Which Insights Should We Take Away from Steven Gerrard's Time as Rangers Manager?

Steven Gerrard with the Scottish Premiership trophy in May 2021
Steven Gerrard lifting the Scottish Premiership trophy in spring 2021

The former Liverpool captain has been in the spotlight of discussion since Rangers parted ways with Russell Martin on Sunday, while the former manager will talk about a possible comeback with the club's owners.

The decision-makers at Ibrox announced that a "thorough, considered hiring procedure" is currently in progress.

Other candidates are set to be considered, however if the former Liverpool and England captain is open to a return spell at Ibrox, could the position essentially his?

The 45-year-old coach lately mentioned about “unfinished business” in coaching and disclosed he has begun contacting potential staff for his backroom team.

In a recent audio discussion with Rio Ferdinand, which seemed to be filmed before Martin's short tenure concluded, Gerrard expressed he desired “to be at a team that's going to compete to win because I think that suits me better”.

He added: “If the right call arrives, the right club, the correct opportunity, and I've assembled my staff, which I will have at a future date, I'll accept that role because it's in me.”

Gerrard's Record at Rangers in His First Stint

After gaining experience as a academy coach at Anfield, Gerrard accepted his first managerial role in the summer of 2018.

Over three full seasons at Rangers, he won just one trophy – but it proved significant.

After finishing nine and 13 points after Celtic in his initial pair of campaigns, Gerrard led Rangers to their first premiership title in a decade, which just happened to prevent their Glasgow rivals an historic 10-in-a-row title.

And he achieved it in style, with his team undefeated throughout.

Rangers triumphed in all of their domestic games, scored 92 goals and allowed a only 13.

The downside was that it occurred against a backdrop of the pandemic and fanless grounds.

It remains Rangers' sole title success since the 2010-11 season.

How Did Gerrard's Derby Record Look?

In stark contrast to Martin's disappointing spell, Gerrard started strongly at Rangers, remaining 12 games unbeaten until his initial trip to Celtic Park.

In his first campaign the Old Firm results were shared, each side earning two home wins, with Rangers having previously defeated Celtic in 2012.

A pair of defeats to Celtic occurred in the next shortened season, followed by Rangers securing a victory in the east end of Glasgow for the initial occasion since 2010.

After that, Gerrard stayed unbeaten in Old Firm clashes, claiming five more and drawing once.

Rangers progressed through four stages of preliminaries to reach the group stage of the Europa League in Gerrard's debut season.

In 2019-20, they progressed to the knockout rounds of the identical tournament, being eliminated to the German side in the last 16, with their journey concluding at the identical round the following season.

What Led Gerrard Depart Rangers?

The Birmingham club made an approach in November 2021, paying £4.5m in fees.

He departed Rangers four points ahead of Celtic at the top of the standings – however their local opponents would recover to win by the same margin.

The attraction of the Premier League is powerful and it could have been viewed as the next logical step on a fairytale comeback to Liverpool at a point when his coaching reputation was at its peak.

“Steven and his backroom staff have made sure that the club is undoubtedly in a stronger position today than it was several seasons ago,” commented then Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson.

“We have had a goal to move Rangers forward, to update our infrastructure and to return the team to winning ways.”

How Did Gerrard's Record at Aston Villa and in Saudi Arabia?

Gerrard did not last a full season at Aston Villa.

Inconsistent results yielded a 14th-place finish at the end of season 2021-22 before a three-goal defeat at Craven Cottage placed them in 17th in autumn 2022 when he was sacked.

During 2022, he won only eight of his 31 games, suffering defeat in 15.

He moved to Saudi Arabia in July 2023 when he took over at the Saudi club.

His most recent job lasted 18 months and he departed with the club sitting 12th in the Saudi league, only five points clear of the drop zone.

“Overall, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a beneficial experience for me and for my loved ones,” he remarked in late January. “But football is unpredictable, and at times things don't go the way we want.”

Those post-Ibrox exploits may give certain hesitation and the individual might harbor concerns over taking over a struggling team, but Gerrard probably has the character to handle such a prominent post.

He is the sole Rangers manager to have won the championship since the legendary Walter Smith. That achievement could be hard to ignore for an pressured Rangers leadership.

David Gonzalez
David Gonzalez

Travel enthusiast and hospitality expert with a passion for exploring luxury destinations and sharing insider tips.