2 months ago
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Rangers faces a challenge in persuading Steven Gerrard to return, given his concerns about the current state of the squad.
Liverpool legend Gerrard, who was the last manager to lead the Scottish giants to the title, is a favorite among the club's supporters to replace Russell Martin, who was dismissed on Sunday.
During the previous selection process, which culminated in Martin's brief appointment this summer, Gerrard was approached by the board. As Record Sport revealed back in May, the 45-year-old indicated at that time he wasn't ready to return to management. Having just become a grandfather and leaving Al-Ettifaq in January, Gerrard was keen to take a break, recharge, and spend time with his family.
The Liverpool legend remains in no hurry to return and would only consider doing so for the right job. He has turned down several offers from clubs in recent months.
Another significant concern for Gerrard is the quality of the current Rangers squad. Sources close to him have confirmed his reservations about the strength of the player pool.
Sporting director Kevin Thelwell oversaw a massive revamp of the playing squad, but most of those signings have yet to make a significant impact.
This is a major issue, particularly as the transfer window is closed and no further additions can be made until January.
The new American owners, including the 49ers, have already invested more than $27 million in their squad. It is unlikely they would be willing to splash the cash again in January to secure the caliber of player that Gerrard believes they need.
Gerrard held the reins at Rangers from 2018 to 2021, successfully breaking Celtic's stranglehold on the title. He guided them to the 2021 Premiership trophy before making his return to the English Premier League with Aston Villa.
The Rangers board was asked to compile a list of potential managers earlier this week, even before Martin was given his marching orders. Other contenders for the Rangers post include Sean Dyche and Danny Rohl. Dyche has previously worked with Thelwell at Everton, while Rohl recently parted ways with Sheffield Wednesday.
Mark van Bommel, the Dutchman, was also considered during the last recruitment process. Rangers are on the hunt for a new manager after Martin's tenure ended after just 122 days.
His appointment was met with scepticism from the start, and he struggled to galvanise his team, causing friction with several players, including star man Nicolas Raskin.
They had only managed to secure one league victory and currently sit 11 points behind leaders Hearts. Following the defeat to Sturm Graz in the Europa League and a stalemate at Falkirk over the weekend, Martin found himself on thin ice.
Rangers fans prevented the players from boarding the team bus, leading to Martin having to make an exit via a side door due to the protests. The decision to part ways was made by the Ibrox board on Sunday.
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