SCOTLAND FANS, THIS ONE COULD BE HUGE! Steven Gerrard is reportedly being considered as the next Scotland boss! 🏴🔥 👇 WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE GERRARD

Gerrard and Scotland: Why the Rumour Keeps Returning, and What It Would Actually MeanA viral post says the former Rangers boss is being considered as Scotland’s next manager. The reality is less dramatic, but the question behind it is worth taking seriously

“Scotland fans, this one could be huge.” The post has everything the genre demands: a siren emoji, a shocked face, a flag, a name that provokes strong feelings and an instruction to comment. It is designed to travel, and it will. Steven Gerrard is one of the few managers in British football who can start an argument simply by being mentioned in a sentence with the word “Scotland”.

But the claim at its centre does not match the facts as they currently stand. Scotland have a head coach. He was appointed this summer, and he has just taken charge of his first home match. The Gerrard link, as far as the reporting shows, belongs to an earlier chapter, when the job was vacant and the shortlist was a topic of speculation.

This piece sets out what is actually known, traces how the rumour arose, looks at Gerrard’s record and his relationship with Scottish football, and considers, as a hypothetical, what an appointment would mean. It is also a short lesson in reading transfer-style headlines with a critical eye.

The most important fact is the simplest one. Scotland are managed by Sebastien Pocognoli. The Belgian, who is 39, was appointed after Steve Clarke’s eight-year tenure ended following Scotland’s exit from the 2026 World Cup. He signed an initial two-year deal. His appointment was notable for several reasons: he is only the second non-Scot to take the job and the first since Berti Vogts, and the SFA’s approach to finding him was described as data-led.

His record so far is two matches. The first, in Slovenia, finished 0-0 and offered enough encouragement to lift the mood. The second, on Tuesday at Hampden, was a 3-0 defeat to Switzerland in which Jack Hendry was sent off in the opening minutes after VAR ruled that his challenge on Dan Ndoye was outside the box. Ricardo Rodriguez scored from the resulting free-kick, and Scotland spent most of the night chasing the game with ten men.

Two matches, one of them played almost entirely a man down, is not a body of work from which anyone could reasonably argue for a change. Nor have I found any report suggesting that the SFA is unhappy or that Pocognoli’s position is under review. His next fixtures, away to North Macedonia on 3 October and at home to Slovenia on 6 October, will tell us more about the direction of the team.

In other words, there is no vacancy. A post suggesting that Gerrard “is being considered as the next Scotland boss” implies a process that is not underway.

The rumour is not invented out of nothing. When Clarke’s tenure ended after the World Cup, the Scottish Daily Express reported that Gerrard’s name had been mentioned as a possible replacement, though it described him as an outsider. The same piece listed others said to be in the frame: Falkirk’s John McGlynn, Millwall manager Alex Neil and Steven Naismith, who had been Clarke’s assistant.

The report quoted a former teammate who said that, knowing Gerrard, it would be surprising if he restarted his managerial career with Scotland. He did not think Gerrard was desperate enough to return to management yet, though he accepted that it would be a good appointment. The overall impression was of a name mentioned for completeness, not a candidate being actively pursued.

That is typical of how such stories work. When a high-profile job comes open, journalists and pundits speculate about a range of names, and some are included mainly because they are recognisable. The speculation hardens into a headline, the headline gets shared, and months later it resurfaces in a different form, stripped of its caveats and its date.

The version circulating now appears to be one of those recycled items. The language, “reportedly being considered”, sounds current but points back to a period when the vacancy existed.

To assess the idea on its merits, it helps to look at the person. Gerrard is 46, a former England captain with 114 caps and one of the most celebrated players of his generation. As a manager, his career has been a mixture of highs and lows

His reputation in Scotland rests on his time at Ibrox. He was appointed in 2018 as a first-time senior manager, having previously coached Liverpool’s Under-18s. The then chairman said his character outweighed his inexperience. Over more than three years, he rebuilt a side that had been in decline and, in 2020-21, led them to the league title without losing a match, ending Celtic’s nine-year run of championships. It was Rangers’ 55th title, and he was named Manager of the Year by both PFA Scotland and the Scottish Football Writers’ Association.

That success is the foundation of his standing in Scottish football. Whatever people think of his later career, nobody can dispute what he achieved at Rangers.

In November 2021, he moved to Aston Villa, but was dismissed after eleven months in charge. From July 2023 to January 2025, he managed Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia. Since then, he appears not to have taken another job, and the Wikipedia entry describes Al-Ettifaq as the most recent club he has managed.

That leaves a gap of nearly two years. For some, it suggests a manager waiting for the right opportunity. For others, it suggests someone whose stock has fallen since his Rangers peak. The truth is probably somewhere in between

Gerrard’s relationship with Rangers has also been a recurring subject. He was considered as a candidate to return to the club on more than one occasion. Rangers News reported that he had spoken with the club’s American owners before and was under consideration to replace Russell Martin. At one stage it looked almost certain that he would be back in the dugout, but things changed at the last minute. The report speculated that his main issue was with a senior figure at the club who has since left.

More recently, he was reported to be on a shortlist when Danny Rohl’s future was uncertain, and the Daily Record claimed that he had been in Scotland during that period. Rangers ultimately appointed Derek McInnes, who has made a strong start.

The point is that Gerrard’s name has been linked with Scottish jobs repeatedly. His connection to the country, and to Rangers in particular, means that any vacancy involving a major post tends to prompt speculation about him

Setting aside the factual problems, it is worth asking why the notion of Gerrard as Scotland manager has appeal. There are several arguments that supporters of the idea might make.

These are legitimate points, and they explain why the idea generates so much excitement online. But they are hypothetical.

As already noted, there is no vacancy. A new manager has just been appointed, and the SFA has invested in a particular approach. Dismissing him after two matches would be extraordinary, and nothing suggests it is under consideration

There is no rule requiring Scotland’s manager to be Scottish. Pocognoli himself is Belgian, and Vogts was German. But an English manager would be a different proposition. The rivalry between the nations is deep, and many supporters would have mixed feelings. That does not mean it would be impossible. It means it would be controversial

Gerrard is closely associated with Rangers, and in Scottish football, club loyalties run deep. Some Scotland supporters, particularly those who follow other clubs, might view his appointment with suspicion. The national team is meant to unite fans of all clubs, and a manager associated with one side of the Old Firm could complicate that.

His time at Aston Villa ended in dismissal, and his spell in Saudi Arabia produced a mixed outcome. A national-team job requires a manager who can work with limited preparation time and maximise a squad’s strengths. Whether Gerrard’s approach would suit that environment is an open question

The Express report suggested that he expects his next job to be in club football. That fits his history. He has spent his career at the club level, and the daily routine of a club job may appeal more than the occasional camps of international football.

The Gerrard post is a good example of a type that appears constantly on social media, and a few checks can help identify it.

Check the date.Many viral posts take old stories and present them as new. If the claim concerns a vacancy, ask whether one currently exists.Notice the call to action. Posts that urge readers to comment are designed to drive engagement. The question at the end is the point of the exercise.Beware of vague wording. “Being considered” and “could be huge” are phrases that cost nothing to write and commit to nothing. Compare with official information. The SFA’s own statements, and reliable outlets such as the BBC, Sky Sports and the national newspapers, are the best guides to what is actually happening.

None of this means every rumour is false. Genuine managerial changes do happen, and journalists do break stories. But the more sensational the language, the more cautious it is wise to be.

For the sake of argument, imaginethat the situation changes. Suppose Pocognoli leaves, for whatever reason, and the SFA begins a new search. What would a Gerrard appointment involve?

First, he would have to be willing. The reporting suggests he is more interested in club football, so persuading him would be a challenge.

Second, the SFA would have to be willing. Its approach to Pocognoli, described as data-led, suggests a process that values analysis and fit over name recognition. A manager chosen on those grounds might not be Gerrard.

Third, there would have to be agreement on the terms. A manager of his profile would command a significant salary, and the association would have to weigh that against its budget.

Fourth, there would be the question of support. The decision would need backing from the board, the players and, ideally, the public. A divisive appointment can undermine a manager before he begins.

All of that is speculative. The point is that an appointment would not simply happen because a name appeared in a headline. It would be the result of a process, and at present no such process is under way.

The more interesting story is the one unfolding now. Pocognoli has begun his tenure with a draw and a defeat, and the team has yet to score under him. Scotland sit five points behind leaders Switzerland in their Nations League group, and there is still a great deal of football to play. The upcoming fixtures against North Macedonia and Slovenia offer a chance to turn things around.

Several questions will define the early months

For a new manager, the first few months are the most delicate. The appointment of a foreign coach was a bold choice, and the early results will shape perceptions. Supporters who are tempted to look elsewhere should remember that the project has barely started

As for Gerrard himself, there is no sign of imminent activity. His last job ended in early 2025, and reports suggest he is waiting for the right opportunity. His name continues to come up in connection with Scottish clubs, and his relationship with Rangers remains unresolved.

That is perhaps the most telling point. The speculation around him has tended to focus on Ibrox rather than Hampden. The idea of a return to Rangers carries emotional weight, given his success there, and any vacancy at the club is likely to bring his name back into the conversation. By contrast, the notion of him managing Scotland has no comparable history.

How would Scotland fans feel about a Gerrard appointment? The honest answer is that opinions would be divided.

Some would welcome a high-profile manager with a winning record in Scotland, and would see the benefits of his experience and star power. Others would be sceptical, citing his recent record, his English nationality or his association with Rangers.

What the reaction to the post shows is how emotionally charged these questions are. Scottish football supporters care intensely about the national team, and a manager’s identity matters. That is why even a baseless rumour can attract thousands of comments within minutes.

It is also why responsible reporting matters. A false story can distort the conversation, generating arguments about a situation that does not exist and distracting from the real issues facing the team.

The post claiming that Steven Gerrard is being considered as Scotland’s next manager rests on a thin foundation. Scotland already have a head coach, Sebastien Pocognoli, who was appointed this summer and has played only two matches. The Gerrard link comes from earlier speculation during the search that followed Steve Clarke’s departure, when he was described as an outsider and a former teammate doubted he was ready to return to management.

That does not make the idea absurd. Gerrard is a decorated manager with a title-winning record in Scotland, and in different circumstances he could be a credible candidate. But those circumstances do not exist now, and nothing in the reporting suggests they are about to.

For Scotland supporters, the more useful question is not who might replace Pocognoli, but how he can succeed. The next fixtures will offer an early indication. If the team finds its rhythm, the noise will fade. If not, the debate about the future will be real, and it will be conducted on the basis of facts rather than a flag and an emoji.

Until then, the best response to a post like this may be a simple one: check the source, check the date and wait for confirmation. In football, as in most things, the loudest headline is rarely the most reliabl