Chris Sutton couldn’t resist a cheeky swipe after it emerged that Steven Gerrard had turned down Rangers for the second time in a year, pulling out of talks over a return to Ibrox.

Gerrard had held “positive and constructive” discussions with Rangers officials over several days, even flying from Saudi Arabia to London for talks. But in the end, the former Liverpool captain decided the timing wasn’t right for a return to management.

Given his travel and level of engagement, many are puzzled as to why he even entered talks only to walk away again, having previously rejected a summer approach before Russell Martin was appointed and later sacked.

Reacting to the news in typically ruthless fashion, Chris Sutton simply tweeted:

“He’s assessed the squad…”

It’s a clear jab at the state of the Rangers team, who sit eighth in the Scottish Premiership with just one win from their opening seven games. With five draws and one defeat, it’s a dire start to the season, and Gerrard’s decision to walk away won’t ease the unrest among the Ibrox fans.

While some hoped Gerrard, who won just one trophy out of a possible nine in his first Rangers stint, might steady the ship, he answered the SOS call and hung up.

The question now is: what other manager wears a navy suit and brown brogues?