What Steven Gerrard has said about managing in the EFL Championship | OneFootball

England and Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard has revealed his thoughts on managing a Championship club one day...

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has been out of work since leaving Saudi side Al-Ettifaq in October 2025, with his next steps in management perhaps in the Championship to rebuild his career.

Despite having done some punditry work, after retiring, Steven Gerrard quickly transitioned into management. He has not managed in the Championship nor the EFL as a whole like Michael Carrick and Frank Lampard but has built up a reputation across different leagues.

He first made his mark at Rangers, where he delivered the 2020/21 Scottish Premiership title, ending Celtic’s dominance and going unbeaten domestically in the process. That success earned him a move to Aston Villa, where he showed early signs of promise but struggled for the same consistency he had in Scotland.

That made his reputation take a hit after he was ultimately dismissed. Instead, Gerrard then took on a new challenge with Al-Ettifaq, embracing a totally different footballing culture and project. Across these roles, he has demonstrated some mixed signs, but he is still only eight years into his career as a manager and with much to learn.

As a remarkable captain in his career, it's no great surprise that he is an excellent talker and has the leadership and strong man-management skills to be a success. Now on a break from management, his career continues to evolve as he refines his identity more tactically away from the pitch too. But what next for Gerrard?

Steven Gerrard reveals his view of returning to management in the Championship

Not long ago, Gerrard was linked to the Middlesbrough job. Now, Gary Neville has asked Gerrard on The Stick To Football Podcast (Overlap) for his thoughts on what is next in his career in management. He asked: "You said that the phone rang, did you, before and you'd sort of not thought it was the right opportunity?

"Are they calls from clubs in this country? And what sort of level are you thinking? Is it this country you want to manage in? Is it what level would you go back? Would you go in at Championship (level) like, say, Frank's done (Lampard with Derby County and Coventry City)?"

Gerrard responded: "Yeah, listen, there's no ego here. There's no like, 'Oh, I think I'm above any levels'. It's more the people that you speak to, you know.

"Like what is it that's on the table? What are you trying to achieve? Is it realistic or? You know, what's available to sort of support you in the role that you're going to go into?

"But there's no ego here. Yeah, of course. Most of the calls that I've had since I came out of my last job would be around Championship level. Yeah."

The most likely Championship vacancies for Steven Gerrard this summer

There could soon be opportunities available to Gerrard if he hangs around until the summer. Clubs such as Leicester City, Blackburn Rovers, and Bristol City look among the most likely to face managerial uncertainty heading into the 2026/27 Championship season. West Brom are another and have been linked to Gerrard as well.

Whether due to inconsistent performances over the course of the season, stalled or non-existent promotion pushes, or changing ownership ambitions, these clubs are all likely to reassess their direction and who is in the dugout over the summer. For someone like Gerrard, that creates a realistic entry point back into English management at the right sort of competitive level.

There are also outside possibilities, with the likes of Stoke City and Birmingham City potentially seeking a reset after underwhelming campaigns as well. There could be a plethora of phone calls headed his way this summer. For him, ultimately, the Championship may be the ideal environment for Gerrard to rebuild his reputation.

He claims to have no ego, and he has seen how former England teammate and midfield partner Lampard has done. Even if it's not the heights of an Aston Villa or similar type of top flight role, it is still a competitive league which offers him the right level of intensity, visibility, and the chance to prove himself again.