Rangers were loosely linked with Alex Neil during their managerial search.
Preston North End boss Alex Neil has told the Daily Mail that he was never in the running for the Rangers job despite being the bookmakers’ favourite at one point.
Rangers appointed Steven Gerrard as their new manager on Friday, finally landing a permanent replacement for Pedro Caixinha following his sacking back in October.
Gerrard will start work in June, and Rangers will now hope to see the 37-year-old drag the club towards Scottish Premiership champions and Old Firm rivals Celtic after seeing the Bhoys win seven league titles in a row.
Having seen interim boss Graeme Murty struggle towards the end of his reign, Rangers brought forward their managerial search and landed Gerrard, but other managers were also touted.
One name popular with bookmakers was Preston North End manager Alex Neil, as he became the joint-favourite for the Rangers job alongside Frank de Boer last month, as we reported.
Neil, 36, guided Preston to within two points of the play-offs in his first season in charge at Deepdale, and the Scot was loosely linked with a move to Ibrox before Gerrard’s arrival.
Now, Neil has told the Daily Mail that he understands there is always speculation about managers moving clubs, but he didn’t speak to Rangers and didn’t put his name forward for the job as he is focused on Preston.
“There’s always talk,” said Neil. “I have never spoke to any club or linked my name with anyone. I am not the type to chuck my name in anywhere. I focus on my club and doing my job,” he added.
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