What Lessons Can We Learn from Steven Gerrard's Time as Rangers Manager?
The former Liverpool captain has been in the spotlight of discussion after Rangers dismissed Russell Martin on the weekend, while the ex-coach will talk about a potential comeback with the team's owners.
Those in charge at Rangers announced that a "comprehensive, thoughtful recruitment procedure" is currently in progress.
Other candidates are set to be reviewed, but if the former Anfield and Three Lions skipper is willing to a second stint at the club, is the job essentially his?
The mid-forties manager has recently spoken about “remaining goals” in coaching and revealed he has started contacting prospective staff for his backroom team.
In a latest audio interview with the former defender, appearing to be filmed prior to Martin's brief tenure concluded, Gerrard expressed he wanted “to be at a team that's set to challenge to win because I believe that fits me more”.
He added: “If the right call comes my way, the right club, the correct opportunity, and I've got my people set, which I plan to have at some point, I'll accept that role because it's part of my nature.”
Performance at Rangers in Initial Period
Having acquired experience as a youth development coach at Anfield, Gerrard accepted his maiden coaching role in the mid-year of 2018.
During three complete campaigns at Rangers, he won only a single title – however it was a big one.
After finishing nine and 13 points after their rivals in his first two seasons, Gerrard guided Rangers to their first premiership title in a decade, which coincidentally deny their Old Firm rivals an unprecedented tenth consecutive win.
And he did it impressively, with his team unbeaten throughout.
Rangers triumphed in all of their home games, netted 92 goals and allowed a mere 13.
The downside was that it came amid of the pandemic and empty stadiums.
It remains Rangers' sole league triumph since the 2010-11 season.
How Did Gerrard's Old Firm Record Perform?
In stark contrast to Martin's disappointing spell, Gerrard started strongly at Rangers, remaining 12 games unbeaten until his first visit to Parkhead.
In his first campaign the derby results were even, each side securing two domestic wins, with Rangers having previously defeated Celtic in 2012.
A pair of defeats to Celtic came in the next truncated season, followed by Rangers winning in the east end of Glasgow for the initial occasion since 2010.
After that, Gerrard stayed undefeated in Old Firm clashes, claiming five more and tying once.
Rangers came through four rounds of qualifying to enter the group stage of the European competition in Gerrard's debut season.
In the 2019-20 campaign, they advanced to the elimination stage of the identical tournament, losing out to Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16, with their run ending at the identical round the next year.
Why Did Gerrard Depart Rangers?
The Birmingham club came calling in late 2021, forking out £4.5m in fees.
He departed Rangers with a lead ahead of Celtic at the top of the standings – but their local opponents would recover to prevail by the same margin.
The lure of the English top flight is powerful and it could have been seen as the next logical step on a fairytale comeback to Anfield at a point when his managerial stock was high.
“Steven and his backroom staff have made sure that the team is undoubtedly in a stronger position today than it was several seasons ago,” said then Rangers football executive Ross Wilson.
“We have had a desire to advance the club, to modernise our facilities and to return the team to winning ways.”
How Did Gerrard's Record at Villa & Al-Ettifaq?
Gerrard failed to complete a year at Aston Villa.
Up and down results resulted in a 14th-place position at the end of the 2021-22 campaign before a 3-0 defeat at Fulham left them in 17th in autumn 2022 when he was sacked.
During 2022, he won just eight of his 31 games, losing 15.
He moved to the Middle East in July 2023 when he took over at the Saudi club.
His most recent role continued for 18 months and he departed with the club placed in 12th in the Saudi league, just five points above the drop zone.
“Overall, I have learned a lot, and it's been a beneficial journey for me and for my family,” he remarked in late January. “But soccer is uncertain, and sometimes events don't unfold the way we hope.”
Those post-Ibrox experiences could cause certain hesitation and the individual might harbor doubts over taking over a underperforming squad, but Gerrard probably has the character to manage such a prominent post.
He is the sole Rangers boss to have lifted the championship since the great Walter Smith. That experience might well be difficult to overlook for an under-pressure Rangers leadership.