Richard Keys has called Steven Gerrard a "thief" for the way in which he left Rangers to take the Aston Villa job.
Gerrard was appointed Villa manager on Thursday after making a very sudden departure from Ibrox, and Keys was the latest figure in the media to criticise the way in which the former Liverpool moved south of the border.
"Welcome back Steven. Although I wish you'd taken a bit more care about the manner in which you accepted the Villa job," Keys wrote on his blog in quotes published by the Mirror.
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"I said this on Twitter last week - and I stand by it. Leaving Rangers like a thief in the night was poor.
"Everybody at Ibrox deserved better - not least the players - who knew little or nothing about your intentions until they saw pictures of you holding up a Villa shirt - and yes - you looked happy!
"The 'daft questions' came later this time Why leave like that? Why skulk off after being given your big break by Rangers?
"You later issued a statement saying 'in time - I hope people understand'. Well, they won't. If you'd done things the right way I'm sure they might have done."
Keys also remains sceptical as to whether or not Gerrard will be a success in the West Midlands, and cited the example of Frank Lampard as another big name who endured a sticky patch in his early spell in management.
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"I don't see Gerrard taking the job at Villa as a gamble for him. It's Villa who've taken the gamble," he added.
"Just because Steven played for Liverpool and England doesn't make him a cast iron certainty to make a success of it.
"Frank Lampard played for Chelsea and England, but he came up short when he returned to The Bridge. I'm not suggesting Lampard won't yet make a very good coach, but the jury is out."
Gerrard will take his place in the Villa Park dugout for the first time on Saturday when they host Brighton & Hove Albion.
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The Villans are on a run of five consecutive Premier League defeats since winning 1-0 away at Manchester United on 25th September and sit 16th - only two points clear of the bottom three.
Topics: Frank Lampard, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Scottish Premiership, Premier League, Richard Keys, Steven Gerrard, Rangers
