Middlesbrough feelings towards Steven Gerrard revealed - one issue could stop him being appointed | OneFootball

Middlesbrough are searching for a replacement to Rob Edwards following their agreement with Wolves

Steven Gerrard is emerging as a leading contender for the Middlesbrough managerial vacancy, but he has yet to be convinced to take over the position.

The Teesside outfit are currently searching for a replacement for Rob Edwards, who is set to make the move to Wolves after just a few months in charge at the Riverside.

It was reported earlier this month that an agreement was struck between the Championship side and their Premier League counterpart for the 42-year-old.

Edwards made a strong start to life with Boro, and will leave with the team sitting second in the Championship table.

Middlesbrough will be hoping to appoint someone who can maintain this positive momentum and guide the club to a place in the top flight for the first time since 2017.

Steven Gerrard’s Middlesbrough position

Bailey has claimed that Gerrard is well liked by Middlesbrough, and that he could be a major contender for the position to replace Edwards.

However, he believes that the former Rangers manager still needs to be convinced that this is the appropriate role for him at this stage of his career. Boro's ability to put a "package" together to convince the former Liverpool midfielder is also debated.

“Gerrard is well liked by Boro, he has an impressive CV and would be a significant coup to land him, but it is not certain if they could put together the package to persuade him to move to the North East,” said Bailey, via Rousing the Kop.

Gerrard is currently out of work following his departure from Al-Ettifaq in January of this year.

The former midfielder was also in charge of Aston Villa, as well as Rangers, earlier in his career, and he won a Scottish Premiership title in 2021 during his time with the latter.

The 45-year-old has never worked in the EFL, and it remains to be seen whether he will make that step at this stage, as he awaits his next coaching role.

Middlesbrough will be keen to replace Edwards by their next league fixture, which takes place on 22 November with a trip to face Oxford United in a 3pm kick-off.

Steven Gerrard appointment would be risky for Middlesbrough

Gerrard’s time at Rangers led to success with a league title, but he has struggled to make much of an impact elsewhere in his career.

He hasn’t worked in English football since 2022, and he has been massively upstaged by Unai Emery at Villa Park.

There is the obvious comparison to his England midfield partner Frank Lampard, who is enjoying great form at Coventry City, and has the team competing alongside Boro for a place in the Premier League.

Middlesbrough are an attractive proposition now due to their second place standing in the Championship, but the risk with appointing Gerrard would be that he fails to live up to his big name.