Former Rangers boss Alex McLeish has responded to speculation surrounding a possible move back to Ibrox.
Alex McLeish has been quoted by The Scottish Sun as saying that he has not held talks with Rangers over a return to Ibrox following Mark Warburton’s shock departure.
The Gers announced on Friday evening that, amid speculation over Warburton’s future, the former Brentford boss tendered his resignation, along with assistant boss David Weir and recruitment chief Frank McParland.
Warburton claims he hasn’t in fact resigned, but he has certainly left the club after almost two years in the post, having seen Graeme Murty take charge of today’s Scottish Cup clash with Morton.
Former Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish
Rangers claimed a narrow 2-1 win over the Championship side, but Murty is unlikely to land the job on a full-time basis having had no major managerial experience.
Rangers fans react on Twitter to Mark Warburton’s Ibrox exit, discuss potential replacements
Bookmakers have been pricing up odds for Warburton’s successor, and Sky Bet make former Gers boss Alex McLeish the 4/9 favourite to make a surprise return to Ibrox.
Alex McLeish
McLeish spent four-and-a-half years as Rangers manager between 2001 and 2006, winning 66% of his games in charge whilst also winning two league titles following a move from rivals Hibernian.
Now out of work after unsuccessful spells with Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Genk and Zamalek, McLeish could look to get back into management, with the 58-year-old heavily touted for a move back to Glasgow.
McLeish has since been asked about the situation, and has been quoted by The Scottish Sun as saying that he hasn’t held talks with the Gers, but is ‘a Rangers man’, but it would be hard to turn the club down should they come calling.
“No,” said McLeish. “Obviously there’s a lot of speculation but there’s nothing I can update you on apart from the fact that I’m here. It looks more than a coincidence but it is one. I’m a Rangers man but you obviously have to keep that in consideration.
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“When you get asked to come to a club like Rangers it’s hard to turn that down. If they come and they want to speak to me then I can only take it from there. I can’t come out and say I definitely want this job. I need to see if Rangers want me first,” he added.
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