Steven Gerrard has been officially confirmed as the new manager of Scottish Premiership club Rangers.
Glasgow Rangers rivals Celtic are managed by Brendan Rodgers, Gerrard’s former manager during his latter stages at Liverpool. Rodgers’ Celtic won their seventh consecutive Scottish Premiership title in a row last season and have qualified for the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round; Celtic won the Scottish Premiership by a nine point margin.
In the Scottish Premiership 2017-2018 campaign, Derek McInnes’ Aberdeen finished second behind Rodgers’ Celtic with 73 points and Rangers finished third with 70 points. Rangers and fourth placed Scottish Premiership side Hibernian secured places in the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round.
Since 2015, Rangers have had four different managers: Mark Warburton, Pedro Caixinho, Graeme Murty and Steven Gerrard.
Gerrard’s high-profile appointment at Ibrox witnesses the successful Liverpudlian becoming the second-ever Englishman to manage Rangers throughout their storied history.
Last season, Gerrard managed Liverpool Under-18’s in his first-ever managerial role since retiring as a player.
Gerrard’s ended his illustrious playing career with Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy; Gerrard signed an 18-month contract with Los Angeles Galaxy estimated at $4 million per year ($76,000 per week). During two seasons with the Galaxy, Gerrard played 38 games and scored five times.
However, In November 2016, Gerrard had an interview for the then-vacant managerial position at SKY BET League One club Milton Keynes Dons. Days priors to his retirement as a player, Gerrard publicly claimed that he was not ready to accept the role at Milton Keynes Dons.
In February 2017, the former England star was officially appointment as Liverpool‘s Under-18 Head Coach after impressing both Jurgen Klopp and Alex Inglethorpe.
In September 2017, Liverpool officially confirmed that Gerrard would be managing the Liverpool Under-19s team for the UEFA Youth League for the 2017-18 season.
Throughout his well-documented playing career, Gerrard triumphantly inspired Liverpool to UEFA Champions League glory in 2005. Furthermore, the accomplished former midfield maestro won the UEFA Cup, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups, one Community Shield and one UEFA Super Cup.
Gerrard joined Liverpool‘s youth academy when he was nine years of age, and made his senior team debut at Liverpool as a substitute in November 1998. Gerrard made 710 appearances for Liverpool and scored 186 goals throughout 17 seasons with the reds.
In addition, Gerrard, an MBE, won 114 England caps before retiring from international duties with England post-FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014.
However, the question remains: Can Steven Gerrard succeed at Rangers?