'Different club': Steven Gerrard's Rangers return verdict issued as ex-teammate cites key Ibrox reunion factor
The former Rangers boss has been mentioned as a potential replacement for under pressure Ibrox head coach Russell Martin.
Ex-Rangers head coach Steven Gerrard is unlikely to favour a return to Ibrox this season, despite being named as a favourite to replace the under-pressure Russell Martin if he is sacked, according to one of his former Liverpool teammates.
The 45-year-old enjoyed a successful time at Rangers after being appointed manager of the club in 2018, and led the Glasgow giants to a historic 55th league title in the 2020/21 season, before earning himself a lucrative move to the English Premier League with Aston Villa the following season.
He struggled at Villa Park, though, and was sacked just 11 months on from his appointment in the Midlands, before moving to the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ettifaq. However, a run of just 23 wins in his 59 games in charge of the club resulted in his dismissal in January, and he has been without a club since.
Tipped for a return in the summer prior to the appointment of Martin, Gerrard is now again being linked with an emotional Ibrox comeback following Rangers’ disastrous start. A dramatic 2-1 win over Livingston, his first in six league games, temporarily halted the pressure on his shoulders, though a strong section of the Rangers support continued to call for the 38-year-old's sacking following the full-time whistle.
However, according to Gerrard’s former Liverpool and England teammate, Glen Johnson, the ex-Ibrox head coach is unlikely to favour a return to the club should the job become available, with the 41-year-old believing there is a key factor which would prevent him from taking the reins at the club again.
“He did a great job before when he was there,” said Johnson. “But it’s a different group of players there, and a different club he’d be walking into. It doesn’t always make sense to go back to somewhere you were before, so I don’t know if he’ll be keen to get back to it. Rangers might not be the right place for him anymore. I don’t think he’d be tempted to go back, because all his family are down south. It would be a huge upheaval for something that might not be as good as it was last time.”
Johnson also shared his belief that Coventry City boss Frank Lampard would also reject the chance to manage Rangers, with some pundits naming the Chelsea legend as a potential candidate for the role in recent days. The English defender, who played with the 106-cap legend at both club and country, doesn’t think the role would be able to entice him away from the CBS Arena any time soon.
“Frank Lampard, I think, he’ll prefer fighting for playoffs and promotion, maybe even the [EFL Championship] title,” Johnson told 10bet. “Slugging it out in Scotland with a side that is struggling right now. If Lamps pulls it off with Coventry this season, they will be back in the Premier League, and that’s where everyone wants to be.”
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