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The former Liverpool captain has been at the center of conversation after Rangers parted ways with Russell Martin on the weekend, while the former manager will talk about a potential comeback with the team's owners.

Those in charge at Rangers announced that a "thorough, considered hiring process" is currently in progress.

Additional names will be considered, but if the former Liverpool and England captain is willing to a second stint at the club, is the job essentially his?

The mid-forties manager lately spoken about “remaining goals” in management and disclosed he has started contacting prospective staff for his backroom team.

In a recent audio discussion with Rio Ferdinand, which seemed to be recorded before Martin's brief reign concluded, Gerrard stated he wanted “to be at a team that's set to challenge to win because I think that fits me more”.

He continued: “If the suitable offer arrives, the right club, the correct opportunity, and I've assembled my staff, which I will have at a future date, I'll take that challenge on because it's part of my nature.”

Performance at Rangers in His First Stint

Having acquired knowledge as a academy manager at Anfield, Gerrard accepted his first managerial position in the summer of 2018.

Over three complete seasons at Rangers, he won only a single trophy – but it proved significant.

After finishing nine and 13 points after their rivals in his first two seasons, Gerrard led Rangers to their first top-flight championship in a decade, which just happened to prevent their Old Firm rivals an historic 10-in-a-row title.

And he did it impressively, with his team unbeaten in the process.

Rangers triumphed in all of their domestic games, netted 92 goals and allowed a only 13.

The drawback was that it came against a backdrop of the pandemic and fanless grounds.

It remains Rangers' sole league triumph since 2010-11.

What Was Gerrard's Old Firm Record Look?

In sharp difference to Martin's disappointing experience, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, remaining 12 games unbeaten until his initial trip to Parkhead.

In his debut season the Old Firm results were shared, each side securing two domestic wins, with Rangers having previously defeated Celtic in 2012.

A pair of defeats to Celtic came in the next truncated season, followed by Rangers winning in the east end of Glasgow for the initial occasion since 2010.

After that, Gerrard remained undefeated in Old Firm clashes, claiming five additional and drawing once.

Rangers progressed through four stages of preliminaries to enter the main phase of the European competition in Gerrard's first season.

In 2019-20, they progressed to the elimination stage of the identical competition, being eliminated to Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16, with their journey ending at the same stage the next year.

Why Did Gerrard Depart Rangers?

The Birmingham club made an approach in November 2021, forking out £4.5m in compensation.

He departed Rangers four points ahead of Celtic at the summit of the table – but their local opponents would recover to win by the same margin.

The lure of the Premier League is powerful and it could have been viewed as the next logical step on a fairytale return to Anfield at a time when his coaching reputation was high.

“Steven and his coaching team have ensured that the club is clearly in a stronger position today than it was several seasons ago,” said then Rangers football executive Ross Wilson.

“We have shared a goal to advance the club, to modernise our facilities and to make the club win again.”

What Was Gerrard's Record at Aston Villa and in Saudi Arabia?

Gerrard did not last a year at Aston Villa.

Inconsistent results resulted in a 14th-place position at the conclusion of the 2021-22 campaign before a three-goal defeat at Craven Cottage placed them 17th in autumn 2022 when he was dismissed.

Across 2022, he won only eight of his 31 games, losing 15.

He moved to the Middle East in summer 2023 when he took over at the Saudi club.

His most recent job lasted 18 months and he moved on with the team placed 12th in the Saudi Pro League, only five points above the relegation zone.

“In summary, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a beneficial experience for me and for my family,” he said in late January. “But football is uncertain, and sometimes things don't go the way we want.”

These after Rangers exploits could cause some pause for thought and the man himself may have doubts over taking over a struggling squad, but Gerrard likely has the personality to manage such a prominent position.

He is the only Rangers manager to have won the championship since the legendary Walter Smith. That experience might well be hard to ignore for an pressured Ibrox board.