What Insights Can We Take Away from Gerrard's Tenure as Glasgow Rangers Manager?
Steven Gerrard has been at the center of discussion since Rangers parted ways with Russell Martin on Sunday, and the ex-coach will discuss a potential comeback with the club's owners.
The decision-makers at Ibrox announced that a "thorough, considered hiring procedure" is now underway.
Additional names will be reviewed, but if ex Anfield and Three Lions captain is open to a return spell at Ibrox, is the job essentially his?
The mid-forties manager has recently spoken about “unfinished business” in management and revealed he has started approaching potential members for his coaching team.
In a latest podcast discussion with Rio Ferdinand, appearing to be filmed before Martin's brief tenure concluded, Gerrard stated he desired “to be at a club that's set to challenge to win because I think that fits me more”.
He continued: “If the right call arrives, the appropriate team, the right challenge, and I've got my people set, which I will have at a future date, I'll take that challenge on because it's in me.”
Performance at Rangers in Initial Period
Having acquired experience as a youth development manager at Anfield, Gerrard accepted his maiden coaching role in the mid-year of 2018.
Over three complete campaigns at Ibrox, he won just one trophy – but it was a big one.
After finishing 13 and nine points behind their rivals in his first two campaigns, Gerrard guided Rangers to their first premiership title in a ten years, which just happened to deny their Glasgow rivals an unprecedented tenth consecutive win.
And he did it impressively, with his team undefeated in the process.
Rangers triumphed in all of their home games, scored 92 goals and conceded a only 13.
The downside was that it occurred against a backdrop of Covid and empty stadiums.
It continues to be Rangers' only title success since 2010-11.
What Was Gerrard's Derby Record Look?
In stark contrast to Martin's unhappy experience, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, remaining 12 games without defeat until his first visit to Parkhead.
In his debut campaign the derby honours were even, each side securing two domestic wins, with Rangers having previously defeated Celtic in 2012.
A pair of defeats to Celtic came in the following shortened season, after which Rangers winning in the east end of Glasgow for the first time since 2010.
After that, Gerrard remained unbeaten in Old Firm clashes, winning five additional and tying once.
Rangers progressed through four rounds of qualifying to enter the main phase of the Europa League in Gerrard's debut season.
In the 2019-20 campaign, they advanced to the knockout rounds of the same tournament, being eliminated to the German side in the last 16, with their journey concluding at the same stage the following season.
What Led Gerrard Depart Rangers?
Aston Villa made an approach in November 2021, forking out £4.5m in fees.
He left Rangers four points ahead of Celtic at the top of the standings – but their city rivals would recover to win by the identical gap.
The attraction of the Premier League is strong and it may have been viewed as the next logical step on a dream return to Anfield at a time when his managerial stock was at its peak.
“Steven and his coaching team have ensured that the club is undoubtedly in a better place today than it was several seasons ago,” commented at the time Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson.
“We have had a goal to move Rangers forward, to update our infrastructure and to make the club win again.”
How Did Gerrard's Record at Villa & Al-Ettifaq?
Gerrard did not last a full season at Aston Villa.
Up and down results yielded a 14th-place position at the end of the 2021-22 campaign before a 3-0 defeat at Craven Cottage placed them in 17th in October 2022 when he was sacked.
During 2022, he secured just eight of his 31 games, losing 15.
He moved to the Middle East in summer 2023 when he took over at Al-Ettifaq.
His latest job lasted a year and a half and he departed with the team placed 12th in the Saudi league, only five points above the drop zone.
“Overall, I have learned a lot, and it's been a positive 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 may give certain pause for thought and the man himself may have doubts over inheriting a underperforming team, but Gerrard probably has the personality to manage such a high-profile position.
He is the only Rangers boss to have won the championship since the great Walter Smith. That achievement could be difficult to overlook for an pressured Rangers leadership.
