Who do Rangers fans want after Steven Gerrard snub?
Former Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl is reportedly the new favourite, but there appears to be no consensus on who Rangers should turn to next.
Heart of Midlothian’s Derek McInnes, St Mirren’s Stephen Robinson, Livingston’s David Martindale, former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, Coventry City’s Frank Lampard, former fullback Barry Ferguson, St Johnstone’s Simo Valakari, former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O’Neil, ex-Everton manager Sean Dyche, ex-Aberdeen boss Neil Warnock, Marco Rose, ex-RB Leipzig, Kjetil Knutsen from Bodo/Glimt, Shanghai Port’s Kevin Muscat… Take your pick.
Graeme: I worry what message Gerrard’s decision will send to other potential candidates and fans. Is it about the available funds not being there to strengthen the squad? I would love to see Benitez arrive but I suspect another second-rate manager is also on the cards.
Sign: Why not look closer to home at Stephen Robinson or David Martindale? Both solid performances. Gerrard is gone, he shouldn’t have had the chance to come back. Or if you want a top-notch performance, Rafael Benitez is free.
David: I’m glad he refused. I will never forgive him for going the way it did last time, and neither will I. Danny Rohl is the right man for me.
: I’m not keen on Steven Gerrard returning, and Russell Martin ruined the team by bringing in too many men. Derek McInnes was my favorite but not this time.
Kenny: I’m sure Gerard will return as Rangers boss one day. It seems like the financial constraints are too much for him right now, which is fair enough. But Rangers managers need to get it right this time. We need someone who is experienced and has a proven track record.
What are you doing? Today will be Groundhog Day unless Lampard, McInnes or Ferguson are announced, but this time it will be the board as well as Stewart and Thelwell who will come under pressure.
Douglas: Simo Valakari is the best choice for me. He has proven and is proving his talent with an enjoyable style of football at St Johnstone in Scotland. Rangers need to give him this opportunity before another club from England or Europe steps in.
: Barry and Neil [McCann] and Billy [Dodds] and Allan [McGregor] should return as soon as possible. They did a good job in difficult conditions last season.
Martin: Gary O’Neil is a good person.
Full: Derek McInnes and Barry Ferguson are the only duo who know Rangers and Scottish football.
-Nigel: Uninspiring. I think it will give everyone an instant lift. Any manager we appoint now from the current names proposed will require settling into a period of trying to win over the skeptics, which is how Martin started. McInnes or Ferguson for me.
Susi: They need to appoint someone who is not just in it for the money. They need to have some passion for the club.
– Frank: I never wanted Gerrard to come back. He said that he wanted to return to management with a club that is expected to win trophies because he thought it suited him. That’s why he went to Aston Villa and then to the Arab League – really? It should never have been considered. Potter is available and will be successful if a five-year deal is agreed and he moves on.
Man: Good decision from Gerrard. The players are poor, they don’t like criticism and the fans are toxic, and the owners have no leadership. I like Rangers but if you’re a progressive manager you don’t touch them. The people who organize the club according to managers are Dyche or Neil Warnock; they need strong leaders who won’t accept the bullshit of overrated players.
Ruaridh: I’m surprised no one has mentioned Stephen Robinson for the vacancy at Rangers. He knows Scottish football inside out and has always produced good football teams (and encouraged young talent) without having too much money to spend. It’s also only 10 minutes down the road! We don’t need a high-profile executive. We just need a good manager and Stephen Robinson is exactly that.
Peter: Surprised. I was disappointed, but definitely not devastated. For me Derek McInnes was and remains the number one choice, hopefully Rangers will now push the boat out to get him. Probably a blessing in disguise.
John: I never understood the desperation to include Gerrard. His profile was one way because I think they needed a big character/name. Rohl is a gamble. They need a Lampard or Southgate to get in.
: I am in the minority. I’m glad it took him three years to win a title. We need a Graeme Souness type manager who will not allow players to come in for big wages. A tough, experienced professional.
David: I have said from the beginning that Barry Ferguson and his team were a natural choice to become manager. He has determination, passion, respect for players and fans and the ability to build a successful team to challenge Celtic.
Allied: They should have done what they should have done in the first place and tried to catch Derek McInness. Barry needs to be in the same team again if he doesn’t want to leave Hearts. They will prepare us properly and get us back to what Rangers were and have a strong Scottish base that knows the league and the pressure that comes with playing for Rangers.
Invoice: If Ange Postecoglu is sacked at Nottingham Forest, Rangers would be crazy not to sign him. He has a great proven track record in Scotland and is an excellent tactician and manager. Can the owners be brave enough?
-Boaby: Personally, I’d prefer Marco Rose, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be interested. The obvious alternative is Mr McInnes, who has the backing of Walter Smith, which is more than enough for me.
John: I’m actually glad Gerrard turned down Rangers. He’s not what the Rangers need. It’s understandable that you want to go back to the man who last won something for the club. But he could not take the club forward. Steve Cooper can and will take Rangers forward. However, he was never included or even associated with this position.
Chris: I’m so glad Gerrard isn’t coming back. Let him go somewhere else to get his mojo back. Among the names talked about, there is only one cup winner. Please appoint Kevin Muscat now and please don’t assume other mediocre candidates “performed well with limited resources or avoided relegation”.
: Don’t believe the explanation for even a minute. If the timing isn’t right, why attend interviews in the first place? Rangers’ senior management team are displaying a worrying lack of football knowledge, fishing in a small pool of the unemployed/recently laid off. Why not be brave and try to seduce Kjetil Knutsen from Bodo Glimt or anyone else who is doing a good job right now?
– Callum: While it’s good to see Stevie back, we need an experienced manager to pull the team together. Unless it’s another Martin-style appointment like Rohl.
Ian: I think the Rangers need to look for Billy Davis as their next head coach. He has a good track record as a manager and was a good player for Rangers and knows what it means to play for them.
