Which Insights Can We Take Away from Gerrard's Time as Glasgow Rangers Head Coach?
Steven Gerrard has been in the spotlight of discussion since Rangers parted ways with Russell Martin on Sunday, while the former manager is set to discuss a possible return with the team's owners.
Those in charge at Rangers have stated that a "thorough, thoughtful hiring procedure" is currently underway.
Additional names will be reviewed, however if the former Anfield and Three Lions captain is willing to a second stint at the club, is the job essentially his?
The 45-year-old manager has recently spoken about “remaining goals” in management and disclosed he has started approaching prospective members for his backroom team.
In a recent audio discussion with the former defender, which seemed to be recorded prior to Martin's brief reign concluded, Gerrard expressed he wanted “to be at a club that's going to challenge to win because I believe that suits me more”.
He continued: “If the suitable offer arrives, the right club, the correct opportunity, and I've got my people set, which I plan to have at a future date, I'll take that challenge on because it's part of my nature.”
Performance at Rangers in Initial Period
After gaining knowledge as a academy coach at Liverpool, Gerrard accepted his first managerial position in the mid-year of 2018.
Over three complete seasons at Ibrox, he secured just one trophy – but 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 first premiership title in a ten years, which coincidentally deny their Glasgow rivals an unprecedented 10-in-a-row title.
And he did it in style, with his team undefeated throughout.
Rangers triumphed in all of their domestic games, netted 92 goals and allowed a mere 13.
The drawback was that it came against a backdrop of Covid and empty stadiums.
It continues to be Rangers' sole title success since the 2010-11 season.
What Was Gerrard's Old Firm Record Look?
In stark contrast to Martin's unhappy experience, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, going 12 games unbeaten until his initial trip to Parkhead.
In his first campaign the derby results were even, each side securing two home wins, with Rangers having previously defeated Celtic in 2012.
Two losses to Celtic occurred in the next truncated season, after which Rangers winning in the east end of Glasgow for the initial occasion since 2010.
From then on, Gerrard stayed unbeaten in derbies, winning five additional and tying once.
Rangers came through four rounds of qualifying to enter the group stage of the Europa League in Gerrard's first season.
In 2019-20, they advanced to the knockout rounds of the same competition, losing out to Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16, with their run ending at the same stage the following season.
Why Did Gerrard Leave Rangers?
The Birmingham club came calling in late 2021, paying £4.5m in fees.
He departed Rangers with a lead clear of Celtic at the top of the standings – but their city rivals would recover to win by the same margin.
The lure of the English top flight is strong and it may 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 undoubtedly in a better place today than it was three-and-a-half years ago,” commented at the time Rangers sporting director 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 Villa & Al-Ettifaq?
Gerrard did not last a year at Villa Park.
Inconsistent performances yielded a mid-table finish at the end of season 2021-22 before a three-goal loss at Craven Cottage placed them 17th in autumn 2022 when he was dismissed.
During 2022, he won only eight of his 31 games, suffering defeat in 15.
He moved to the Middle East in summer 2023 when he assumed control at Al-Ettifaq.
His latest role continued for a year and a half and he moved on with the team sitting in 12th in the Saudi league, only five points above the drop zone.
“Overall, I have learned a lot, and it's been a positive experience for me and for my family,” he said in late January. “But football is uncertain, and sometimes things don't go the way we hope.”
These after Rangers experiences could cause certain hesitation and the individual may have concerns over inheriting a underperforming team, but Gerrard likely has the character to manage such a high-profile post.
He is the sole Rangers manager to have won the championship since the great Walter Smith. That achievement could be difficult to overlook for an under-pressure Rangers leadership.
