning mentality to Newcastle United which could only be a good thing; you could say he is the playing equivalent of Rafa Benitez - he knows how to win. Given we are top of the league and want to remain in that position, a short term deal for Gerrard could be idea. He has strong links with Rafa who arguably got Gerrard playing the best football of his entire career under him at Liverpool. We have a young captain in Jamaal Lascelles who would perhaps greatly benefit from a mentor in Gerrard and we of course have his ability on the pitch. As for his ability on the pitch I can’t even comment on what level he is currently at as I am not an avid MLS fan, but class is permanent and a step down from the fast paced Premier League could suit Gerrard.

So yes, should the link become stronger and the move does happen then I for one will be happy. Gary McAllister had a fantastic career at Liverpool at the same age as Steven Gerrard is now but I am aware that for every McAllister, there is a John Barnes or Ian Rush just around the corner. This is Steven Gerrard though, this is a different class of player.