In a stunning twist that has left Rangers supporters reeling, Steven Gerrard has pulled out of the race to become the new Ibrox manager. The Liverpool legend, hailed as a hero for guiding the Gers to the Scottish Premiership title in 2021—snapping Celtic’s nine-year dominance—had been deep in constructive talks with the club’s hierarchy. Sources reveal an agreement was tantalizingly close just yesterday, with discussions progressing positively over Thursday and Friday. Gerrard, who departed for Aston Villa in November 2021 and later managed Al-Ettifaq until January, even met Ibrox officials in London after returning from Bahrain.
Yet, in a move echoing the summer’s frustrations when similar hopes fizzled, Gerrard cited timing as the crux: “It wasn’t quite right at this stage.” He expressed gratitude for the fans’ unwavering support and left the door ajar for a future return, wishing the club well. This follows Russell Martin’s abrupt sacking after a dismal 1-1 draw at Falkirk, leaving interim coaches like Steven Smith and Brian Gilmour to steer the ship ahead of Saturday’s clash with Dundee United.
Enter Danny Röhl, the former Sheffield Wednesday boss, now the bookmakers’ darling and Rangers’ top target. The 35-year-old German tactician has impressed in preliminary meetings with owners, including the 49ers-backed regime under Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe. Röhl’s exit from Hillsborough stemmed from financial woes, not performance—his energetic style and youth development nous align with Ibrox’s vision. Other names like Graham Potter, Gary O’Neil, Derek McInnes, and Kevin Muscat linger, but Röhl leads the pack.
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