Rangers have had a tumultuous week, with the club’s long-term future hanging in the balance following the dismissal of manager Philippe Clement.
The Belgian was shown the door after Rangers’ 2-0 loss to St Mirren over the weekend. This defeat left Rangers trailing Scottish Premiership leaders and fierce rivals Celtic by 13 points.
The pressure had been mounting on him for some time, especially after the team’s unexpected Scottish Cup loss at the hands of minnows Queen’s Park earlier this month, which overshadowed much of the praise Clement had garnered from January’s 3-0 triumph in the Old Firm derby, and Sunday’s result was the last straw.
Former Rangers skipper Barry Ferguson has been drafted in as interim head coach, and the hunt is now on for Clement’s full-time successor, with Steven Gerrard being heavily tipped for a dramatic comeback at Ibrox. Here, Mirror Football takes a closer look at the current situation at the club following their fifth managerial change in just over three years.
Gerrard stance
While Gerrard may be the bookmakers’ top pick to take the job, there are doubts about whether the Liverpool legend would be interested. The 44-year-old previously spent three years in charge of Rangers, guiding them to their first league title in a decade in the 2020/21 season.
He left for an ill-fated spell at Aston Villa a few months into the following season – a move that upset some fans. Although many would now welcome him back, Graeme Souness, who played for and managed Rangers, thinks a reunion is unlikely.
In 2022, after Gerrard lost his job at Villa, Souness revealed that he’d spoken to the ex-England captain, saying: “I saw Steven a couple of weeks ago in Portugal. He seemed in fine form and I said to him, ‘Are you wanting to go back [to Rangers]?’
“And he said give it a bit of time and I’ll go back if something comes along that is interesting to him, back into the game. I don’t see him going to Glasgow Rangers. Would the supporters be happy with him going back? I’m not sure. They think he left them at a difficult time.”
Rangers icon Ally McCoist has a different view, saying earlier this month: “It wouldn’t surprise me if Steven Gerrard came back to Ibrox. He’s obviously held in really high regard by the supporters because of the league title he won, and his next job is going to be vitally important for him.
“Things haven’t gone according to plan for him after he left Rangers. A little bit like Frank Lampard going to Coventry – his next appointment [is] really important to him as well.”
Ferguson emotion
Newly-appointed interim Rangers boss Ferguson could hardly contain his excitement after taking up the role on Monday. The 47-year-old, who’s been out of management since his stint with Alloa Athletic ended in February 2022, confessed it was an offer he “couldn’t turn down” and a position he thought would never come his way.
“It’s only for three months,” he told Rangers TV. “It’s my job to get a kick out of this group of players because, when I watched them, I think they are really good players.”
Continuing, Ferguson, who made over 400 appearances for the Gers across two spells, said: “I was enjoying my new role as a club ambassador but when I got offered this opportunity there was no way I was turning it down.
“I am glad I have taken it, and we will see where it goes. I am confident in my staff’s ability, and also the players. I am here until the end of the season, but my main objective is to start winning games on a consistent basis, it is one game at a time and that is what I am fully focused on.”
The former midfield maestro, who clinched 15 major trophies at Ibrox, including five league titles, has added former team-mates Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor to his coaching team. Like Ferguson, the trio will be in the dugout until the end of the season.
McCoist fears
Ferguson might be raring to go, but McCoist – who knows a thing or two about steering Rangers through rocky waters – is apprehensive about the appointment. With just weeks to revive spirits at Ibrox and the Europa League being Rangers’ last real hope for a trophy this season, the odds seem stacked against Ferguson from the outset.
McCoist didn’t mince his words after Rangers suffered a blow against St Mirren, branding the team “weak.” He doubled down on his assessment of Ferguson’s daunting task ahead. “The players right now, Europe aside, they look damaged,” he said on talkSPORT.
“They look damaged, they look low on confidence, they look all over the place particularly in the last two home games. Getting them to understand what the club is all about and getting them to play might be two different things. Obviously, I am very, very hopeful but it’s a big task that they have got.
“A leopard doesn’t really change its spots. You might get a reaction over a couple of games or whatever it may be, but I look at the team and they are weak. I look at that team for men – leaders, who will grab the game by the scruff of the neck, and there is not any.
“The problem with nice teams is they are nice to play against. Right now, you play against Rangers you play one big man up front – maybe two – and play a ball right down the middle and mess them about. They have got to get rid of that. They are too nice to play against, and off the park as well I need to reserve judgement. I think the thing that Rangers fans are hoping for it some form of takeover that can finance the club, that is where I am at on it.”
McCoist, who managed Rangers for three-and-a-half years, faced immediate challenges as the club plunged into administration during his first season at the helm, leading to their relegation to the third division. Tasked with the formidable job of guiding Rangers back up the pyramid, he achieved consecutive promotions but departed in the midst of his fourth season due to a lacklustre start and the pressure of high expectations.
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