The 2020-21 campaign was always going to be a hard act to follow for Steven Gerrard. After delivering an historic 55th top-flight title to Ibrox and restoring Rangers to the summit of Scottish football – not to mention the record-breaking points total accumulated, the fact that they went unbeaten in the league or the miserly defence that shipped just 13 goals in 38 Premiership outings – simply maintaining performances was always going to be a big ask.

With Ange Postecoglou checking in across the city earlier this summer and kickstarting his Parkhead revolution, securing crown No.56 is likely to be an arduous task for the Govan club. That is Gerrard’s target though, and the Liverpool great is committed to seeing it through.

Coming into the new season as champions, attempting to retain rather than snatch the title, the return of supporters to stadia in their droves – these are all new challenges for Gerrard and his players to overcome this term. And although last season’s success was remarkable for a litany of reasons, the Rangers manager is determined to use it as a jumping-off point for further glory.

“I think we have got to use the experience of last year as our base, our standard, our level that we do not want to drop under but you are always trying to improve, get better and strive for more,” Gerrard told Sky Sports.

The Herald:

“I have made it clear – and the board have made it clear – that there are fresh challenges and fresh challenges that we have put to the players. That is the way that I personally want it to be. We do not want to rest on our laurels, we want to be hungry.

“I don't think there is any harm in dreaming and being ambitious. But at the same time, I do not think anybody is going to benefit from looking too far ahead. The focus should be on this season and the challenges that are right in front of us.”

The success of the previous campaign was three years in the making, and Gerrard and his coaching staff are always quick to discuss the ‘process’ of squad building that takes place over numerous transfer windows.

The squad of players the Rangers boss has at his fingertips now is almost unrecognisable to the one he inherited when he first pitched up in Govan in the summer of 2018. But while the composition of the playing squad at Ibrox has shifted dramatically during his tenure, Gerrard believes that moulding the culture of the club has been every bit as important for Rangers’ resurgence.

“Creating an environment for players to learn and to grow and to be successful, that does not happen overnight,” he explains. “That is something that we have had to build here.

“We have needed a certain amount of windows. We have had to recruit and get the right support from the board to have the right people within that so it works.

The Herald:

“I think you need good individuals within it. I think you have to recruit the right people with the right talent, but it is important that those people bring a lot more than just talent. They have to put everything around that so that they can perform consistently for you.”

Gerrard added that while he is well aware of the illustrious history of the Glasgow club, he does not feel overawed or burdened by the achievements of his predecessors.

“Obviously, the club is built on success,” he said. “Previous players and managers, those connected with the club, have built a really successful history here at the football club.

“Now it is our turn. It is our responsibility to add to that, to make sure that this club continues to be successful moving forward.”