Ex-Saudi Pro League manager, Steven Gerrard is being considered by English Football League side Carlisle United. The Cumbrian side are bottom of League Two and recently sacked Mike Williamson as manager.
Days after departing Al-Ettifaq, Gerrard is being considered to take over as manager of the side rock bottom of the English Football League, Carlisle United. Mike Williamson was sacked by the club on Transfer Deadline Day, leaving the club managerless and five points off safety.
Reported by Mike Keegan, Daily Mail, Carlisle’s American owners are contemplating making a shock offer to Steven Gerrard. The former Liverpool legend left Al-Ettifaq, who had only won two of the last 14 games, by mutual consent on the 29th January 2025 with the club in 12th place.
What is the situation at Carlisle United?
On the 19th September 2024, Carlisle United signed Williamson from fellow League Two side Milton Keynes Dons. A run of five wins in 25 games has seen the former Gateshead manager lose his job in Cumbria.
Carlisle are 90% owned by Castle Sports Group, an American company who in turn are owned by the Piatak family, originally from Jacksonville, Florida.
The Cumbrians have had a poor season. Five wins from 28 games, only 22 goals scored and a -24 goal difference. Therefore it will not have surprised many to see the club spend a lot of money in the 2025 January transfer window, thanks to their American owners.
Seemingly in an attempt to bring in players to fit Mike Williamson’s style of play, Carlisle signed Will Patching, Elliott Embleton, Callum Whelan, Cedwyn Scott, Sean Fusire, Stephen Wearne, Charlie McArthur, Joe Hugill, Josh Williams, Joe Bevan, and former Newcastle United defender, Paul Dummett; a total of 11 new players in January.
This makes the sacking of Williamson potentially more surprising, despite the poor from and 1-5 home defeat to Swindon Town at the weekend.
Would Steven Gerrard keep Carlisle United in League Two?
Despite a poor season with Aston Villa, which saw Gerrard sacked in October 2022. Villa had only won two of 12 games before his dismissal.
Gerrard’s managerial stock was fairly high prior to the stint at Villa Park. A 64.8% win percentage across a three year spell at Rangers saw the Scottish giants win their first Scottish Premiership title since 2011.
Between June 2018 and November 2021 Gerrard proved his quality by winning many personal awards, including: SFWA Manager of the Year (2020–21), PFA Scotland Manager of the Year (2020–21), SPFL Premiership Manager of the Year (2020–21), LMA Special Achievement Award (2020–21) and seven Scottish Premiership Manager of the Month awards.
Rangers under Gerrard liked to dominate possession, work the ball through the channels and get quality distribution into the box. If Carlisle’s January recruitment signed the right players to fit with Williamson’s system, they might just fit with Gerrard’s too.
Does Steven Gerrard to Carlisle United seem likely?
Seeing some of England’s greatest ever footballers take on managerial roles in the EFL is becoming more common. Frank Lampard’s stints at Derby County and Coventry City and Wayne Rooney’s spells at Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle are just a few examples.
Former Premier League managers have been known to drop to the fourth tier too. Mark Hughes had a promotion-less spell at Bradford City whilst Nigel Adkins is at struggling Tranmere Rovers.
That said, it does seem to be long shot for Carlisle to land Steven Gerrard.
Fans of the former Liverpool captain will likely want to see him back on the British Isles. However, despite Carlisle financial might in League Two, they would be unlikely to meet Gerrard’s demands, and the man himself is likely to want to manage higher in the football pyramid.