What Lessons Can We Learn from Gerrard's Time as Glasgow Rangers Head Coach?
Steven Gerrard has been in the spotlight of discussion after Rangers dismissed Russell Martin on Sunday, and the former manager will discuss a possible comeback with the team's leadership.
Those in charge at Ibrox announced that a "thorough, considered recruitment process" is currently in progress.
Additional names will be considered, but if ex Liverpool and England skipper is willing to a second stint at the club, is the job as good as his?
The 45-year-old manager lately spoken about “unfinished business” in coaching and disclosed he has started contacting prospective members for his coaching team.
In a recent audio discussion with Rio Ferdinand, appearing to be filmed before Martin's brief tenure ended, Gerrard stated he wanted “to be at a club that's set to challenge to win because I think that suits me more”.
He continued: “If the right call comes my way, the appropriate team, the correct opportunity, and I've assembled my staff, which I will have at a future date, I'll accept that role because it's in me.”
Gerrard's Record at Rangers in His First Stint
Having acquired knowledge as a academy coach at Liverpool, Gerrard accepted his first managerial position in the mid-year of 2018.
During three complete campaigns at Rangers, he won only a single trophy – but it proved significant.
Following placements of 13 and nine points after their rivals in his first two seasons, Gerrard led Rangers to their first premiership title in a decade, which just happened to prevent their Old Firm rivals an historic 10-in-a-row win.
And he did it impressively, 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 amid of the pandemic and fanless grounds.
It remains Rangers' only title success since the 2010-11 season.
What Was Gerrard's Derby Record Perform?
In sharp difference to Martin's unhappy experience, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, remaining 12 games without defeat until his first visit to Celtic Park.
In his first season the Old Firm honours were shared, each side earning two home wins, with Rangers having last beaten Celtic in 2012.
A pair of defeats to Celtic came in the next shortened season, followed by Rangers winning in the eastern part of Glasgow for the first time since 2010.
After that, Gerrard stayed undefeated in derbies, winning five more and drawing once.
Rangers came through four stages of qualifying to reach the main phase of the European competition in Gerrard's debut season.
In 2019-20, they progressed to the knockout rounds of the same tournament, losing out to the German side in the round of 16, with their journey concluding at the same stage the following season.
What Led Gerrard Leave Rangers?
The Birmingham club came calling in late 2021, paying £4.5m in fees.
He departed Rangers four points ahead of Celtic at the top of the standings – however their local opponents would recover to win by the identical gap.
The attraction of the English top flight is strong and it could have been seen as the natural progression on a dream return to Liverpool at a time when his managerial stock was at its peak.
“Steven and his coaching team have made sure that the club is clearly 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 desire to advance the club, to update our facilities and to return the team to winning ways.”
How Did Gerrard's Record at Villa & Al-Ettifaq?
Gerrard did not last a year at Aston Villa.
Up and down performances yielded a 14th-place finish at the end of the 2021-22 campaign before a three-goal defeat at Craven Cottage left them 17th in autumn 2022 when he was dismissed.
During 2022, he won just eight of his 31 games, losing 15.
He transferred to Saudi Arabia in July 2023 when he took over at Al-Ettifaq.
His most recent role continued for 18 months and he moved on with the team sitting in 12th in the Saudi Pro League, only five points clear of the drop zone.
“Overall, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a beneficial journey personally and for my loved ones,” he said in the end of January. “But football is unpredictable, and sometimes things don't go the way we hope.”
These after Rangers exploits may give certain hesitation and the man himself might harbor concerns over inheriting a underperforming squad, but Gerrard likely has the character to manage such a prominent post.
He is the only Rangers manager to have lifted the league trophy since the legendary Walter Smith. That achievement could be difficult to overlook for an under-pressure Ibrox board.