Steven Gerrard, the former Rangers manager and Liverpool legend, has ruled himself out of the running to return to Ibrox following the recent dismissal of Russell Martin. The 45-year-old was considered a frontrunner for the position, but after holding discussions with the club, both sides agreed that the timing wasn't right for a reunion.
Gerrard's initial tenure with Rangers was marked by considerable success, most notably ending the club's decade-long wait for a Scottish Premiership title in 2021 with an undefeated league season. He departed in November 2021 to manage Aston Villa, and most recently managed Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia until January 2025. Despite leaving Al-Ettifaq, he has remained based in Bahrain.
According to reports, Gerrard met with Rangers officials in London to discuss a potential return. While the conversations were positive and constructive, Gerrard ultimately decided to withdraw his name from consideration. Sources indicate that Gerrard sought clarity regarding the club's chain of command following the recent US takeover. It is understood that both parties have left the door open for a possible future return.
In an interview this week, Gerrard revealed he felt he had "a bit of unfinished business" in management and wanted "to be at a team that's going to compete to win because I think that suits me better". He also noted he was not in a rush to return to management and was using his time to explore new ideas and spend time with his family.
Rangers sacked Russell Martin last weekend after just four months in charge, following a poor run of form that saw the team win only one of their opening seven league matches. The club is now actively seeking a replacement, with the aim of having a new manager in place before their next match against Dundee United on Saturday.
Following Gerrard's withdrawal, Danny Röhl, the former Sheffield Wednesday manager, has emerged as a potential candidate for the Rangers job. Other names that have been linked with the position include Hearts boss Derek McInnes, former Rangers player Kevin Muscat, and ex-Everton boss Sean Dyche.
Steven Smith, Rangers Under-19 coach, is currently overseeing first-team training on an interim basis, assisted by B team coach Brian Gilmour, goalkeeping coach Sal Bibbo, and head of performance Rhys Owen. The Rangers hierarchy faces the challenge of appeasing a "seriously disgruntled fan base" following Martin's dismissal and Gerrard's decision not to return.
