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

The former Liverpool captain has been in the spotlight of discussion since Rangers parted ways with Russell Martin on the weekend, and the ex-coach is set to talk about a potential comeback with the club's owners.

Those in charge at Rangers announced that a "thorough, considered hiring procedure" is currently in progress.

Additional names will be considered, however if ex Liverpool and England skipper is open to a return spell at Ibrox, could the position as good as his?

The 45-year-old manager has recently mentioned about “remaining goals” in coaching and disclosed he has started contacting potential staff for his coaching team.

In a recent podcast interview with the former defender, appearing to be filmed prior to Martin's short tenure ended, Gerrard stated he wanted “to be at a club that's set to challenge to win because I believe that suits me better”.

He added: “If the right call arrives, the appropriate team, the correct opportunity, and I've got my people set, which I will have at some point, I'll take that challenge on because it's in me.”

Gerrard's Record at Rangers in His First Stint

After gaining experience as a academy manager at Liverpool, Gerrard took on his maiden coaching position in the summer of 2018.

Over three complete campaigns at Ibrox, he won just one title – however it was a big one.

Following placements of nine and 13 points after their rivals in his first two campaigns, Gerrard led Rangers to their maiden premiership championship in a ten years, which coincidentally prevent their Old Firm rivals an historic tenth consecutive title.

And he achieved it impressively, with his team unbeaten throughout.

Rangers won all of their domestic games, netted 92 goals and allowed a mere 13.

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

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

What Was Gerrard's Old Firm Record Look?

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

In his debut season the Old Firm honours were shared, each side securing two domestic wins, with Rangers having previously defeated Celtic in 2012.

A pair of defeats to Celtic came in the next shortened season, after which Rangers securing a victory in the eastern part of Glasgow for the initial occasion since 2010.

From then on, Gerrard remained unbeaten in Old Firm clashes, claiming five additional and drawing once.

Rangers progressed through four stages of preliminaries to enter the group stage of the European competition in Gerrard's first season.

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

What Led Gerrard Leave Rangers?

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

He left Rangers with a lead clear of Celtic at the summit of the table – however their city rivals would recover to win by the identical gap.

The lure of the Premier League is strong and it could have been seen as the next logical step on a fairytale comeback to Anfield at a time when his managerial stock 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,” said at the time Rangers football executive Ross Wilson.

“We have had a goal 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 year at Aston Villa.

Up and down results resulted in a mid-table position at the end of the 2021-22 campaign before a 3-0 defeat at Fulham placed them in 17th in autumn 2022 when he was sacked.

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

He moved to the Middle East in July 2023 when he assumed control at the Saudi club.

His most recent 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.

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

These after Rangers experiences may give certain pause for thought and the individual might harbor doubts over inheriting a underperforming squad, but Gerrard likely has the character to handle such a high-profile position.

He is the only Rangers manager to have won the championship since the great Walter Smith. That experience could be difficult to overlook for an under-pressure Ibrox board.