Mark Warburton’s sudden departure leaves Rangers with a decision to make; would Alex McLeish be an astute appointment?
The fact that Alex McLeish guided Rangers to two league titles between 2001 and 2006, ahead of a superior Celtic side no less, spoke volumes about ‘Big Eck’s’ tenacity and ability to thrive in the most testing of circumstances, the Daily Record reports.
Although that 2005 SPL title, his last in management, was eleven years ago. After leaving Ibrox in 2011, McLeish missed out on Euro 2008 with Scotland, suffered relegation with Birmingham City, suffered abuse at Aston Villa and departed Nottingham Forest, Genk and Zamalek after a combined 52 games. It is fair to say his stock has never been lower.
Yet, Ian Murray, who played under McLeish for five years with Hibernian and Rangers, is in no doubt that the 58-year-old is the authoritative figure required to shake up a side in the post Mark Warburton era.
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“[McLeish is] the outstanding candidate because he’s been there before,” Murray told the Daily Record. “He knows what the club mean to the fans. He wants back in the game as well. So it looks like an ideal fit.
“Alex has won big games at Rangers before and knows what has to be done. When he was in charge the gap wasn’t as big between Rangers and Celtic. But Alex likes to defy the odds.”
There is defying the odds and then there is attempting to work under the shadow of a 27-point gap between one Old Firm rival and the other.
It is fair to say the difference between Celtic and Rangers has rarely been more pronounced and, despite McLeish’s history, he has achieved little in over a decade to suggest that he has the tactical understanding or the pulling power to match Brendan Rodgers on the green side of Glasgow.
But is a ‘safe pair of hands’ the best option available to a club who may dream of the likes of Frank de Boer while perhaps lacking the funds to attract the biggest names?
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@RangersCulture @IL_Official @RangersFC – I’m going for McLeish to steady the ship until end of season then go for De Boer #Rangers
— Keith Watson (@KeithyWatson) February 11, 2017
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