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Steven Gerrard has been in the spotlight of conversation after Rangers dismissed Russell Martin on the weekend, while the ex-coach is set to talk about a possible comeback with the team's leadership.

Those in charge at Rangers have stated that a "thorough, considered hiring procedure" is now in progress.

Additional names will be considered, but if the former Anfield and Three Lions captain is open to a second stint at Ibrox, could the position as good as his?

The 45-year-old coach has recently spoken about “unfinished business” in management and disclosed he has begun approaching potential staff for his backroom team.

In a recent podcast interview with Rio Ferdinand, appearing to be filmed before Martin's short reign concluded, Gerrard stated he wanted “to be at a team that's set to compete to win because I think that suits me better”.

He added: “If the suitable offer arrives, the appropriate team, 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 in me.”

Performance at Rangers in Initial Period

After gaining experience as a youth development manager at Anfield, Gerrard accepted his first managerial role in the summer of 2018.

During three complete seasons at Ibrox, he won only a single trophy – however it proved significant.

Following placements of nine and 13 points after their rivals in his first two seasons, Gerrard guided Rangers to their maiden premiership championship in a decade, which coincidentally deny their Glasgow rivals an unprecedented 10-in-a-row title.

And he achieved it impressively, with his team undefeated in the process.

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

The drawback was that it came amid of Covid and fanless grounds.

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

What Was Gerrard's Derby Record Look?

In stark contrast to Martin's unhappy experience, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, going 12 games without defeat until his first visit to Parkhead.

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

A pair of defeats to Celtic occurred in the next shortened season, followed by Rangers winning in the east end of Glasgow for the first time since 2010.

After that, Gerrard stayed unbeaten in derbies, claiming five additional and tying once.

Rangers came through four stages of preliminaries to enter the group stage of the Europa League in Gerrard's debut season.

In the 2019-20 campaign, they advanced to the knockout rounds of the identical competition, losing out to the German side in the last 16, with their journey ending at the identical round the following season.

Why Did Gerrard Depart Rangers?

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

He departed Rangers with a lead ahead of Celtic at the summit of the standings – but their city rivals would recover to win by the same margin.

The attraction of the Premier League is strong and it could have been viewed as the next logical step on a fairytale comeback to Liverpool at a point when his coaching reputation was high.

“Steven and his coaching team have ensured that the club is clearly in a better place today than it was three-and-a-half years ago,” said then Rangers football executive Ross Wilson.

“We have shared a desire to move Rangers forward, to update our infrastructure and to return the team to winning ways.”

What Was Gerrard's Record at Villa & Al-Ettifaq?

Gerrard failed to complete a year at Villa Park.

Up and down performances resulted in a mid-table finish at the conclusion of the 2021-22 campaign before a 3-0 defeat at Craven Cottage left them in 17th in October 2022 when he was sacked.

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

He transferred to the Middle East in summer 2023 when he assumed control at the Saudi club.

His latest job continued for 18 months and he moved on with the team placed 12th in the Saudi Pro League, only five points clear of the relegation zone.

“In summary, I have learned a lot, and it's been a positive experience for me and for my family,” he remarked in the end of January. “But football is uncertain, and sometimes things don't go the way we want.”

Those after Rangers exploits may give some pause for thought and the individual may have concerns over inheriting a underperforming team, but Gerrard likely has the character to handle such a prominent position.

He is the sole Rangers boss to have lifted the league trophy since the great Walter Smith. That experience could be hard to ignore for an under-pressure Ibrox board.