Which Insights Should We Take Away from Steven Gerrard's Tenure as Glasgow Rangers Head Coach?

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

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

The decision-makers at Ibrox have stated that a "thorough, considered hiring procedure" is now in progress.

Additional names are set to be reviewed, however if the former Anfield and Three Lions skipper is willing to a second stint at Ibrox, could the position as good as his?

The 45-year-old coach lately spoken about “unfinished business” in coaching and disclosed he has begun approaching prospective members for his backroom team.

In a recent podcast interview with the former defender, which seemed to be recorded prior to Martin's brief reign ended, Gerrard stated he desired “to be at a club that's set to challenge to win because I think that suits me better”.

He continued: “If the right call comes my way, the appropriate team, 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.”

Gerrard's Record at Rangers in His First Stint

Having acquired knowledge as a academy manager at Anfield, Gerrard accepted his first managerial role in the mid-year of 2018.

Over three full campaigns at Rangers, he won only a single trophy – however it proved significant.

After finishing nine and 13 points behind Celtic in his first two campaigns, Gerrard guided Rangers to their maiden premiership title in a decade, which just happened to deny their Glasgow rivals an unprecedented tenth consecutive win.

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

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

The drawback was that it came against a backdrop of the pandemic and fanless grounds.

It remains Rangers' only league triumph since the 2010-11 season.

How Did Gerrard's Old Firm Record Perform?

In stark contrast to Martin's unhappy experience, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, going 12 games without defeat until his initial trip to Celtic Park.

In his first campaign the Old Firm results were shared, each side earning two domestic wins, with Rangers having previously defeated 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 initial occasion since 2010.

From then on, Gerrard remained unbeaten in derbies, winning five more and drawing once.

Rangers came through four rounds of qualifying to enter the main phase of the Europa League in Gerrard's first season.

In the 2019-20 campaign, they progressed to the knockout rounds of the same tournament, losing out to Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16, with their journey concluding at the identical round the following season.

Why Did Gerrard Leave Rangers?

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

He departed Rangers with a lead ahead of Celtic at the summit of the standings – however their local opponents would recover to win by the identical gap.

The lure of the Premier League is strong and it may have been viewed as the next logical step on a dream return to Liverpool at a point when his coaching reputation was high.

“Steven and his backroom staff have made sure that the team is undoubtedly in a better place today than it was several seasons ago,” commented then Rangers football executive Ross Wilson.

“We have had a desire to advance the club, to modernise our facilities and to return the team to winning ways.”

How Did Gerrard's Record at Villa & Al-Ettifaq?

Gerrard did not last a full season at Villa Park.

Inconsistent performances resulted in a 14th-place position at the end of season 2021-22 before a three-goal loss at Craven Cottage left them in 17th in autumn 2022 when he was dismissed.

During 2022, he won only eight of his 31 games, losing 15.

He transferred to the Middle East in summer 2023 when he assumed control at Al-Ettifaq.

His most recent role lasted 18 months and he moved on with the club sitting 12th in the Saudi league, just five points clear of the drop zone.

“In summary, I have learned a lot, and it's been a beneficial experience for me and for my loved ones,” he remarked in late January. “But soccer is unpredictable, and sometimes things don't go the way we want.”

Those after Rangers exploits could cause certain hesitation and the man himself might harbor concerns over taking over a underperforming squad, but Gerrard likely has the personality to manage such a high-profile post.

He is the sole Rangers boss to have lifted the league trophy since the legendary Walter Smith. That experience might well be hard to ignore for an pressured Rangers leadership.

Kyle Douglas
Kyle Douglas

Eine leidenschaftliche Journalistin, die sich auf deutsche Kultur und gesellschaftliche Entwicklungen spezialisiert hat.