JOEY BARTON reckons Steven Gerrard should be ‘commended’ for starting his managerial career at Rangers after seeing his route to the Liverpool hot seat blocked by Jurgen Klopp.

The Anfield legend officially began his tenure at Ibrox on Friday after putting pen to paper on a four-year deal with the Light Blues last month.

Gerrard has been followed into the dugout by former England team-mate Frank Lampard after he was appointed as boss at Championship outfit Derby County.

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Barton is now also taking his first steps into coaching and was unveiled as the manager of Fleetwood Town, where he will be assisted by former Rangers defender Clint Hill, at Highbury Stadium on Monday morning.

The 35-year-old lasted just eight games during his ill-fated Ibrox stint but he has wished Gerrard well as he looks to forge a career on the other side of the white line.

Barton said: “I just think he is a really, really decent person and if you are a good person and you have got good principals then I think that takes you far in management.

“We all know you need finances as well and they are going to need to invest. If Steven has taken the job, he must have had assurances from Dave King and the board that he is going to get that. Whether he gets that or not, we will find out in the next six to 12 months.

“I think he has to take that opportunity. When I looked at it, I thought ‘do I want to go into an Under-18s or Under-23s system?’ I didn’t want to do that.

“I know Steven took the 18s and 20s at Liverpool and was probably thinking ‘if this doesn’t go well for Klopp, I can step in and take the reigns’.

“I think he has realised that Jurgen Klopp is a fixture of that club and people are talking about him being the new Bill Shankly.

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“He has probably realised there is not going to be a coaching position for him as a Head Coach in the next X amount of years, so I think it is incredible and he should be commended, the same as Frank Lampard, for getting off the couch, going and putting their money where their mouth is.

“They are not easy jobs. Derby isn’t an easy job, Rangers isn’t an easy job. I wish them every single bit of success because we need British coaches to start doing well because our reputation internationally is shocking.

“If you think of our League’s reputation, everyone loves it. But the British coach…

"I’m not blaming anyone that has gone before but us, all of us, we have all got to wish each other well and want to see each other succeed.”

Gerrard will kick-off his managerial career in the full public glare as he goes head-to-head with former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers next term.

Like Lampard, the Gers gaffer has spent recent years working as a pundit and he was part of BT Sport’s coverage of the Champions League final.

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Barton said: “They both must believe in their talent to step out of the comfort of the punditry chair.

“They will face pressure but I think they will both be excellent. If you look at it, slow plodding midfielders tend to become good managers. Look at many great managers and they tend to be of a certain type.

“Pep Guardiola is the best coach but was a midfielder who had no pace and no skills. Mauricio Pochettino was of the similar profile.

“Zinedine Zidane may buck the trend but he was a midfielder! I am taking great refuge in the fact that midfielders tend to make really good coaches.

“I had no skills, I wasn’t really big, wasn’t really quick and wasn’t really strong.

“So to survive as long as I did I had to be able to scheme so hopefully that will help me.”