Rangers fans once used to seeing Steven Gerrard prowling the Ibrox touchline are slowly coming to terms with the fact they’ll be more likely to catch him on Match of the Day than in Govan.
Somewhere between Dean Smith’s sacking and that clip of Gerrard getting off the train in London, the Rangers support’s somewhat perfect vision of the club’s managerial structure was wiped out.
And we mean wiped out; the Gerrard-led Rangers backroom staff represented the most modern and dynamic in the club’s history and the depth of talent lost to Aston Villa is one which will be challenging to replicate.
Gerrard has gone, but the foundations on which his success was built have also been ripped up.
With it too are fractured pieces of Gerrard’s legacy scattered across the marble staircase of Ibrox Stadium.
Gerrard’s footprint on Rangers is evident everywhere, from the training ground to the changing rooms, and it’s something which will remain long after he leaves Villa Park let alone Ibrox.
In the modern footballing era of billionaire owners, global TV deals, and international superstardom, there has been no footballing figure more important than Gerrard to Rangers.
His three-and-a-half years at Ibrox took Rangers forward in a way which dwarfed the attempts of the previous seven.
Rangers caught up on and off the park and the club is fighting fit with the most coveted Championship in our history in the trophy room.
But the manner of Gerrard’s departure has felt like a low blow to supporters who – over the course of the last three months – have been subjected to comforting soundbites if not stuttering football.
Steven Gerrard repeatedly reassured fans he was committed to Rangers
We knew that Gerrard was set to depart Ibrox, but we just didn’t expect it to be soon, nor did we expect it to be so swift. And the reason why is Gerrard himself.
In the summer Gerrard said the football club had “gripped” him, that Rangers were in his heart and that his sole footballing mission was to defend the title “with our lives”.
Rangers fans had “nothing to worry about” in the “short term”.
Then came links to the Premier League aplenty, English newspapers near willing a return down south, each – from Tottenham to Crystal Palace to Newcastle United – seemingly planting a seed in the former Liverpool captain’s head.
Still, Gerrard told Emma Dodds not to ask him “silly questions” when asked about an exit.
This sticks in the craw and leads to accusations of Gerrard breaking from the famously loyal character of the man.
Only one week ago fans were lost in near manic chanting regarding Gerrard signing Fashion Sakala, preparing for Brondby in Copenhagen with Stevie G and his backroom staff in the Danish trenches.
Seven days later and fans are now trying to piece together an exit which does at times feel like a rug has been swept from underneath us.
But – and I think it’s important we as fans follow the club’s classy lead in this regard – abuse, bitterness and rancour shouldn’t be the order of the day at Ibrox even if a period of reflection is.
Rangers now an immensely attractive job – thanks to Steven Gerrard
Solemn as supporters might be, the Rangers hotseat is now a prized one, gleaming in a way which we probably couldn’t have imagined pre-Gerrard.
In 2018 Rangers were that much of a basket case Derek McInnes stayed at Pittodrie over Ibrox; this time around the mention of the ex-Dons boss alongside the job is making fans wince.
Any deluded rivals mentioning Murty, McInnes or Robbie Neilson are in for a shock when the next man walks in through the front door of the club.
The progress is astonishing. Whoever comes into this job comes into a team of Champions, four points clear in the Scottish Premiership, in a cup semi, 90 minutes from the knockout round of the Europa League, with a Champions League place up for grabs in six months.
It’s a squad transformed; only James Tavernier, Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Jack are the non-Gerrard signed senior players and just look at the influence that backroom staff had on them.
It’s also a talented squad of 22+ players – who’ll admittedly need some geeing up – chock full of internationals. What out of work manager wouldn’t want this job?
Especially, as Gerrard – and Rodgers to Leicester – has proved, Old Firm success is a strong platform to major Premier League opportunities.
Why Gerrard to Villa isn’t like Rodgers to Leicester
People have naturally compared this to Rodgers and Leicester – who like Gerrard modernised and professionalised Celtic albeit in different circumstances – but Gerrard’s situation is different.
Why? It’s the same reason why – when the dust settles – that every bluenose will reflect on Gerrard’s time as a success, more so than just in rebuilding a club in dire need of help.
Steven Gerrard achieved what he set out to at Rangers – in trying circumstances – and secured 55. Brendan Rodgers did not win 10IAR, as the old chant used to go. We won. Gerrard won.
Whilst some will argue as a result their bitterness remains justified, when the dust settles I don’t think we can say the same. Well, unless the next man screws things up.
That’s the big thing here – if Rangers get the appointment right and we get through this season successfully then Gerrard may well be forgiven.
But right now it hurts – there’s no doubt about it – even if on the face of things Steven Gerrard has left Rangers in a much better place than when he walked through the front door.
For that – and whilst we might not want to admit it right now – in many ways we are indebted to him and the backroom team.
I wish him all the best at Aston Villa but I’d be lying if I was to say it won’t hurt to see Steven Gerrard orchestrating things on the touchline on TV rather than at Ibrox Stadium in the weeks to come.
All the concentration is now on who replaces Gerrard at Ibrox with one name a favourite amongst fans and said to be keen for the job.
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