Rangers are hunting for their FIFTH permanent manager in four years after Philippe Clement was finally axed on Sunday night.
The Belgian paid the price for a woeful campaign that has seen crisis-hit Gers fall a whopping 13 points behind Celtic, lose the League Cup Final to their bitter rivals and suffer the humiliation of crashing out of the Scottish Cup at home to Queen’s Park.
As Record Sport exclusively revealed, club legend Barry Ferguson is poised to be offered the role of caretaker boss until the end of the season and is expected to be in the dugout for Wednesday’s trip to Kilmarnock. That will give chief executive Patrick Stewart time to find a long-term successor for Clement, with San Francisco 49ers investment chief Paraag Marathe in advanced talks over an Ibrox takeover.
Ex-skipper Fergie is evens with SkyBet – who pay out once temporary or caretaker managers have been in charge for 10 competitive games – to replace Clement. Recently appointed assistant Issame Charai took charge of first-team training on Monday night and the Morrocan has been installed as second favourite at 9/4.
Steven Gerrard has been touted with a sensational return to Rangers, almost three-and-a-half years since the 2020/21 title-winning manager walked out on the club for an ill-fated spell at Aston Villa. The Liverpool legend has been out of work since leaving Saudi outfit Al-Ettifaq in January and is priced at 8/1 to head back to Glasgow for a second stint.
Next permanent Rangers manager odds
- Barry Ferguson – 1/1
- Issame Charai – 9/4
- Steven Gerrard – 8/1
- Russell Martin – 10/1
- Steven Davis – 12/1
- Sean Dyche – 16/1
- Steve Cooper – 22/1
- Derek McInnes – 25/1
- Gary O’Neil – 25/1
- Gio van Bronckhorst – 25/1