Gerrard can revive Rangers' fortunes and challenge Celtic - Adam

Steven Gerrard has been backed to handle the challenge of ending Celtic’s title dominance if he takes the Rangers job.

Rangers were embarrassed by Celtic at the weekend after a 5-0 loss ensured Brendan Rodgers’s side wrapped up their seventh consecutive league title.

Interim manager Graeme Murty has relieved of his position on the back of that defeat, paving the way for Gerrard to take over, and his former Liverpool team-mate Charlie Adam believes the Reds’ Under 18 coach has the mentality to get Rangers back to where they want to be.

"Stevie is a winner. He has been at the highest level," Adam told BBC SportSound

"Yes, he has not got the coaching experience of others, but you have got to start somewhere."

Adam started his playing career at Rangers and he believes that Gerrard is the right man to win Rangers their first league title since 2011.

"It is going to be a big one but I think he could be the one who could hopefully change the fortunes," said the former Scotland international.

"Good-quality players need to come in and they are hard to find and it is going to cost a lot of money.

"This is a different scenario to coaching the Under-18s at Liverpool, and we can't hide from that. There is a lot more pressure. Can he handle it? He has handled it all his career, so why can't he as a manager?

"It is a difficult situation because Celtic are on the crest of a wave, they have won seven titles in a row, and with the momentum they have got, it is going to be hard to stop Celtic.

"Financially, Celtic can sell three or four players for £30-£40m in the summer and re-invest that and be strong again. So, it is going to be a tough ask, but I think he is the one at the moment who could change it."

Lee McCulloch has also backed Gerrard to succeed at Ibrox, with the former Rangers player believing the ex-England captain’s playing history would command respect from the squad.

“There is no doubt that the first time he walks into that group, I can guarantee you that he will have respect from the players,” McCulloch said in his Evening Times column

“Every manager or coach has to start somewhere in the game and you are just looking for that club to take a chance on you and have that bit of faith in you.”