What Lessons Should We Learn from Gerrard's Time as Rangers Head Coach?
Steven Gerrard has been at the center of conversation since Rangers dismissed Russell Martin on the weekend, while the former manager is set to talk about a possible comeback with the club's leadership.
The decision-makers at Ibrox have stated that a "thorough, thoughtful recruitment process" is now in progress.
Additional names are set to be considered, but if ex Liverpool and England skipper is open to a return spell at Ibrox, could the position as good as his?
The 45-year-old manager has recently mentioned about “unfinished business” in coaching and disclosed he has started contacting prospective members for his backroom team.
In a recent audio discussion with the former defender, which seemed to be recorded before Martin's short tenure concluded, Gerrard expressed he wanted “to be at a club that's set to challenge to win because I think that fits me more”.
He added: “If the suitable offer comes my way, the right club, the right challenge, and I've got my people set, which I will have at a future date, I'll accept that role because it's in me.”
Performance at Rangers in Initial Period
After gaining knowledge as a youth development manager at Liverpool, Gerrard accepted his first managerial role in the mid-year of 2018.
During three complete campaigns at Ibrox, he secured only a single trophy – however it was a big one.
Following placements of 13 and nine points behind their rivals in his initial pair of campaigns, Gerrard guided Rangers to their first top-flight championship in a ten years, which coincidentally deny their Glasgow rivals an historic 10-in-a-row win.
And he did it in style, with his team unbeaten throughout.
Rangers triumphed in all of their domestic games, scored 92 goals and allowed a only 13.
The drawback was that it occurred against a backdrop of the pandemic and fanless grounds.
It remains Rangers' sole title success since 2010-11.
What Was Gerrard's Derby Record Look?
In sharp difference to Martin's disappointing experience, Gerrard started strongly at Rangers, remaining 12 games without defeat until his initial trip to Parkhead.
In his debut season the Old Firm honours were even, each side earning two home wins, with Rangers having previously defeated Celtic in 2012.
A pair of defeats to Celtic came in the following truncated season, after which Rangers securing a victory in the east end of Glasgow for the initial occasion since 2010.
After that, Gerrard remained undefeated in Old Firm clashes, claiming five more and tying once.
Rangers progressed through four stages of qualifying to enter the main phase of the European competition in Gerrard's first season.
In the 2019-20 campaign, they advanced to the knockout rounds of the identical competition, being eliminated to the German side in the round of 16, with their journey ending at the same stage the following season.
Why Did Gerrard Depart Rangers?
The Birmingham club came calling in November 2021, forking out £4.5m in compensation.
He left Rangers with a lead ahead of Celtic at the summit of the table – however their city rivals would claw that back to prevail by the identical gap.
The lure of the English top flight is powerful and it could have been viewed as the natural progression on a dream comeback to Liverpool at a point when his coaching reputation was high.
“Steven and his backroom staff have made sure that the club is clearly in a better place today than it was several seasons ago,” said at the time Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson.
“We have had a desire to move Rangers forward, to update our infrastructure and to return the team to winning ways.”
How Did Gerrard's Record at Aston Villa and in Saudi Arabia?
Gerrard did not last a year at Villa Park.
Up and down results yielded a 14th-place finish at the end of season 2021-22 before a three-goal loss at Craven Cottage left them in 17th in October 2022 when he was dismissed.
Across 2022, he secured just eight of his 31 games, losing 15.
He transferred to Saudi Arabia in July 2023 when he took over at Al-Ettifaq.
His latest role continued for a year and a half and he departed with the team placed 12th in the Saudi Pro League, just five points above the relegation zone.
“In summary, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a positive journey personally and for my loved ones,” he said in late January. “But soccer is uncertain, and at times events don't unfold the way we hope.”
Those after Rangers experiences could cause some hesitation and the man himself might harbor doubts over inheriting a struggling squad, but Gerrard likely has the character to handle such a prominent post.
He is the only Rangers manager to have lifted the league trophy since the great Walter Smith. That achievement might well be difficult to overlook for an under-pressure Ibrox board.
