Which Lessons Can We Learn from Gerrard's Tenure as 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 is at the center of conversation since Rangers dismissed Russell Martin on the weekend, while the ex-coach will talk about a potential comeback with the club's leadership.

The decision-makers at Rangers announced that a "comprehensive, thoughtful hiring procedure" is now in progress.

Other candidates are set to be reviewed, however if ex Liverpool and England skipper is open to a return spell at the club, is the job as good as his?

The mid-forties coach lately spoken about “remaining goals” in coaching and disclosed he has begun approaching prospective staff for his backroom team.

In a latest podcast discussion with Rio Ferdinand, which seemed to be filmed prior to Martin's short reign concluded, Gerrard stated he wanted “to be at a club that's set to compete to win because I think that suits me more”.

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

Gerrard's Record at Rangers in Initial Period

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

During three complete campaigns at Rangers, he won only a single trophy – but it proved significant.

Following placements of nine and 13 points behind their rivals in his first two campaigns, Gerrard led Rangers to their first premiership championship in a decade, which coincidentally prevent their Old Firm rivals an unprecedented 10-in-a-row win.

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

Rangers won all of their home games, netted 92 goals and conceded a mere 13.

The drawback was that it came amid of the pandemic and fanless grounds.

It continues to be Rangers' sole league triumph since 2010-11.

How Did Gerrard's Derby Record Perform?

In sharp difference to Martin's unhappy experience, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, going 12 games unbeaten until his first visit to Celtic Park.

In his first campaign the Old Firm honours were even, each side earning two home wins, with Rangers having last beaten Celtic in 2012.

A pair of defeats to Celtic occurred in the following shortened season, after which Rangers winning in the east end of Glasgow for the first time since 2010.

After that, Gerrard stayed undefeated in derbies, winning five more and drawing once.

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

In the 2019-20 campaign, they advanced to the knockout rounds of the identical tournament, being eliminated to Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16, with their run concluding at the same stage the next year.

What Led Gerrard Leave Rangers?

Aston Villa made an approach in November 2021, paying £4.5m in fees.

He left Rangers with a lead clear of Celtic at the summit of the standings – however their city rivals would recover to prevail by the same margin.

The attraction of the English top flight is powerful and it could have been viewed as the natural progression on a fairytale return to Liverpool at a time when his coaching reputation was at its peak.

“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 at the time Rangers football executive Ross Wilson.

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

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

Gerrard failed to complete a year at Villa Park.

Inconsistent results yielded a 14th-place position at the conclusion of the 2021-22 campaign before a three-goal loss at Craven Cottage placed them in 17th in autumn 2022 when he was sacked.

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

He transferred to Saudi Arabia in July 2023 when he assumed control at Al-Ettifaq.

His latest role continued for a year and a half and he moved on with the club placed in 12th in the Saudi league, just five points clear of the relegation zone.

“In summary, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a beneficial experience personally and for my family,” he remarked in late January. “But soccer is unpredictable, and at times events don't unfold the way we want.”

These post-Ibrox exploits may give some pause for thought and the man himself might harbor concerns over taking over a underperforming squad, but Gerrard likely has the personality to manage such a prominent post.

He is the sole Rangers manager to have won the league trophy since the great Walter Smith. That achievement could be difficult to overlook for an pressured Ibrox board.

Heather Martinez
Heather Martinez

A tech enthusiast and lifestyle blogger with a passion for sharing actionable insights and trends.