Ex-Aston Villa boss with ghastly 33% win record could now land major new managerial role

Aston Villa will be relieved to have returned to winning ways over recent weeks. They made a slow start to the new Premier League season. The Midlands outfit took a while to get going but seem to have clicked into gear now.

They beat Burnley 2-1 at home in their latest outing over the weekend with attacker Donyell Malen on the score sheet twice against the Clarets. Unai Emery’s side now head into the international break carrying momentum and they will be in confident. Their next league outing is an away trip to Tottenham Hotspur in a couple of weeks.

Former Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard linked with Rangers return

Former Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard is in contention for a return to Rangers. The Guardian claim he is under ‘strong consideration’ for the vacant position at Ibrox. The report has also mentioned Danny Röhl and Sean Dyche as two potential candidates for the job.

The Gers are in the hunt for a new manager following their decision to sack Russell Martin. They turned to the former MK Dons, Swansea City and Southampton man over the summer. However, his time in Glasgow didn’t go to plan.

Gerrard, 44, is currently available following his exit from Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia. He has been considering his options over the past few months. As a player, he was a key player for Liverpool and went on to play 710 games for the Anfield club in all competitions, chipping in with 185 goals.

He then retired in 2016 after a final spell at LA Galaxy. Gerrard has since delved into the managerial world and started out at Rangers. He then landed the Aston Villa job in 2021 and went on to win only 33% of games at the helm.

After moving to Villa Park, he said at the time: At the time, he said: “Aston Villa is a club with a rich history and tradition in English football and I am immensely proud to become its new Head Coach. In my conversations with Nassef, Wes and the rest of the Board, it was apparent how ambitious their plans are for the club and I am looking forward to helping them achieve their aims.“

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everybody associated with Glasgow Rangers for giving me the opportunity to manage such an iconic football club. Helping them secure a record-breaking 55th league title will always hold a special place in my heart. I would like to wish the players, staff and supporters the very best for the future.”

What now for ex-Aston Villa man Steven Gerrard?

A return to Rangers would see Gerrard go back to familiar surroundings. They have been in a mess over recent times and are playing catch up with the likes of Hearts and Celtic now. Their 2-2 draw with Falkirk over the weekend proved to be the final straw for Martin.

Gerrard’s time at Aston Villa didn’t quite go to plan in the end. He won the Scottish Premiership title during his days at Rangers but wasn’t able to adapt to life in the dugout in England. He was given the chop in October 2022 and was replaced by Emery. Villa haven’t look back and now find themselves playing European football. Emery’s men will be in good spirits after their recent upturn in form and will want to get another result when they make their return against Spurs.

As for Rangers, they haven’t won the league since his departure. Celtic have asserted their dominance under Brendan Rodgers and have consistently proved to be the strongest team above the border. However, they now face fresh competition from in-form Hearts.