What Insights Can We Take Away from Gerrard's Time as Glasgow Rangers Head Coach?
Steven Gerrard has been at the center of conversation after Rangers parted ways with Russell Martin on Sunday, while the ex-coach will talk about a potential comeback with the club's leadership.
The decision-makers at Rangers have stated that a "comprehensive, thoughtful recruitment process" is currently in progress.
Additional names are set to be considered, however if ex Liverpool and England captain is willing to a second stint at the club, could the position as good as his?
The 45-year-old manager has recently mentioned about “unfinished business” in management and revealed he has begun approaching prospective staff for his backroom team.
In a recent podcast interview with the former defender, appearing to be recorded before Martin's brief reign concluded, Gerrard stated he wanted “to be at a team that's going to compete to win because I think that suits me better”.
He continued: “If the right call arrives, the appropriate team, the correct opportunity, and I've assembled my staff, which I will have at some point, I'll take that challenge on because it's in me.”
Performance at Rangers in Initial Period
Having acquired experience as a academy manager at Anfield, Gerrard took on his maiden coaching role in the summer of 2018.
Over three complete seasons at Rangers, he secured only a single title – however it was a big one.
Following placements of 13 and nine points after their rivals in his initial pair of seasons, Gerrard led Rangers to their maiden premiership championship 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, netted 92 goals and conceded a only 13.
The drawback was that it occurred against a backdrop of the pandemic and empty stadiums.
It remains Rangers' sole league triumph since the 2010-11 season.
How Did Gerrard's Old Firm Record Look?
In sharp difference to Martin's disappointing spell, Gerrard started strongly at Rangers, remaining 12 games without defeat until his first visit to Parkhead.
In his debut season the derby results were shared, each side securing two home wins, with Rangers having last beaten Celtic in 2012.
A pair of defeats to Celtic came 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 undefeated in derbies, winning five more and tying once.
Rangers came through four stages of preliminaries to reach the group stage of the Europa League in Gerrard's first season.
In 2019-20, they progressed to the elimination stage of the identical competition, being eliminated to the German side in the last 16, with their journey concluding at the same stage the next year.
What Led Gerrard Depart Rangers?
The Birmingham club came calling in late 2021, forking out £4.5m in compensation.
He left Rangers with a lead ahead of Celtic at the summit of the standings – however their local opponents would claw that back to win by the identical gap.
The attraction of the English top flight is powerful and it may have been seen as the natural progression on a dream comeback to Liverpool at a point when his managerial stock was at its peak.
“Steven and his coaching team have made sure that the club is undoubtedly in a stronger position today than it was several seasons ago,” said at the time Rangers football executive Ross Wilson.
“We have shared a goal to advance the club, to modernise our facilities and to make the club win again.”
How Did Gerrard's Record at Aston Villa and in Saudi Arabia?
Gerrard failed to complete a year at Aston Villa.
Inconsistent results resulted in a mid-table position at the end of season 2021-22 before a 3-0 loss at Craven Cottage left 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 the Middle East in summer 2023 when he assumed control at the Saudi club.
His latest role lasted 18 months and he moved on with the team placed in 12th in the Saudi Pro League, just five points above the drop zone.
“Overall, I have learned a lot, and it's been a beneficial journey for me and for my loved ones,” he remarked in the end of January. “But football is unpredictable, and at times things don't go the way we hope.”
Those post-Ibrox exploits could cause some hesitation and the individual might harbor concerns over inheriting a struggling team, but Gerrard likely has the personality to handle such a prominent post.
He is the only Rangers manager to have won the league trophy since the legendary Walter Smith. That experience might well be difficult to overlook for an under-pressure Ibrox board.