Charlie Adam reckons Steven Gerrard has been caught square in his Brendan Rodgers moment.
And the former Rangers star fears his old club are about to be left staring at the same massive void needing filled as when Rodgers walked out on Celtic with the club on the brink of something special.
Aston Villa are understood to be closing in on a swoop for Gerrard that would bring an end to his three-and-a-half year reign in Govan.
It’s a move has been classed as a step backwards by many Gers fans - and Adam has no doubt his God-like status with some Ibrox diehards would be heavily damaged should he choose to move on at such a critical point in the season.
Much like when Rodgers left Glasgow for Leicester in March 2019.
But Adam, who spent six years at Ibrox before moving south of the border, reckons it’s a decision which might have to be taken despite not fitting Liverpool legend Gerrard’s preferred career path towards his ultimate job back at Anfield.
He told PLZ Soccer : “It’s a huge blow for Rangers if Gerrard leaves.
“Steven has come and done his hours. He has been at one of the biggest clubs in the world for three and a half years, got different experiences, managed in Europe.
“He will be prepared for this Aston Villa job and to go into the big league and compete against City, Chelsea, United, Liverpool. All the big clubs in England.
“He has prepared himself well at a big club.
“Brendan Rodgers won all these trophies and he still got dog’s abuse for leaving Celtic.
“It doesn’t matter if Steven won the last nine trophies there would still be Rangers fans not happy if he left.
“Sometimes you have to make your own selfish decision on what you think is best on your own pathway.
“Leaving Rangers in the middle of the season is maybe not what he planned and he wanted to stay until the end of the season.
“But sometimes you have to make that decision before it passes you by.
“It’s maybe not the right moment as he has a semi final in two weeks and trying to get into the Champions League.
“But Aston Villa come calling and with the project they have got and what they can go and spend then it’s hard to say no.”
Gerrard has a close friendship with Villa chief executive Christian Purslow from their time together at Anfield and should he move to the Midlands then Rangers would be forced to move quickly to find a replacement with just over a week until the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup against Hibs at Hampden.
There’s also a four point lead to protect at the top of the Premiership.
And Adam reckons former Ibrox team mate and ex-Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes would be the ideal candidate for a short term fix.
He added: “The compensation - £2m or £3m - is nothing to Villa. It’s a drop in the ocean.
“But I think Steven has a lot to weigh up - family still in Liverpool, that will come into it as well having been away in Glasgow for three and a bit years which will have been difficult.
“But as a footballing decision he has to weigh up going to the Premier League. Everyone presumes he is going to get the Liverpool job but Steven has come out and said himself he needs to get results to prove he deserves it.
“I think this could be the next step.
“The friendship with Christian Purslow is going to go a long, long way.
“He trusts him. And if he is the number one target then I think he is a good fit for Aston Villa to move forward.
“If he does leave then he leaves it in a better place than he found it. That comes down to his staff, the players and the backing from Douglas and the board.
“If it did happen he can walk away with his head held high.
“He will regret the timing but you have to make that decision on where you want to go on the next level.
“It’s now down to Ross Wilson and the board to pick the right manager.
“It will be a short term fix at the moment. They will have to get someone in now to consolidate and see where they go.
“This will be a surprise to them. I don’t think they will have had anyone lined up.
“So I think it could be a short term fix. Somebody like Derek (McInnes) could come in and be a stop gap until the end of the season."
That’s looking at the immediate situation. But, long-term, Dundee skipper Adam reckons Gerrard’s former England team mate Frank Lampard would be a great fit - while Rangers would be a better proposition for the out-of-work former Chelsea boss who has been linked to Norwich.
He said: “Frank Lampard could be one. I’d throw his name in the hat. Why would you want to go to Norwich if this Rangers job came up?
“It would be a great opportunity for him to get back in the door and fighting for titles.
“It needs to be somebody who can handle the big club mentality. Steven has done that. He has come in with an aura, a presence about him. He’s handled the media well.
“He looks a Rangers manager. Whoever comes in will have to follow in his shoes and Frank Lampard is a name they could look at.”
