Ally McCoist offers his thoughts on Steven Gerrard’s potential Rangers return, but insists Philippe Clement ‘isn’t the problem’.
The man who halted Celtic’s pursuit of ten consecutive league titles and delivered Rangers’ 55th championship isn’t enjoying his time in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq.
With some fans beginning to criticize Philippe Clement following losses to Kilmarnock and Aberdeen, speculation about Gerrard’s return has resurfaced.
Clement remains in charge for now after guiding Rangers to the Premier Sports Cup final with a victory over Motherwell, but another poor result could intensify the pressure.
McCoist believes Gerrard would be welcomed back to Rangers. Of the names linked to a potential managerial change, Gerrard stands out as one of the most high-profile candidates.
His connection to the club and his relatively successful stint in charge make him a notable option.
Some Rangers supporters believe he could reignite the winning mentality that characterized his first spell, though others point out that his sole major trophy at Ibrox was the league title. While Clement still holds the reins, the topic was raised on talkSPORT this morning.
“I think Gerrard would be welcomed back,” McCoist said. “He won the title during his time at Rangers, and I’m sure the fans would embrace him again.
“But let me be clear, Jeff [Stelling], the issues at Rangers run much deeper than just the manager at the moment. The problems are structural and require attention at the highest level. Things need to be sorted at the top before anything else can improve.
“When there’s instability at the top—no full-time chairman, no director of football, no chief executive—it’s bound to have a knock-on effect. I don’t care what anyone says, it must impact what happens on the pitch.
“So, to answer your question, yes, I think Gerrard would be welcomed back. But he certainly has a tough job ahead of him in Saudi Arabia right now.”
Gerrard under pressure at Al-Ettifaq. The growing speculation about Gerrard’s potential return is partly fueled by his difficult situation at Al-Ettifaq.
The 44-year-old has endured a six-match winless streak with the Saudi side, and various reports suggest he is under increasing pressure and may be on the verge of losing his job.
Following a recent defeat to Al Qadsiah, Gerrard was booed by his own supporters, who had already seen the team suffer a cup defeat to lower-league opposition days earlier.
Speaking after the game, Gerrard took responsibility for the poor performance: “I spoke to the players. If we had played like this earlier, we wouldn’t have put ourselves in such an embarrassing situation, and I take full responsibility for that.
“We conceded the first goal from a set piece, and in the past, we were much better at defending set pieces. The second goal came from a young player, and he made the same mistake he made against Al-Fayha. The player is young, and I accept responsibility for that second goal.
“I take full responsibility for playing a young player in defense. He has limited experience, and his signing was meant to be for his development in the future. Using him was a mistake, but injuries left us with few options.”