Steven Gerrard ‘success undeniable’ as Rangers set for manager appointment
Steven Gerrard may become the next permanent manager at Rangers despite some criticism of his previous spell at Ibrox.
The Liverpool icon could potentially soon replace Barry Ferguson at the Gers, with the interim boss leaving after taking charge of his final game against Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership.
Kevin Thelwell has Gerrard on his shortlist at the Light Blues, and the 44-year-old ex-midfielder is seen as the preferred candidate to become the next head coach.
Some fans were underwhelmed by the Englishman’s stint at the Glaswegian outfit despite winning the Scottish Premiership title, but he’s been backed as a success.
Rangers rebuild successful under Gerrard as foundations laid for European credibility
No one can say Gerrard’s time at the Gers wasn’t a success, Michael Gannon says.
The Daily Record journalist believes the Light Blues were miles behind Celtic before the Liverpool icon’s arrival, and he went on to win the league in his third season at Ibrox.
| Competition | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Scottish Premiership | 107 | 76 | 21 | 10 |
Gannon feels the 44-year-old head coach also helped the Bears regain credibility in Europe, as he laid the foundations for their run to the Europa League final under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
Speaking on Game On (24 May), the journalist said: “You’ve also got to remember where Rangers were when [Gerrard] came in. They were getting battered by Celtic in the league. Miles behind, really. It was a real rebuilding job.
“He’ll always be remembered for winning the title and denying Celtic the 10. Also, what he did do was regain credibility in Europe. He set the foundations to get to a European final. That’s a huge achievement. So I don’t think anyone can say it wasn’t a success.”
Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises may be encouraged by Gerrard
Gerrard isn’t the only candidate being eyed by the Gers, with Davide Ancelotti also holding talks with the Ibrox hierarchy.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Light Blues appoint a new manager in the coming days, and whether the Liverpool icon returns remains to be seen.
Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises are also closing in on their takeover of the Glaswegian outfit, and they’ll evidently want to achieve success immediately.
Rangers may have several managerial candidates on their radar, but the former Aston Villa and Al-Ettifaq head coach is one of the few with a track record of winning silverware at Ibrox.
The US consortium may have a favourable view of the 44-year-old head coach due to his previous success at the Bears.
While the English manager will admit his record in the domestic cup competitions was below par, securing the Scottish Premiership after a 10-year league title drought was historic.
The Ibrox faithful arguably wouldn’t want to see an untested manager like Ancelotti getting his first job as a first-team head coach in Glasgow.
Gerrard would undoubtedly be a decent option, considering the candidates being looked at by the Light Blues.