Rangers finally considers “outstanding” manager, he’d be even better than Gerrard
When will Rangers unveil their new manager at Ibrox?
On Saturday, the Gers concluded their generally miserable campaign at Easter Road, held to a 2-2 draw, with top-scorer Cyriel Dessers and Rangers Player of the Season Nicolas Raskin on target in Edinburgh.
As Scottish Premiership runners-up, the Light Blues will start next season early with a Champions League second qualifying round tie on 22 or 23 July, currently projected to face one of Brann from Norway, Swiss side Servette or Austria Vienna.
Thus, with that first leg a mere 62 days away already, 49ers Enterprises are under pressure to appoint a new Rangers manager very quickly, so who is on their shortlist?
Rangers’ new manager search
According to a report by Sky Sports News, six men are ‘under consideration’ to become the new Rangers manager.
They are: Steven Gerrard, Davide Ancelotti, Russell Martin, Rob Edwards, Danny Röhl and Gary O’Neil.
Ever since it was confirmed that his father, Carlo, will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, becoming the new Brazil manager, it has been widely reported, including by Madrid-based outlet AS, that Davide is one of the front-runners to land the Rangers job.
Meantime, Gerrard remains one of the leading candidates too, with Mike McGrath of the Telegraph documenting how the 49ers have held a longstanding interest in bringing the Englishman back to Ibrox.
Of the six names mentioned, only Röhl is currently employed by a club, and he is ‘considering’ leaving Sheffield Wednesday, as reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, but Rangers should not go for him, nor Gerrard nor Ancelotti, with another member of the short list making the most sense.
Who Rangers should appoint as their new manager
Rob Edwards may be a name unfamiliar to a large majority of the Rangers support, but he could be an excellent appointment.
Let’s have a look at the 42-year-old’s senior managerial career so far.
Edwards’ biggest career achievement to date is, without question, leading Luton Town into the Premier League which was a miraculous achievement.
The Hatters were relegated after one season in the top-flight, before Edwards departed by mutual consent back in January of this year, with the club actually going on to suffer a second successive relegation, now finding themselves in EFL League One.
Nevertheless, this should take away from Edwards’ impact at Kenilworth Road, with journalist James Cunliffe noting that he did an “outstanding” job at Luton, while Mark Ogden of ESPN praises his “ultra-positive” style of play, something that would no doubt go down well with those at Ibrox.
Meantime, Exeter City midfielder Edward Francis, who played for Edwards at youth level, praised his exceptional “man-management” and “communication skills”, adding “he always treats people well and is honest with them”.
So, Edwards is clearly a young manager on the up, which is in contrast to Gerrard.
The 44-year-old’s time at Aston Villa was disastrous, as documented by Gregg Evans of the Athletic, while he was then also sacked by Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq back in January following an underwhelming 18-month stint in the Middle East.
So, Gerrard’s last two managerial jobs do not suggest he is the right man for the Ibrox dugout, although he was successful during his first stint in Govan, delivering the club’s first Premiership title for a decade, historically ending Celtic’s quest for ten-in-a-row.
So, reappointing Gerrard would probably be the safe option, as he is a known quantity in Glasgow, but the 49ers should be braver and hire an up-and-coming coach with the potential to get even better, and Edwards certainly fits that bill.
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