🔗 Share this article

The former Liverpool captain has been at the center of discussion since Rangers dismissed Russell Martin on the weekend, and the ex-coach is set to talk about a potential return with the club's leadership.

Those in charge at Rangers have stated that a "comprehensive, considered hiring process" is now in progress.

Additional names are set to be considered, but if the former Anfield and Three Lions skipper is willing to a return spell at Ibrox, is the job essentially his?

The 45-year-old coach has recently spoken about “remaining goals” in management and revealed he has started approaching prospective staff for his coaching team.

In a recent audio interview with Rio Ferdinand, which seemed to be filmed prior to Martin's brief tenure ended, Gerrard stated he wanted “to be at a club that's going to challenge to win because I think that fits me more”.

He continued: “If the right call arrives, the right club, the right challenge, and I've assembled my staff, which I plan to have at a future date, I'll accept that role because it's part of my nature.”

Gerrard's Record at Rangers in His First Stint

After gaining experience as a youth development coach at Anfield, Gerrard took on his first managerial role in the summer of 2018.

During three complete seasons at Rangers, he secured just one trophy – but it proved significant.

Following placements of 13 and nine points after Celtic in his initial pair of campaigns, Gerrard led Rangers to their first premiership championship in a decade, which just happened to deny their Glasgow rivals an unprecedented 10-in-a-row win.

And he did it in style, with his team undefeated in the process.

Rangers won all of their home games, scored 92 goals and conceded a only 13.

The downside was that it came amid of Covid and empty stadiums.

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

What Was Gerrard's Derby Record Look?

In sharp difference to Martin's unhappy spell, Gerrard started strongly at Rangers, going 12 games unbeaten until his first visit to Parkhead.

In his first season the derby results were shared, each side securing two home victories, with Rangers having last beaten Celtic in 2012.

Two losses to Celtic came in the next truncated season, followed by Rangers winning in the east end of Glasgow for the first time since 2010.

From then on, Gerrard remained unbeaten in derbies, claiming five additional and tying once.

Rangers came through four rounds of preliminaries to reach the main phase of the Europa League in Gerrard's debut season.

In 2019-20, they advanced to the knockout rounds of the identical competition, being eliminated to the German side in the last 16, with their run concluding at the identical round the next year.

Why Did Gerrard Depart Rangers?

The Birmingham club made an approach in late 2021, paying £4.5m in compensation.

He left Rangers with a lead ahead of Celtic at the summit of the standings – however their city rivals would claw that back 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 comeback to Anfield at a time when his managerial stock was high.

“Steven and his backroom staff have ensured that the club is clearly in a better place today than it was three-and-a-half years ago,” commented then Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson.

“We have shared a goal to advance the club, to update our facilities and to return the team to winning ways.”

What Was Gerrard's Record at Villa & Al-Ettifaq?

Gerrard failed to complete a year at Villa Park.

Up and down performances resulted in a mid-table finish at the end of the 2021-22 campaign before a 3-0 loss at Craven Cottage placed them 17th in autumn 2022 when he was sacked.

Across 2022, he secured just eight of his 31 games, losing 15.

He transferred to the Middle East in July 2023 when he took over at Al-Ettifaq.

His latest job continued for a year and a half and he moved on with the club placed in 12th in the Saudi Pro League, only five points above the relegation zone.

“In summary, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a positive journey personally and for my family,” he said in late January. “But football is uncertain, and at times events don't unfold the way we hope.”

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

He is the sole Rangers boss to have won the league trophy since the great Walter Smith. That experience could be hard to ignore for an pressured Rangers leadership.