Which Insights Should We Take Away from Gerrard's Time as Rangers Head Coach?
Steven Gerrard is in the spotlight of discussion since Rangers parted ways with Russell Martin on Sunday, while the former manager is set to discuss a potential return with the club's leadership.
Those in charge at Ibrox have stated that a "comprehensive, considered recruitment procedure" is currently underway.
Other candidates are set to be considered, but if ex Anfield and Three Lions captain is open to a second stint at Ibrox, is the job as good as his?
The mid-forties manager has recently mentioned about “unfinished business” in management and revealed he has begun approaching potential staff for his coaching team.
In a latest audio discussion with the former defender, appearing to be recorded prior to Martin's brief reign ended, Gerrard stated he wanted “to be at a club that's going to challenge to win because I believe that fits me more”.
He continued: “If the right call comes my way, the right club, the right challenge, and I've got my people set, which I plan to have at a future date, I'll accept that role because it's part of my nature.”
Gerrard's Record at Rangers in His First Stint
After gaining knowledge as a youth development coach at Anfield, Gerrard accepted his first managerial position in the summer of 2018.
During three complete campaigns at Ibrox, he secured only a single title – however it was a big one.
Following placements of nine and 13 points after Celtic in his initial pair of campaigns, Gerrard led Rangers to their maiden premiership championship in a decade, which just happened to deny their Old Firm rivals an historic 10-in-a-row win.
And he did it impressively, with his team unbeaten in the process.
Rangers triumphed in all of their domestic games, netted 92 goals and allowed a mere 13.
The downside was that it occurred against a backdrop of Covid and fanless grounds.
It remains Rangers' only league triumph since 2010-11.
What Was Gerrard's Old Firm Record Perform?
In stark contrast to Martin's unhappy experience, Gerrard started strongly at Rangers, remaining 12 games unbeaten until his initial trip to Celtic Park.
In his first season the derby results were even, each side earning two domestic victories, with Rangers having last beaten Celtic in 2012.
Two losses to Celtic came in the next shortened season, after which Rangers securing a victory in the eastern part of Glasgow for the first time since 2010.
From then on, Gerrard stayed undefeated in Old Firm clashes, winning five additional and tying once.
Rangers came through four stages of qualifying to enter the group stage of the European competition in Gerrard's first season.
In the 2019-20 campaign, they advanced to the knockout rounds of the same competition, being eliminated to Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16, with their journey concluding at the identical round the next year.
Why Did Gerrard Leave Rangers?
The Birmingham club came calling in November 2021, paying £4.5m in compensation.
He left Rangers four points clear of Celtic at the summit of the table – but their city rivals would recover to win by the same margin.
The attraction of the Premier League is strong and it could have been viewed as the natural progression on a fairytale return to Liverpool at a point when his coaching reputation was high.
“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 had a goal to advance the club, 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 did not last a full season at Villa Park.
Up and down results yielded a mid-table finish at the end of season 2021-22 before a 3-0 defeat at Fulham placed them 17th in autumn 2022 when he was sacked.
Across 2022, he won just 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 lasted 18 months and he moved on with the team placed 12th in the Saudi league, only five points above the relegation zone.
“Overall, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a beneficial journey personally and for my family,” he said in the end of January. “But soccer is uncertain, and sometimes events don't unfold the way we hope.”
Those after Rangers experiences could cause some pause for thought and the man himself might harbor concerns over taking over a underperforming team, but Gerrard likely has the personality to handle such a high-profile position.
He is the only Rangers boss to have lifted the championship since the great Walter Smith. That achievement could be difficult to overlook for an pressured Ibrox board.
