Steven Gerrard's former teammate Glen Johnson insists the Liverpool legend should definitely not return to Rangers.

The former Ibrox boss has been linked with a return to Glasgow after the Govan outfit parted ways with Giovanni van Bronckhorst yesterday.

Gerrard on the bookies list of possible replacements for the Dutchman, while his former assistant Michael Beale is currently the favourite.

It remains to be seen who Rangers opt for, but Johnson cannot see his friend and former teammate returning to the Light Blues.

He told Genting Casino: "Gerrard should not go back to Rangers, I'm against going back to places you've been to, you don't go back to a lit firework.

"What Gerrard did at Rangers was great, but the expectation if he did go back would be so high. I'd be surprised if he goes back and I think it would be a mistake."

Meanwhile, Kenny Miller believes QPR boss  Beale should feature prominently on the shortlist to replace Van Bronckhorst as Rangers manager.

Beale was a highly-regarded coach under Gerrard at Ibrox and more recently at Aston Villa before branching out on his own to become QPR boss in June.

Former Ibrox striker Miller feels the 42-year-old – who has emerged as the odds-on favourite with bookmakers – is the standout option to succeed Van Bronckhorst.

“There’s loads of names that spring to mind, you’ve got the likes of Sean Dyche who’s got connections to (Rangers sporting director) Ross Wilson, the same with Ralph Hasenhuttl,” Miller told Sky Sports.

“One for me that would be right at the top of the list would be Michael Beale. His name’s been bandied about over the last month while Rangers have been toiling.

“I think he fits, he knows the club, he knows the players. There would be no surprises with him walking back into the building in terms of the demands and the expectations of the football club and he’s started off his own journey as a manager pretty well as well so I think he’d be right at the top of the list.”

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