Rangers are set to land their first top-tier title in a decade
Steven Gerrard may eventually fulfil his destiny of returning to Liverpool as manager, but now is not the right time.
That’s the view of Kris Commons, who in his time as a player at Celtic won five Scottish titles in the run that Gerrard looks to have brought to an end.
Another seven points will see Rangers crowned champions, and the Anfield icon isn’t just impressing domestically.
Rangers are unbeaten in 11 European matches this season, and will face Slavia Prague later this month in the Europa League’s last 16.
It’s the second consecutive season in which the Ibrox side have reached that stage, and last week’s 5-2 win over Royal Antwerp was Gerrard’s 24th in European competition as Rangers manager, surpassing Ibrox legend Walter Smith’s tally of 23.
Speculation that Gerrard will replace Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield dugout continues, but Commons believes the Englishman should hold off for the time being.
Writing on page 16 of The Verdict in Monday’s Scottish Daily Mail, Commons said: “The stories over the weekend were linking him (Klopp) with a return home to Germany, taking over as head coach of the national team from Joachim Low after the Euros this summer.
“Gerrard would then be lured away from Ibrox to take over from Klopp at Anfield. That’s the theory, at least.
“There have been suggestions that the owners of Liverpool have already identified him as their number one target, should such a scenario unfold with Klopp.
“But I don’t see it being quite as simple as that. For starters, there’s still so much for Gerrard to achieve at Rangers – and so many boxes left to tick.
“I don’t believe that simply beating Celtic to win a league title is the end-game for Gerrard. He’ll see the bigger picture and want to achieve more than that.
“He has the chance to have a crack at Champions League football next season and to build on the stellar work in the Europa League over the past three seasons.
“He will take Rangers into next season’s Champions League as title winners. The Champions route in the qualifiers is highly favourable and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t reach the group stage.
“From there, anything is possible. Given some of the outstanding results they’ve produced in Europe over the past couple of years, who’s to say Gerrard wouldn’t guide Rangers into the last 16 of the Champions League and beyond?
“His stock as an excellent young manager would only rise further. He would also have the chance to add to that by potentially securing another league title next season.
“Timing can be everything in football and I fully understand the attraction and the emotional pull Liverpool would have on him, if they were to offer him the job.
“But, right now, I’m just not sure the time is right. I believe Gerrard would be better served by staying at Rangers, giving them one more year and having a crack at the Champions League.
“That would really cement his reputation as one of the best young managers in Europe.”
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