Derby County boss Wayne Rooney has heaped praise on Steven Gerrard after he won the Scottish Premiership with Rangers.

The Ibrox outfit have watched on over the past decade as their bitter rivals Celtic dominated, which included an unprecedented quadruple treble.

However, after gradual improvements over the past two years, Gerrard has done a remarkable job to finally secure the league for Rangers, with his side enjoying a formidable campaign.

And, speaking to Sky Sports, Rooney was full of praise for his former England teammate, and he explained how their high-profile playing careers may have helped the transition to the dugout.

"It's clear that he's done a fantastic job to win Rangers the title. The first time in ten years, it's an incredible job, and even more impressive is their form in Europe. Everyone knows the job he's done is brilliant, and I'm sure he'll strive for more.

"For the likes of myself, Steven and Frank (Lampard), we've had it in our playing careers as well, so we're in a very good position to handle it."

The verdict

This is a nice message from Rooney to his former teammate, and you can only echo his comments. Clearly, Gerrard has done a brilliant job, as Rangers' record this season is superb, and they're still going strong in the Europa League.

In fairness, Rooney has also done very well with Derby since taking over, and he may take inspiration from the fact his friend has brought success elsewhere, which he will want to emulate at Pride Park.

Now, his focus will be on keeping Derby in the Championship, ahead of a major summer rebuild that will allow him to really make his mark on the club.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.