Rangers have endured a tough season both domestically and in Europe, and for many fans, the time to sack Giovanni van Bronckhorst is now on the horizon.
The Dutch coach was appointed just under a year ago to replace Steven Gerrard following the Englishman’s move to Aston Villa. And whilst Van Bronckhorst has guided Rangers to a Europan final and a return to the UEFA Champions League, performances this season have many rightly calling for the 47-year-old to be sacked.
Whilst the Scottish Sun have recently reported that Rangers are, for now, sticking by Van Bronckhorst, cries for the sack will no doubt reappear in the coming days should the Glasgow giants slip up in their last two Scottish Premiership games before the 2022 FIFA World Cup break.
Indeed, the rest period could provide the Gers the perfect opportunity to find a replacement for Van Bronckhorst, and here are five coaches who could be perfect to replace the Dutchman should Rangers sack the former Feyenoord boss in the coming weeks.
Sean Dyche
Let’s start but getting the elephant out of the room that neither Steven Gerrard or Michael Beale will feature on this list, with the former Villa manager likely to take a break from coaching for the time being whilst the QPR boss is unlikely to move to Rangers having already rejected a Premier League approach from Wolves.
Instead, Sean Dyche could be the most ideal candidate to replace Van Bronckhorst given the English icon’s incredible record with Burnley in the ten years the 51-year-old spent at Turf Moor. His tactics might not be pretty, but his CV and results with the Clarets are hard to dispute, which is what Rangers arguably need in 2023.
Chris Wilder
Another English coach who could enjoy incredible success at Rangers is former Middlesbrough and Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, who might be the ideal middleman for the Gers between attractive football and solid results when the going gets tough.
Whilst Wilder’s most recent spell with Boro was nothing short of a nightmare, the former Premier League manager could be perfect for Rangers if the Scottish giants were to sack Van Bronckhorst, with the Championship boss perfectly suited to how the Gers are structured and run as a club.
Ralph Hasenhuttl
From one recently sacked manager to another, Ralph Hasenhuttl might be an unusual pick given just how recently the Austrian manager was dismissed by Southampton. However, many still regard the former RB Leipzig coach as one of the best in the game, and Rangers could be an appealing project.
Should the club choose to give Hasenhuttl their full backing, the former Saints manager could work wonders at Rangers given their huge status in the SPL and their regular appearances in Europe, with the Austrian no doubt eager to join a side who can compete on the continent.
Valerien Ismael
Valerien Ismael’s managerial CV is conflicting, to say the least. From incredible spells in charge of LASK and Barnsley to utterly failing at West Bromwich Albion and more recently Besiktas, the former Bayern Munich defender is yet to really settle at a club where the Frenchman can lay out his tactical philosophy. Yet Rangers could be that side.
The 47-year-old has shown he can manage clubs to over-the-odds performances, most notably during his time with Barnsley. And for Rangers, Ismael could have the potential to be an ideal replacement for Van Bronckhorst if the former Championship boss is given the time and resources to lay out his plan with the Glasgow giants.
Scott Parker
It seems impressive that Scott Parker is yet to be linked with the Rangers job given his impressive record with the likes of Fulham and AFC Bournemouth over the years. Yet should Van Bronckhorst be sacked, the former England international might be the first name on the Gers’ shortlist to replace the Dutchman.
A manager with similarities to Gerrard, Parker could reignite Rangers’ fortunes with his style of coaching just like the former Villa boss did all the way back in 2018. And for the former Bournemouth boss, he could relish the chance of managing a club as big as the Scottish giants.
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