STEVEN GERRARD’S former Liverpool team-mate Danny Murphy suspects the Englishman’s decision to turn down a stunning second coming at Ibrox is “something to do with his contract in Saudi Arabia”.
But assuming that is the answer, he DOESN’T blame his former England pal for using his position of strength to put the Ibrox side in a corner.
Murphy was assessing the situation at Ibrox, where Gerrard briefly became odds-on favourite for the role again today, some three days after pulling out of talks over a return.
SunSport understands there IS no new approach for Gerrard and the battle to be Russell Martin‘s replacement boils down to a shoot out between Kevin Muscat and Danny Rohl.
But Murphy told talkSPORT: “I never understood the necessity for Gerrard and Rangers to be talking to be in the public domain.
“I know it’s difficult to control, but they employed an England manager without anyone knowing – so if you want to be able to suppress it and control it they can.
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“If Gerrard is back in, why couldn’t they resolve whatever it is in their much publicised meeting?
“I would suspect it is something to do with his contract in Saudi.
“I would suspect there is some kind of financial adjustment he may have to make by finding himself in the awful position of being a tax payer.
Murphy admitted: “I don’t know all the reasons he would or he wouldn’t.”
But he added: “It’s hard to look past the obvious, which is what Simon [Jordan] is talking about (the potential tax bill), and if it is that then I don’t blame him for using his position of strength to put them in a corner. ‘If you want me that badly then you pay’.
“People call it greed, but it’s the way football is.
“Players and managers across the world do the same thing every week.”
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