It won’t be Steven Gerrard in the Ibrox dugout facing Celtic again.
Despite widespread speculation about a sensational return to Rangers to challenge Celtic’s ongoing dominance, Gerrard has turned down the opportunity. While there’s been plenty of talk around Ibrox about halting Celtic’s trophy run, the Hoops have consistently come out on top, leaving their rivals struggling to keep up.
Gerrard, who remains a hero to many Rangers fans for delivering just one title out of nine possible trophies, has opted not to take the reins again — a decision that hasn’t gone down well with fellow Liverpool legend Steve Nicol.
Speaking on ESPN, Nicol dismissed claims that Gerrard’s decision was down to “bad timing,” insisting instead that the former Aston Villa boss simply isn’t interested in the job.
“Not really,” Nicol said when asked if he was surprised by Gerrard’s rejection. “When you take on a job, you want the right tools to succeed — and right now, Rangers don’t have them. I don’t think their squad is anywhere near capable of winning the Scottish Premiership, never mind competing in Europe.
“Does Steven Gerrard really want to walk into that situation? I don’t think so. Rangers don’t have the money to rebuild, and he knows it.
“He said, ‘the timing’s wrong,’ but that’s just another way of saying, ‘I’m not interested.’ Let’s be honest — that’s all it is. What does ‘bad timing’ even mean in this case?”
Nicol’s blunt assessment paints a clear picture: Gerrard’s decision may have less to do with timing and more to do with the daunting challenge of catching up to a dominant Celtic side.
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