Chris Sutton questions Steven Gerrard success at Rangers in new rant
Chris Sutton has questioned the level of Steven Gerrard’s success at Rangers, claiming the title victory was not as impressive as many make it out to be.
Sutton dismissed claims of their title-winning season being a “huge success” as he claimed a side like Rangers should be doing more than just managing to pip Celtic to the Scottish Premiership.
Despite his criticism, he didn’t dispute they had done a good job stopping Celtic from reaching the fabled ten in a row – something no Scottish side has been able to achieve. Sutton did, however, claim the Covid-19 pandemic had an effect.
Sutton was speaking on the It’s All Coming Up podcast when he stated: “What, one trophy out of nine? Was that success? St Johnstone won more trophies in the period Steven Gerrard was there.
“You said he was a huge success, one trophy out of nine, is that a success? He stopped Celtic’s 10-in-a-row and did well to do that. But to say he was a huge success…
“It was the Covid season, you can’t dispute that. Over the piece, he did a pretty decent job stopping Celtic’s 10. I think your words were ‘a brilliant job.’
“He won one trophy out of nine and once again, you are missing the point of what expectations are if you are managing Celtic or Rangers. It’s about winning everything, one out of nine isn’t great.”
Gerrard’s success still hasn’t been replicated
If you’re comparing Gerrard’s title-winning campaign to Celtic’s sustained period of success since 2012, winning 11 of the last 12, of course, it doesn’t look as impressive. That seems to be the angle Sutton has decided to take when looking at that season.
However, in the wider context of Rangers’ seasons prior to and in the years since the title success, there can be no debate that Gerrard achieved what many others couldn’t at Ibrox.
Especially now, looking at the pressure mounting on Michael Beale after a slow start to the season, it becomes clear that the success Gers tasted in 2021 is, if anything, an underrated achievement. Both Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Beale have been tasked with living up to those standards, and have failed so far.
It will be up to Beale to put an end to the dip in performances since that season, and as things stand that looks unlikely, but if he can turn things around at Ibrox there is every chance he could be the next man to do it.
In other Ibrox news, Alex Rae was wowed by one player against Livingston live on air.