Steven Gerrard already building Rangers backroom team as Gareth Southgate ally targeted if he lands job
Steven Gerrard is reportedly preparing early moves to assemble a high-calibre backroom team should he be confirmed as the next Rangers manager. Sources claim that Gerrard intends to target Steve Holland, the former England assistant coach who has worked closely with Gareth Southgate, as a key piece in his coaching staff. With Rangers in flux after the dismissal of Russell Martin, Gerrard’s prospective return is shaping up to involve a bold overhaul behind the scenes.
Gerrard eyes Steve Holland to lead coaching line
According to The Daily Record, Gerrard would like to persuade Steve Holland—who served as assistant to Gareth Southgate during England’s run to the 2021 European Championship final—to join his staff at Ibrox. Holland has an extensive coaching pedigree, having been part of the England setup under Southgate and previously holding senior coaching roles at clubs such as Chelsea. His potential move would send a strong signal about the ambition behind Gerrard’s return.
Adding Holland to his backroom team would not only bring international experience, but would also strengthen Gerrard’s coaching structure and provide strategic insight at a level beyond domestic competition. In the context of Rangers’ pressure to recover performance and status, such a signing would be a marquee statement.
Other targets and potential staff
Beyond Holland, Gerrard is reportedly considering a few other names to populate his backroom staff chart. Jermain Defoe, the former England striker who played under Gerrard at Rangers, is in line for a coaching role. Steven Davis, currently serving as Northern Ireland’s number two coach, is also being tipped as a candidate to assist in the technical setup. Meanwhile, Gerrard’s longtime collaborator Gary McAllister has not entirely ruled out a return to Ibrox, though his own commitments would need aligning.
Notably, Michael Beale, who previously worked under Gerrard at Rangers and later served as assistant manager at Saudi club Al-Ettifaq, is not expected to make a return to Gerrard’s proposed setup.
Rangers crisis and Gerrard’s bid to stabilize
The backdrop to these moves is the dramatic exit of Russell Martin, who was relieved of his duties following a rocky spell in charge. Gerrard is now among the leading contenders to replace him as Rangers seek to arrest their decline and reassert themselves domestically.
Rangers, long a powerhouse of Scottish football, have struggled recently to close the gap on rivals. Gerrard’s potential return would not just be symbolic — it’s viewed as a strategic reset. In that light, assembling a strong backroom structure of high-level coaching talent is critical to underpin any turnaround.
With Gerrard targeting Holland and others, the story combines themes of managerial return, backroom team build, coaching staff overhaul, and Gerrard Rangers reunion. Keywords such as Rangers coaching staff, Gerrard backroom team, Gerrard managerial return, Steve Holland Rangers, and Gerrard backroom overhaul all weave naturally into the narrative. As speculation grows, Gerrard’s prospective return gains definition — not just in who leads from the touchline, but how the entire coaching structure would look.
If Steven Gerrard is confirmed as Rangers manager, he appears intent not just on winning titles, but on doing so with a deep, strategically built backroom team. Targeting a Gareth Southgate-ally like Steve Holland signals ambition, intent and an eye for quality at every level of the coaching staff.
