If Steven Gerrard’s dream of managing Liverpool is to be based on his success as a manager then history shows he’ll likely have to make one more step after Rangers.
Not since Graeme Souness departed Ibrox in 1989 has any boss of either of the Old Firm gone directly to one of the so-called Big Four - and before the Premier League was awash with billions of pounds.
But that was at a time when Scottish football’s top sides were a match for the best in England and our game commanded more respect south of the border.
Nine years later and Souness’ successor Walter Smith, after leading the Light Blues to a trophy-laden spell at Ibrox including nine successful titles, landed the job at Liverpool’s rivals Everton.
But the Toffee Men had just escaped relegation from the top flight on goal difference and sums up the change in a relatively short space of time.
There is an argument that Gerrard could land the Anfield gig regardless of his achievements elsewhere as a manager given his legendary status at Liverpool in the same way Frank Lampard got the Chelsea job after a spell at Derby County.
However, if we take sentiment out of the equation then the chances are his work at Rangers won’t be enough.
And that is why the 41-year-old might well consider a move to Aston Villa as Ibrox chiefs brace themselves for an approach for their title-winning manager.
If he moved to the Midlands side and then proved himself then a switch to Anfield would seem a more obvious step.
Some might argue that Villa Park isn’t a big jump up but Record Sport Online looks back at previous successful Rangers and Celtic bosses and discovers that it might be as good as he’s going to get.
Brendan Rodgers - Leicester City
The Northern Irishman couldn’t have done any more domestically having led the club to an unprecedented double trouble - the first of which he did without losing a game - and well on their way to a third clean sweep.
But he quit with the Hoops riding high in a shock mid-season move to take the reins at the Foxes who were 12th in the table and eight points off the relegation zone less than three years after the high of their historic title win.
Rodgers is slightly different in that he had a reputation south of the border having already been in charge of one of the Big Four after coming within a whisker of winning the title at Liverpool.
Neil Lennon - Bolton Wanderers
If ever there was an example that English clubs disregard the work of a manager north of the border then this has to be it.
A legend as a player at Parkhead, the former Hoops captain made the transition to the dug-out where he lifted three titles - albeit without the challenge of Rangers for two of them - and two Scottish Cups.
But the biggest selling point on his CV was that unforgettable Champions League victory over Barcelona and a last-16 place in Europe’s premier competition.
What did it get him? His next job - and it came five months after quitting Celtic - was at Championship BOTTOM club Bolton who were an off-field mess.
Gordon Strachan - Middlesbrough
Recovered from a sticky start at Parkhead to lead the club to three titles in a row and also qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League on two occasions.
That wasn’t pretty impressive but he stepped down from the Hoops after missing out to Rangers on the last day in his fourth season
Was out of work for five months before returning to the dug-out but had to settle for England’s second tier and Middlesbrough where he admitted he was “useless”.
Alex McLeish - Birmingham City
Spent four-and-a-half years at the Ibrox helm where he had to oversee a drastic reduction in the club’s spending.
Despite that, and the fact he came in mid-season he lifted the first two knockout trophies and went on to win a Treble in his first full season in charge.
Regarded as a big success despite a miserable end but after a spell in charge of Scotland the lure of England proved too strong but his destination was a struggling Birmingham City side who he failed to save from relegation before bringing them back up and winning the League Cup.
Dick Advocaat - Holland
Won the first five trophies available to him at Ibrox and made an impact in Europe before Martin O’Neill’s Celtic became the dominant side. Later took charge of the Dutch national side but his reputation in the game prior to his Ibrox arrival meant his next job wasn’t going to depend on his time at Rangers.
Martin O’Neill - Aston Villa
Took the same route as Steven Gerrard could be offered in going from Glasgow to the Aston Villa and, as they are now, were sitting 16th in the English Premier League.
Again, after taking a year out, the best he could get was a struggling side in the top flight south of the border despite seven major trophies and a UEFA Cup final place at Celtic.
Walter Smith - Everton
Led Rangers to nine-in-a-row and a total of 13 major trophies at Ibrox and that, along with his second spell in charge at Ibrox, earned him a reputation as one of Scottish football’s greatest ever managers.
But when he left Ibrox after failing to win that coveted 10th consecutive title his next job was as relegation strugglers Everton.
Graeme Souness - Liverpool
The one exception when it comes to moving from the Old Firm to one of England’s giants but there are reasons for that.
First of all there is his status as an Anfield legend, which Gerrard shares, but also his on-field achievements in revolutionising Rangers would have caught the eye more in England in 32 years ago. And all this came before the billion-pound revolution of the Premier League.
Billy McNeill - Manchester City
Following a spell in charge of Aberdeen where he led them to runners-up in the league, the legendary European Cup winning captain returned to his first love Celtic.
And he won three out of four league titles at Parkhead and the Scottish Cup but took the first opportunity to get out due to wage issues.
McNeill moved to Maine Road but City weren’t the club they are now and were sitting in England’s second tier and he won them promotion before later returning to Parkhead.
