STEVEN GERRARD is available at 5/1 in the market for the next Newcastle United manager. Depending on where you go, he is the favourite in the betting.

For those of you who don’t understand bookies, that means that if you put a tenner on Gerrard making the move to St James’ Park, you will lose a tenner.

Keep your money in your pocket. It won’t happen.

The next manager markets always make headlines and grab the attention of supporters but they are largely irrelevant, mostly useless and offer no value to anyone. Well, apart from the PR departments at each bookies that use the opportunity to punt their products.

That, of course, is their prerogative and the odds for the man to replace Steve Bruce, who is still in charge of United at is stands, have sparked another round of debate and conjecture.

A couple of quid here and there can have a significant impact on markets such as this and nobody should be paying attention to the fact that Gerrard is vying for favouritism with many firms.

It is only natural that Rangers supporters will have fears over Gerrard’s position in the back of their minds but they need not worry about him holding a black and white scarf above his head any time soon.

Newcastle aren’t right for Gerrard, and Gerrard isn’t right for Newcastle. The odds here just don’t stack up.

From Gerrard’s perspective, the only lure of moving from Glasgow to Tyneside is money, both in terms of the wages that he would collect and the fees that he could spend on transfers.

Gerrard would voice his frustration at Rangers’ transfer business last week in what was a rare but pointed criticism of those in charge at Ibrox. A lack of funds would certainly not be an issue under the control of the Saudi consortium that now sadly and controversially call the shots at St James’ Park.

There will come a time when the 41-year-old leaves Ibrox and seeks to challenge himself in the Premier League, but personal wealth will not be a motivator and that moment is not halfway through a season when he has a Premiership title to defend and domestic silverware to win.

Come the end of the campaign, it may well be a different story. If Gerrard can clinch another league title, add a cup and take Rangers into the knockout rounds of the Europa League once again, it would be understandable if there was a sense of job done.

At that stage, the Ibrox squad will need more than a tweak here and there. Key players will need to be sold off to balance the books and the next evolutionary phase of this side will need to come into play.

Old Firm managers have a natural shelf life and, after four years in Glasgow, it could well be that the time comes for Gerrard to thank Rangers for the opportunities and the memories.

He could, of course, decide that domination is a driving factor and the chance to prolong Rangers’ success will surely motivate a man who spent his entire playing career striving for his next goal, victory or medal.

There are few clubs that offer Gerrard that opportunity time after time and that is why he and Rangers were such a good fit in the summer of 2018. Now in his fourth season, that remains the case and there is a bond between manager and supporter.

His final destination will be Anfield. It is his next stop that will be the most interesting one, though, and only Gerrard will know what road he wishes to go down.

He is not the kind of coach that will take his chances on the managerial merry-go-round and jump from club to club, collecting pay-outs more regularly than he lifts trophies.

A move to Newcastle would make no sense. There would be no job security and no long-term vision under owners who will demand immediate returns on their investment and an environment of exorbitant fees and high-stakes gambles doesn’t look like one which would appeal to Gerrard.

From Newcastle’s point of view, there is the obvious attraction of the Gerrard name and brand and the fact they would be appointing an up-and-coming coach that has domestic success and European achievement on his record.

Having bought into the Premier League razzamatazz and set their sights on what would be unedifying glories, it seems more likely that an established manager – the likes of Antonio Conte or Roberto Martinez, perhaps – will be given the Saudi’s blank chequebook.

The coming years on Tyneside will be ones of largesse, waste and controversy and Gerrard just doesn’t seem the kind of man or manager for what will unfold in the North East.

There is no need for Gerrard to rush into the next move in his career. He didn’t jump at the first offer in management and, having found the right fit at Rangers, he will surely show similar patience and judgement before returning south of the border.

Will Gerrard be the next manager of Newcastle? Don’t bet on it.