What Insights Should We Take Away from Steven Gerrard's Time as Rangers Manager?
Steven Gerrard has been at the center of conversation since Rangers dismissed Russell Martin on Sunday, while the ex-coach will discuss a potential comeback with the club's owners.
The decision-makers at Ibrox have stated that a "thorough, considered hiring procedure" is currently in progress.
Other candidates are set to be reviewed, however if the former Anfield and Three Lions captain is willing to a second stint at the club, is the job as good as his?
The mid-forties coach has recently mentioned about “unfinished business” in management and disclosed he has started approaching potential members for his coaching team.
In a latest audio interview with the former defender, which seemed to be recorded prior to Martin's brief reign concluded, Gerrard expressed he desired “to be at a team that's set to challenge to win because I think that fits me more”.
He added: “If the right call arrives, the right club, the correct opportunity, and I've assembled my staff, which I will have at some point, I'll accept that role because it's in me.”
Performance at Rangers in Initial Period
After gaining experience as a youth development manager at Anfield, Gerrard accepted his maiden coaching role in the summer of 2018.
Over three full campaigns at Ibrox, he won just one title – but it proved significant.
After finishing 13 and nine points after their rivals in his initial pair of campaigns, Gerrard led Rangers to their first top-flight title in a ten years, which just happened to deny their Glasgow rivals an historic 10-in-a-row title.
And he achieved it impressively, with his team unbeaten in the process.
Rangers triumphed in all of their home games, scored 92 goals and allowed a only 13.
The drawback was that it occurred amid of Covid and empty stadiums.
It continues to be Rangers' sole title success since 2010-11.
How Did Gerrard's Derby Record Look?
In stark contrast to Martin's disappointing experience, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, remaining 12 games without defeat until his first visit to Parkhead.
In his first season the derby honours were shared, each side securing two home wins, with Rangers having last beaten Celtic in 2012.
Two losses to Celtic occurred in the following truncated season, followed by Rangers securing a victory in the eastern part of Glasgow for the initial occasion since 2010.
After that, Gerrard remained undefeated in derbies, winning five more and tying once.
Rangers progressed through four stages of qualifying to enter the main phase of the Europa League in Gerrard's debut season.
In 2019-20, they progressed to the elimination stage of the identical tournament, losing out to Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16, with their run ending at the same stage the following season.
What Led Gerrard Leave Rangers?
The Birmingham club came calling in late 2021, forking out £4.5m in fees.
He left Rangers with a lead clear of Celtic at the summit of the table – but their city rivals would claw that back to win by the identical gap.
The lure of the Premier League is powerful and it could have been viewed as the natural progression on a fairytale comeback to Anfield at a point when his coaching reputation was high.
“Steven and his coaching team have made sure that the team is undoubtedly in a stronger position today than it was three-and-a-half years ago,” commented at the time Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson.
“We have shared a desire to move Rangers forward, to modernise our facilities and to return the team to winning ways.”
What Was Gerrard's Record at Aston Villa and in Saudi Arabia?
Gerrard failed to complete a year at Aston Villa.
Inconsistent performances yielded a 14th-place position at the end of the 2021-22 campaign before a three-goal loss at Fulham placed them in 17th in autumn 2022 when he was dismissed.
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 took over at Al-Ettifaq.
His latest role continued for a year and a half and he moved on with the club sitting in 12th in the Saudi league, just five points above the drop zone.
“In summary, I have learned a lot, and it's been a positive experience for me and for my family,” he said in late January. “But soccer is unpredictable, and at times events don't unfold the way we hope.”
These post-Ibrox experiences may give certain hesitation and the man himself might harbor doubts over inheriting a struggling squad, but Gerrard probably has the character to manage such a prominent post.
He is the only Rangers manager to have won the league trophy since the great Walter Smith. That achievement might well be hard to ignore for an under-pressure Rangers leadership.
