So what will be the brief of the new Rangers manager, whoever it may be?
Will it be to restore parity with their Glasgow arch-rivals Celtic, who are so far ahead of everyone else in Scotland at present that the situation is bordering on ridiculous? Or maybe ambitions are more realistic.
It didn’t take long for the Gers to clamber their way back to the top flight in Scotland following the calamitous reign of Craig Whyte. Unpaid tax bills, administration and ultimately liquidation saw the once-proud Ibrox club demoted to the lowest level of the professional game in Scotland.
But to say everything is now rosy with the blue half of Glasgow would be putting an unwarranted gloss on the current state of affairs.
The fact of the matter is that Rangers would probably go bust again if they tried to match Celtic’s spending. The Hoops have had their coffers boosted again by reaching the group stages of the Champions League and, though they are likely to go much further, that should ensure dominance of the Scottish Premiership for another few years. In a city in which there is much more at stake in local derbies other than three points, Rangers’ fans can barely contain their frustration at their team’s failure to mount a significant title challenge and a League Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of Motherwell, who denied another crack at their near-neighbours, was one disappointment too far, leading to the sacking of Pedro Caixinha.
Graeme Murty is in temporary charge and oversaw a 3-1 victory over Hearts in his first match but the former Reading defender is 16/1 with Betvictor to be appointed full-time manager. He would be the cheap option and Rangers are hardly flush with cash but he has very little experience at the top level.
Derek McInnes is only a best 4/6 to move from Aberdeen to Ibrox. However, the former Rangers defender would not be a universally popular choice. Though he’s done a good job at Aberdeen, he hasn’t really managed to disturb Celtic’s dominance of Scottish football and has only won one trophy. He is also contracted until 2020 and turned down the Sunderland job in the summer, though that probably indicated sound judgement.
Alex Neil, Ally McCoist and Billy Davies are all 25/1 with Betvictor as Rangers seek a manager with an in-depth knowledge of Scottish football but for that reason they won’t be pursuing Michel Preudhomme (only 5/1), who has been offered a job at Mechelen in his native Belgium in any case. Familiar names Alex McLeish and Walter Smith are other names near the head of the betting.
Rangers Next Permanent Manager Betvictor Odds
Derek McInnes 4/7, Alex McLeish and Walter Smith 6/1, Graeme Murty and Alan Pardew 16/1, Steven Pressley, Ian Cathro, Gary McAllister, Joe Jordam, Ricky Sbragia, Ally McCoist, Alex Neill and Billy Davies 25/1
