Gerrard warned succeeding Klopp ‘would not be good’ as Enrique urges patience from Liverpool legend

Steven Gerrard has been warned that succeeding Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool boss “would not be good”, with Jose Enrique urging the Reds legend to bide his time before heading back to Anfield.

Klopp’s contract on Merseyside will come to close in 2024, while Gerrard is also working on terms to that point at Scottish giants Rangers.

It would be an emotional homecoming, however following in Klopp’s footsteps promises to be thankless task for whoever takes that challenge on.

The German tactician has delivered Champions League, Club World Cup and Premier League glory during his time at Liverpool, with there still the promise of more success to come.

Enrique believes Gerrard would be wise to avoid trying to emulate those efforts, saying patience should be the order of the day for a man who has made no secret of his desire to manage the Reds.

“I do not know who'll replace Klopp, but I hope it won't be a decision the club has to make any time soon,” former Liverpool defender Enrique told Ladbrokes. “Look at the difference he has had on the team, and the players who now want to come and play for us.

“Before he came and even when he joined, it was Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho, our best players at the time, who wanted to move to better teams, and now we have Thiago coming from Bayern - who have just won the treble - to play for Liverpool because Klopp has made us one of the best clubs in the world.

“I believe Stevie will manage the club one day, but to come in after Klopp immediately would not be good. Stevie is probably Liverpool's best ever player and he'll always be remembered as that, but to come in after Klopp fans will want him to win things straight away and that's not easy.

“I really like how Stevie works as a manager and things are going really well for him at Rangers, but it would be difficult to change the way Liverpool work again after Klopp and achieve success immediately.

“I would love him to one day manage Liverpool, though.”

Klopp is expected to bid farewell to Anfield once his current deal ends, with a charismatic character set to have spent almost nine years in the post by the time his agreement with the Reds runs out.