Media playback is not supported on this device Rangers job is massive for Steven Gerrard, says Andy Cole
Rangers are confident of appointing former Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard as manager in the coming days.
BBC Scotland understands talks between the club and Gerrard have gone well, with the 37-year-old believed to be keen on taking over at Ibrox.
Gerrard is a youth development coach at Anfield.
Graeme Murty, 43, has been in charge of Rangers since October following the sacking of Pedro Caixinha.
Brendan Rodgers, Gerrard's former boss at Liverpool, is currently manager of Celtic, who are attempting to win back-to-back domestic trebles.
Former midfielder Gerrard played 710 times and won nine trophies for Liverpool during 19 years as a player, before joining MLS side LA Galaxy in 2015.
He also made 114 appearances for England and captained the side at three of the six major tournaments he played at.
Gerrard retired in 2016 and joined the youth set-up at Anfield after rejecting an offer to become manager of MK Dons.
He said at the time that the offer from MK Dons had "come a bit too soon".
"His understanding of the game is good," said Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez, who was manager when Liverpool, with Gerrard as captain, won the Champions League in 2005.
"He has had different managers so he will have seen different visions, which is important."
Gerrard attended Rangers' 3-2 Premiership defeat by champions-elect Celtic in March.
Scotland manager Alex McLeish said on Thursday that he was "certain" Gerrard could be "a good man manager".
Gerrard agrees deal to become Rangers manager
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The Liverpool legend and current Reds youth coach will take his first senior management job with the Premiership side
Rangers hope to confirm Steven Gerrard as their new manager this week after the Liverpool legend agreed a deal with the Scottish club, Goal understands.
Gerrard is set to take his first steps in senior management by replacing Graeme Murty at Ibrox. The former Reds midfielder will give up his role as Liverpool’s Under-18s boss, and plans to appoint another ex-Red, Gary McAllister, as his assistant. An official announcement is expecting in the coming days.
It brings the tantalising prospect of the former England captain going head-to-head with former boss Brendan Rodgers, whose Celtic side have dominated in Scotland over the past decade.
While Rangers are battling Hibernian and Aberdeen for second spot in the Scottish Premiership, Celtic are closing on a second successive domestic treble. The Gers have not beaten their Glasgow rivals in their last 10 attempts.
Gerrard’s task will be to reverse that trend and to close the gap between the two clubs, despite an inferior budget. The 37-year-old has made no secret of his desire to move into management after a productive 12 months coaching at Liverpool’s Academy. He has been linked with a series of posts in the Football League, but has insisted he will know when the time is right to launch his managerial career.
Rangers’ approach came last week, but Gerrard was keen to seek assurances over transfer and wage budgets before committing. In the absence of a permanent manager, director of football Mark Allen has been taking the lead with regards to player recruitment, with Burnley midfielder Scott Arfield and Hull City goalkeeper Allan McGregor lined up for next season. Millwall striker Lee Gregory is also being targeted.
Speaking on Friday, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said the club would not stand in Gerrard’s way should he wish to leave.
"Steven is, was and always will be a Liverpool legend,” Klopp said. "We will support him whatever he wants to do. Simple as that.
"I can imagine that clubs are interested in signing Stevie. Massive experience as a player, and now as a manager. I would think about him as well if I owned a club."
News of Gerrard’s imminent arrival has, as expected, caused quite a stir north of the border, though a number of commentators have warned he faces a daunting task.
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Graeme Souness, the former Liverpool midfielder, said: "It doesn’t matter what Steven has achieved as a player, there is nothing that prepares you for management.
"The responsibility you feel to supporters is enormous and it’s how you deal with that burden. That is what brings the pressure. He would be going into a club that is on the back foot, that has been in turmoil for almost a decade now."
Souness did, however, add that: "it is not impossible to bridge that gap (to Celtic) with clever loans and smart buying, and although Celtic have an advantage, I don’t see it as being an insurmountable challenge."
Steven Gerrard will be the next Rangers manager, providing three issues – so far unspecified – are resolved between the former England and Liverpool midfielder and the Ibrox board.
The Sunday Telegraph can disclose, however, that spending on players is not one of the outstanding matters and that Gerrard has been assured that he can make a case-by-case argument for cash to be released for preferred transfer targets.
The same arrangement permitted Mark Warburton to sign Joey Barton on exceptional terms and also for Pedro Caixinha, during his brief reign, to bring Carlos Pena and Bruno Alves to Ibrox for wages that were cited as necessary to add exceptional strength to the playing squad.
Gary McAllister,...
Celtic wrapped up the Scottish Premiership title with a thumping 5-0 win over Rangers at Celtic Park.
Odsonne Edouard bagged a double while James Forrest, Tom Rogic and Callum McGregor were also on target for Brendan Rodgers’ side.
Liverpool legend and current U18s manager Steven Gerrard, who played under Rodgers at Anfield, has been linked with taking over the vacant managerial hotseat at Ibrox.
However, the 37-year-old has now been warned off taking his first senior role with Rangers by fans up and down the country following the thumping defeat this afternoon.
Take a look through the gallery above to see some of the best reactions as Steven Gerrard is warned off taking the manager’s job at Rangers.
