Rangers must take lessons from Steven Gerrard tenure as Danny Rohl future uncertain
Rangers are paying serious consideration to the idea of sacking Danny Rohl after he became the first Gers manager in 26 years to lose three consecutive league games.
The Gers were beaten by Celtic in the Old Firm derby on Sunday, with goals from Yang Hyun-jun and Daizen Maeda ruling Mikey Moore’s early finish irrelevant.
Just a few weeks ago, Rangers had been on a run of four consecutive wins in the Scottish Premiership and were hunting down league leaders Hearts.
But defeats to Motherwell, Hearts and Celtic have left Rohl’s team resigned to third place and set to end the season without a trophy.
Decision-makers at Ibrox have already sacked Russell Martin this season, and the Rangers manager could be set to follow him out of the door.
👔 Rangers Manager News 👔
Get the inside track on the Ibrox dugout with real-time updates on shortlist candidates and key boardroom decisions.
VISIT THE NEXT MANAGER HUBRangers gave Steven Gerrard time
Steven Gerrard has been linked with the Rangers job once more, despite having turned it down earlier in the season in the wake of Martin’s departure.
The former Liverpool midfielder has been out of work since 2023, but remains a trusted and loved figure at Ibrox for the unbeaten title he delivered in 2021.
| Steven Gerrard | (Rangers 2018-2021) |
| Wins | 124 |
| Draws | 41 |
| Losses | 27 |
| Scored | 407 |
| Conceded | 139 |
| Points per game | 2.15 |
Rangers fans should also remember the two seasons that built up to that momentous achievement, however.
In 2018, Gerrard was just 38, one year older than Rohl, and he had arrived with almost no managerial experience at all.
Rangers’ first season under the former midfielder saw them finish second in the Scottish Premiership, eliminated at the group stage of the Europa League, and knocked out of the League Cup and the Scottish Cup by Aberdeen.
Some fans undoubtedly called for Gerrard to be sacked, but decision-makers stuck with him, and stuck with him again after another trophy-less season that had been ended early by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ibrox decision-makers were eventually rewarded for their faith with one of the best league campaigns in Scottish history.
There is no guarantee that Rohl will be able to pull off a similar feat, but there is surely sense in allowing him to build something.
Problems at Rangers are beyond Danny Rohl
Rohl should absolutely face criticism for the way his team have played over the last three games – Rangers have thrown away any chance at the Scottish Premiership.
But there is an argument that, without the German, they never would have had a chance of potentially competing in the first place.
The 37-year-old arrived to take over a squad completely lacking confidence after a woeful start to the season under Martin.
Rangers have fought back in the months since Rohl’s appointment, and while the young manager has much to learn, he is working with a squad that is clearly not good enough.
Should decision-makers at Ibrox decide to back the German this summer, they must ensure that he is given the tools to take Rangers back to the top.
Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Rangers Insider Access
Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Govan.