Which Lessons Can We Learn from Gerrard's Time as Rangers Head Coach?
Steven Gerrard has been at the center of discussion after Rangers parted ways with Russell Martin on Sunday, and the former manager is set to discuss a potential comeback with the team's leadership.
The decision-makers at Ibrox announced that a "thorough, thoughtful hiring process" is now underway.
Additional names will be considered, however if the former Liverpool and England skipper is willing to a return spell at Ibrox, is the job essentially his?
The 45-year-old manager lately spoken about “remaining goals” in coaching and disclosed he has started approaching prospective staff for his backroom team.
In a latest audio discussion with Rio Ferdinand, appearing to be recorded before Martin's short reign concluded, Gerrard stated he desired “to be at a team that's set to compete to win because I think that suits me more”.
He continued: “If the suitable offer arrives, the right club, the correct opportunity, and I've assembled my staff, which I plan to have at some point, I'll take that challenge on because it's part of my nature.”
Gerrard's Record at Rangers in His First Stint
Having acquired experience as a academy manager at Liverpool, Gerrard accepted his first managerial position in the summer of 2018.
Over three complete campaigns at Rangers, he won only a single trophy – but it was a big one.
Following placements of 13 and nine points after Celtic in his initial pair of campaigns, Gerrard guided Rangers to their first premiership title in a ten years, which coincidentally deny their Old Firm rivals an unprecedented 10-in-a-row win.
And he achieved it in style, with his team undefeated in the process.
Rangers triumphed in all of their domestic games, scored 92 goals and allowed a only 13.
The drawback was that it came against a backdrop of Covid and fanless grounds.
It remains Rangers' only title success since the 2010-11 season.
How Did Gerrard's Derby Record Perform?
In sharp difference to Martin's disappointing experience, Gerrard started strongly at Rangers, going 12 games without defeat until his first visit to Celtic Park.
In his debut season the Old Firm honours were even, each side earning two domestic victories, with Rangers having last beaten Celtic in 2012.
A pair of defeats to Celtic occurred in the next truncated season, followed by Rangers winning in the eastern part of Glasgow for the first time since 2010.
From then on, Gerrard stayed unbeaten in Old Firm clashes, winning five more and drawing once.
Rangers progressed 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 knockout rounds of the same competition, losing out to the German side in the round of 16, with their journey concluding at the same stage the next year.
Why Did Gerrard Leave Rangers?
Aston Villa made an approach in late 2021, paying £4.5m in compensation.
He departed Rangers four points clear of Celtic at the summit of the table – but their local opponents would claw that back to prevail by the same margin.
The lure of the English top flight is powerful and it may have been seen as the next logical step on a fairytale return to Liverpool at a time when his managerial stock was at its peak.
“Steven and his backroom staff have made sure that the team is undoubtedly in a better place today than it was three-and-a-half years ago,” said at the time Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson.
“We have shared a goal to advance the club, to update our infrastructure and to make the club win again.”
How Did Gerrard's Record at Villa & Al-Ettifaq?
Gerrard did not last a year at Villa Park.
Up and down results yielded a mid-table finish at the conclusion of the 2021-22 campaign before a 3-0 defeat at Craven Cottage placed them 17th in autumn 2022 when he was sacked.
Across 2022, he secured only eight of his 31 games, suffering defeat in 15.
He transferred to the Middle East in July 2023 when he assumed control at Al-Ettifaq.
His most recent job lasted a year and a half and he moved on with the team sitting 12th in the Saudi league, just five points clear of the relegation zone.
“In summary, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a beneficial experience personally and for my loved ones,” he remarked in late January. “But football is unpredictable, and sometimes things don't go the way we want.”
These after Rangers experiences could cause certain hesitation and the man himself may have doubts over taking over a struggling team, but Gerrard likely has the personality to handle such a high-profile position.
He is the sole Rangers boss to have won the championship since the great Walter Smith. That achievement might well be hard to ignore for an pressured Ibrox board.