Steven Gerrard said he needed three things sorted to ensure him he could topple Celtic as manager of Rangers.
The legendary midfielder took charge of the Premiership side in 2018 for what was his first gig as a senior boss. He left in November 2021 for Aston Villa, just months after securing title 55 and ending Celtic dreams of 10 in-a-row, a challenge which Gerrard relished when taking the reigns.
He knew how difficult it was to get ahead of the Hoops on league duty but insists that he knew that when taking the job, forging three relationships would be key to doing so. He told The Manager Magazine: "As soon as I came off the call with Rangers I knew it was the right club culture for me. I immediately felt wanted and I saw the potential for me to have a genuine connection with the supporters. I’ve always been game for those types of risks and I knew that if I could forge good relationships with the supporters, the players and my coaching team then we had huge potential to be successful.
"You don’t accomplish anything by yourself, so humility and working with everyone in the club, both on and off the pitch, is incredibly important. “I knew that the chairman, Dave King, had my back, that we would work well together and that he would be there to guide me as a young manager should I need it.
"He fully understood the situation the club was in, but we put in place a plan together, we met regularly and knew there needed to be clarity and alignment from top to bottom, with everybody pulling in the same direction.
"When you achieve anything, though, it’s a process, a journey, and no matter what anyone says, it’s never about just one individual. I, and everyone in my coaching staff, played our part in achieving Rangers’ 55th title.
“Understandably, people often fear change, so it’s really important to be able to communicate your ideas clearly. During any period of change within football there are difficult conversations to be had, for example, when you have to tell players they aren’t part of the squad moving forward.
"I then had the challenge of going out and convincing players we targeted that Rangers was the football club for them, and that they could improve the team and keep taking the club forward. There were times when I had to take criticism, pressure and responsibility on my own shoulders to protect my staff and my players.”
Since getting sacked by Aston Villa earlier this season, Gerrard has taken on pundtiry roles. But he has revealed he has also turned down returns to the dugout, with one particular chance of interest.
He added: "You have to reset, wait and be patient for the fire and fight to return. I’ve been offered opportunities to manage at club and international level since I left Villa, including an exciting opportunity in an overseas league, but none have been right for me at this time."
