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Steven Gerrard is at the center of discussion after Rangers dismissed Russell Martin on the weekend, and the former manager will discuss a possible return with the club's leadership.

The decision-makers at Ibrox announced that a "comprehensive, thoughtful recruitment process" is currently underway.

Other candidates are set to be reviewed, however if the former Liverpool and England captain is open to a second stint at Ibrox, is the job essentially his?

The mid-forties coach has recently spoken about “remaining goals” in coaching and revealed he has started approaching potential staff for his backroom team.

In a recent audio discussion with the former defender, which seemed to be filmed prior to Martin's short reign ended, Gerrard expressed he desired “to be at a team that's set to challenge to win because I believe that fits me better”.

He added: “If the suitable offer arrives, the right club, the correct opportunity, and I've got my people set, which I will have at some point, I'll accept that role because it's in me.”

Performance at Rangers in Initial Period

After gaining knowledge as a youth development manager at Anfield, Gerrard took on his first managerial role in the mid-year of 2018.

During three complete campaigns at Rangers, he secured just one trophy – however it was a big one.

After finishing nine and 13 points behind Celtic in his initial pair of seasons, Gerrard guided Rangers to their first top-flight title in a decade, which coincidentally deny their Old Firm rivals an historic 10-in-a-row win.

And he achieved it in style, with his team unbeaten in the process.

Rangers won all of their domestic games, scored 92 goals and conceded a only 13.

The drawback was that it occurred amid of the pandemic and empty stadiums.

It remains Rangers' only title success since the 2010-11 season.

How Did Gerrard's Derby Record Look?

In stark contrast to Martin's unhappy spell, Gerrard started strongly at Rangers, remaining 12 games without defeat until his first visit to Parkhead.

In his first season the Old Firm honours were even, each side earning two domestic victories, with Rangers having previously defeated Celtic in 2012.

A pair of defeats to Celtic came in the following truncated season, followed by Rangers securing a victory in the east end of Glasgow for the first time since 2010.

After that, Gerrard remained undefeated in Old Firm clashes, claiming five additional and tying once.

Rangers came through four stages of qualifying to reach the main phase of the European competition in Gerrard's first season.

In the 2019-20 campaign, they progressed to the knockout rounds of the identical competition, being eliminated to Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16, with their journey concluding at the identical round the next year.

Why Did Gerrard Leave Rangers?

Aston Villa came calling in late 2021, paying £4.5m in compensation.

He left Rangers with a lead clear of Celtic at the summit of the standings – however their local opponents would recover to win by the identical gap.

The lure of the English top flight is powerful and it may have been seen as the next logical step on a fairytale return to Liverpool at a time when his managerial stock was at its peak.

“Steven and his backroom staff have made sure that the team is clearly in a stronger position today than it was three-and-a-half years ago,” said at the time Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson.

“We have shared a goal to advance the club, to update our infrastructure and to return the team to winning ways.”

How Did Gerrard's Record at Aston Villa and in Saudi Arabia?

Gerrard did not last a full season at Villa Park.

Inconsistent results yielded a mid-table finish at the end of the 2021-22 campaign before a 3-0 defeat at Craven Cottage left them 17th in October 2022 when he was dismissed.

Across 2022, he secured only eight of his 31 games, suffering defeat in 15.

He transferred to the Middle East in summer 2023 when he took over at the Saudi club.

His latest job lasted a year and a half and he departed with the club sitting in 12th in the Saudi Pro League, only five points above the drop zone.

“Overall, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a beneficial journey personally 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.”

These after Rangers experiences could cause some pause for thought and the individual may have doubts over taking over a struggling squad, but Gerrard probably has the personality to manage such a high-profile position.

He is the sole Rangers boss to have won the league trophy since the legendary Walter Smith. That achievement could be hard to ignore for an under-pressure Rangers leadership.