Steven Gerrard truly became Rangers boss with golden words in France but second coming raises big questions

The sun was splitting the sky in Fos-sur-Mer this Friday night.

It was typical weather for the south of France and a few pasty-faced Scottish journalists were desperate for a bit of shade.

But that wasn’t an option. Not until we got inside the Stade Parsemain, one of the venues for the 2018 Toulon Tournament.

And certainly not until we’d got a glimpse of the man we were there to see.

Suddenly, he emerged. Shades on, white t-shirt glistening, Steven Gerrard was here.

It was effectively his first day as Rangers manager. Friday 1 June.

But instead of being in Govan, he was 30 miles from Marseille and watching England’s U20’s v Qatar.

Gerrard was barely recognised by anyone in the tiny crowd who were there.

In the stands, he sat with Peter Schmeichel and others who were on the same FA Pro Licence course as the new Ibrox gaffer.

His old England pals, Frank Lampard and Jody Morris, weren’t far away either as they scouted players for their club, Derby County.

But our job was to get a word with Gerrard.

When we’d got wind of his arrival outside, we scampered to follow him in.

Then we had to pluck up the courage to go and ask this legend of the game if he’d speak to us.

But, like most of his interviews over the next four years in Glasgow, his words were golden.

We had articles in the bag for the daily newspapers AND the Sunday editions. He gave us everything we needed.

For that 10 minutes or so, Gerrard was as compelling as he’d been a month previously at his unveiling in Ibrox’s blue room.

He’d turned up with a clenched fist and a glint in his eye - immediately captivating a Rangers support desperate for a hero.

Someone to lead them out of the abyss and topple Celtic.

And at that time, Gerrard had fire in his belly. He was a