Rangers ‘to take one step back’ with Steven Gerrard return at Ibrox
Rangers will seemingly take one step back if they appoint Steven Gerrard as their next permanent manager.
The Liverpool icon helped the Gers win their first league title in 10 years in 2021 before leaving for Aston Villa, where he had an underwhelming spell.
Gerrard has been linked with a return to Ibrox as the Light Blues look for their next head coach after Philippe Clement’s sacking.
Patrick Stewart decided to give Barry Ferguson the reins temporarily, but Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers Enterprises may have other ideas once they complete their potential takeover.
Gerrard has not convinced since Rangers exit
Gerrard hasn’t been convincing since leaving the Bears, Keith Jackson says.
The Daily Record journalist feels the Gers would be moving backwards by appointing the 44-year-old as their next manager.
| Competition (2024/25) | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Saudi Pro League | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 |
While Jackson understands why the Liverpool icon is a person of interest at Ibrox, he’s seemingly not the right person to take the Glaswegian outfit forward.
Speaking on Hotline Live (10 March), the journalist said: “I haven’t seen much in what Gerrard has done since leaving Rangers. And he had a pretty bad start to his title defence. Things didn’t look particularly great. I could see why it could happen, why he’s a person of interest. I think it might be a retrograde step.”
Ibrox to welcome Gerrard return despite Al-Ettifaq struggles
Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe will likely want to make a statement if and when they take control of the Gers.
It isn’t surprising to see Gerrard’s return to Ibrox being on the cards, considering his stature in the game as well as his success during his previous stint.
Supporters have fond memories of the Liverpool icon’s time at the Glaswegian outfit, but his exit to Villa mid-season might have soured the relationship a bit.
The 44-year-old failed to bring success to Villa Park, something Unai Emery has shown isn’t unrealistic during his time there.
Gerrard’s experience at Al-Ettifaq hasn’t done him any favours either, but his recent exit from the Saudi outfit has made him available to take up a potential offer from the Gers.
Clement was clearly not the right man for the Light Blues after failing to bring out consistent performances from the team.
Ferguson saw similar issues during his first two games in the Scottish Premiership against Kilmarnock and Motherwell, but the win over Fenerbahce has changed the mood around Ibrox.
It will be interesting to see whether the current interim boss will be able to stake his claim over Gerrard until the end of the season.