After 24 hours of frenzied excitement it seems that there are some stumbling blocks over Steven Gerrard’s appointment as manager at Ibrox.
It follows a similar pattern played out over three days last week over Davide Ancelotti fronting up next season’s Revolution!
With Barry Ferguson ruled out by a club statement on Sunday afternoon there was a need to get the message out to fans that there is a plan in place to deflect attention away from the fact that Issame Charai is now the most senior football person at the club.
Charai’s greatest managerial role was 17 months in charge of the Moroccan u-23 side.
On Monday the messengers were all over rumours about Gerrard who had an unsuccessful spell at Al Ettifaq which ended in January with a record of 1.33 points per match over 55 games. He also signed Jack Hendry.
Gerrard quit Ibrox in October 2022 for Aston Villa where he lasted 40 matches on 1.18 points per game before Unai Emery came to the rescue with relegation looming.
Since being sacked by Al Ettifaq there has been virtually no speculation about offers in England for Gerrard but with a fascination for the past there will always be links to Ibrox.
With Paddy Stewart proving clueless, incoming Director of Football Kevin Thelwell still employed by Everton and no sign of the fabled 49GERS takeover things are looking bleak for loyal bears.
After the bounce, excitement and discussion about Gerrard, Keith Jackson has issued a warning that the return of the former Liverpool captain isn’t as imminent as some might wish.
Indeed there might be some significant issues for the hen-pecked former England star to overcome as Jackson reveals in tonight’s Daily Record:
Gerrard is even thought to have talks about the make-up of his backroom team with ex-Rangers star Steven Davis and his former Anfield team-mate Jordan Henderson tipped to follow him to Glasgow.
Rangers are staying silent on the speculation – insisting only that the process to secure a new permanent boss continues following the decision to part company with interim boss Barry Ferguson on Sunday.
But, although Gerrard is being widely presented as the last man standing and preferred candidate, Record Sport understands the 44-year-old’s appointment is not over the line just yet.
In fact, sources close to the former England skipper believe he will first have to convince his wife Alex that the family should return to Glasgow in order to allow him to take over at Rangers for a second term – four years after leaving the Ibrox club to move to take over at Aston Villa.
It’s understood the family has settled into a life of luxury at a £10k per month mansion in Bahrain and that Gerrard’s wife has no desire to leave the trappings of success in the Middle East behind.
On the contrary, the pair have discussed a possible move to the United Arab Emirates and the couple’s favourite holiday resort of Dubai.
There are suggestions that Gerrard has asked Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell and Gretar Steinsson of the San Francisco 49ers for more time to talk the move offer with his missus.
But Rangers, with an American takeover in its final throes, Rangers will want a final definitive answer before the end of this week.
He’d be some negotiator if he persuaded Mrs G to leave Bahrain and potential move to Dubai for Glasgow area
— Wullie🇮🇩 (@auchenshoogle_) May 20, 2025
During his first spell at Ibrox Gerrard shared a west end flat with Gary McAllister with his wife and family remaining on Merseyside.
The provided a useful escape route when results weren’t going his way, expecting his wife to relocate to Glasgow or Liverpool with school age kids so that Mister Gerrard can work his managerial magic on Connor Barron, John Souttar, Liam Kelly, Ross McCausland and Lyall Cameron might be a tough task.
With tonight’s story out there it prepares Ibrox fans for another let-down after word emerged that Davide Ancelotti wasn’t ready to break free from Daddy until after next year’s World Cup Finals.
Plus, there is always the issue of re-employing The Brains Behind Gerrard- Micky Beale.
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