Which Lessons Can We Take Away 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 the weekend, while the ex-coach will discuss a possible comeback with the team's owners.
Those in charge at Ibrox have stated that a "comprehensive, considered recruitment procedure" is now underway.
Other candidates will be reviewed, however if ex Anfield and Three Lions captain is willing to a second stint at the club, could the position essentially his?
The 45-year-old manager has recently mentioned about “remaining goals” in coaching and disclosed he has started contacting potential staff for his backroom team.
In a latest podcast discussion with the former defender, which seemed to be recorded prior to Martin's short tenure ended, Gerrard stated he desired “to be at a club that's going to challenge to win because I believe that suits me more”.
He continued: “If the right call comes my way, the appropriate team, the right challenge, 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 knowledge as a academy coach at Anfield, Gerrard accepted his first managerial position in the summer of 2018.
Over three full seasons at Rangers, he secured only a single trophy – however it proved significant.
Following placements of 13 and nine points behind Celtic in his first two campaigns, Gerrard led Rangers to their maiden premiership championship in a ten years, which just happened to deny their Old Firm rivals an historic 10-in-a-row title.
And he did it in style, with his team unbeaten in the process.
Rangers triumphed in all of their home games, netted 92 goals and allowed a mere 13.
The drawback was that it occurred against a backdrop of the pandemic and fanless grounds.
It remains Rangers' only title success since the 2010-11 season.
How Did Gerrard's Old Firm Record Look?
In sharp difference to Martin's unhappy experience, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, remaining 12 games unbeaten until his initial trip to Parkhead.
In his first campaign the Old Firm honours were shared, each side earning two domestic wins, with Rangers having last beaten Celtic in 2012.
A pair of defeats to Celtic occurred in the next truncated season, followed by Rangers securing a victory in the east end of Glasgow for the first time since 2010.
From then on, Gerrard remained undefeated in Old Firm clashes, claiming five more and tying once.
Rangers progressed through four stages of preliminaries to reach the main phase of the European competition in Gerrard's first season.
In 2019-20, they progressed to the knockout rounds of the same tournament, losing out to Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16, with their run concluding at the same stage the next year.
What Led Gerrard Leave Rangers?
The Birmingham club made an approach in late 2021, forking out £4.5m in compensation.
He left Rangers with a lead clear of Celtic at the top of the standings – but their city rivals would claw that back to win by the identical gap.
The attraction of the English top flight is strong and it may have been viewed as the natural progression on a dream return to Liverpool at a point when his coaching reputation was high.
“Steven and his backroom staff have ensured that the team is clearly in a better place today than it was several seasons ago,” commented then Rangers football executive Ross Wilson.
“We have had a goal 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 did not last a year at Villa Park.
Inconsistent performances yielded a 14th-place position at the end of season 2021-22 before a three-goal loss at Fulham placed them in 17th in October 2022 when he was sacked.
Across 2022, he won only eight of his 31 games, losing 15.
He moved to Saudi Arabia in summer 2023 when he assumed control at the Saudi club.
His most recent role lasted 18 months and he departed with the team placed in 12th in the Saudi league, just five points clear of the relegation zone.
“In summary, I have learned a lot, and it's been a positive journey for me and for my loved ones,” he said in the end of January. “But soccer is uncertain, and sometimes events don't unfold the way we hope.”
These after Rangers experiences may give some hesitation and the individual may have concerns over inheriting a underperforming squad, but Gerrard likely has the character to handle such a high-profile position.
He is the sole Rangers boss to have won the championship since the legendary Walter Smith. That achievement could be difficult to overlook for an pressured Rangers leadership.