Rangers had just won their first league title in ten years when Steven Gerrard guided his side to number 55.
The then manager had looked close to quitting at one stage after two trophyless seasons only to then master mind an invincible league victory in the most emphatic fashion.
It looked as though Rangers had finally cracked it, all Steven Gerrard had to do was follow up his first trophy in charge with domestic dominance and the coveted Liverpool job could be his.
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Rangers opportunity could have led Steven Gerrard to Liverpool
Fast forward three years and he couldn’t be further away from it as Jurgen Klopp gets set to leave Anfield and take some time out of the game after nearly 10 years in the Premier League.
What must gall Gerrard the most is seeing someone like Arne Slot being linked with the manager’s job.
The Feyenoord manager has a fine reputation but his experience is purely in the Eredivisie and has just one league title and one cup to his name.
The Dutch league last season was as much a two-horse race as the Scottish Premiership, but it is style of play and performance that has seen Slot’s name emerge at the top of the queue after Xavi Alonso opted to stay at Bayer Leverkusen.
Gerrard blew what was almost an easy chance to win the treble in his last full season in charge.
Defeats to St Mirren and St Johnstone respectively when Celtic were out of both cup competitions was unforgiveable.
The league success was celebrated as it should have been, however, it was an opportunity lost.
Gerrard to blame for management career downfall
What should have been the start of something ended up being the beginning of the end.
Gerrard had been backed heavily by the board and the Covid-19 pandemic saw losses north of £25m for the title winning season despite decent success in Europe.
He was never going to get a lot of money to spend but was instead allowed to keep the key players who had been so dominant in 2020/21 adding only John Lundstram and Fashion Sakala to the first-team roster.
With Celtic in disarray, rebuilding a new squad and selling players right up until deadline day, Rangers had a great chance to put the foot down.
Instead, the foot was taken off the throttle.
Michael Beale openly admitted that Rangers weren’t pressing as high and weren’t playing with the same intensity that had served them so well previously.
The ultimate cost, might end up being Steven Gerrard never getting to sit in the coveted Liverpool manager’s seat.
Had he been aggressive in the second half against Malmo at Ibrox, Rangers might have qualified for the Champions League group stages.
Subsequently, Gerrard would have been given more money to spend and strengthen the squad, a squad that should have defended it’s crown.
Would his head have been turned so easily if he had Champions League football at Rangers and a bigger budget?
Liverpool have looked at Slot and seen a manager with a clear plan, one that fits their ethos.
Nobody knows Liverpool better than Steven Gerrard, and yet, he lost his way at Rangers, panicked and ran before he could walk.
