With crunch clashes against Genk and Livingston looming in the next five days,Martin is living on borrowed time. Failure to deliver results could spark another eruption from the terraces. For many Rangers faithful, the question isn’t if Martin survives, but when the board will finally act. And with fan unrest bubbling over, supporters are already scanning the market for potential replacements.
While plenty of names have been tossed around, the one that simply refuses to fade is that of Gerrard. The Liverpool legend, who guided Rangers to their first league crown since liquidation in 2012, is currently out of work and, crucially, now free to return to the UK. Gerrard was considered in the summer, but personal circumstances meant a Glasgow comeback wasn’t possible at the time. Now, with his situation changed, theidea of a sensational return to Ibrox feels more realistic than ever.
Former Scotland international Pat Nevin believes Gerrard may find the prospect too tempting to turn down.
“I think Rangers would be quite tempting for Gerrard because remember he’s the last one that won a league title,” he told betideas.com. “Celtic have had so many in a row. So you’ve got to look at Gerrard, he knew how to do that job for a period of time. There is a big but. Where are you taking Rangers from, particularly right now? Even just a look at the league table. It’s a big old ask. It’s a huge ask just now. So it’s whether he likes what he sees when he looks at that, would he be tempted by that?”
Other names have been thrown into the conversation, but none carry the weight Gerrard does. Sean Dyche has been mentioned by insiders, though Nevin questioned whether he truly fits the Rangers mould.
“I’ve got massive, massive respect for Sean Dyche,” he said. “And I think over a period of time he could do a decent job there. But I just don’t know if Rangers would pick him as the right fit. I really don’t know if they would. But I think he would do a good job.”
Barry Ferguson, a club legend who stepped in temporarily last season, is also in the frame. His tenure was steady, but questions remain over whether he has the stature fans demand.
“Barry Ferguson is interesting because Barry and the team he took in with him did okay last season. And had they had another season to build on it, you just never know. But that’s an interesting one,” he said.
“Although the Rangers fans love Barry and he is a club legend, would they also think that was something that would massively excite them going forward? No, I think they would want a bigger name. You find that with Celtic-Rangers, they’re expecting big names, world names, European names as their managers. Martin O’Neill was successful, Brendan Rodgers was successful.”
Martin’s short-term fate may hinge on the next week. Fail to beat Genk and Livingston, and the clamour for change will intensify. Should the board bow to fan pressure, Gerrard’s availability will be impossible to ignore. His previous spell in Glasgow remains the strongest argument for his return. The three years in charge revitalised the club, bringing discipline, identity, and ultimately, a long-awaited Scottish Premiership crown. That 2021 triumph, halting Celtic’s bid for ten-in-a-row, cemented his status as a modern Rangers hero. And for the fans, that memory hasn’t faded.
