Rangers legend Arthur Numan believes former Ibrox teammate Giovanni van Bronckhorst would be a “success” if he replaced Steven Gerrard as the club’s manager, speaking to 5 Stars.
This isn’t the first time Numan has discussed the prospect of Van Bronckhorst returning to the blue side of Glasgow in a coaching capacity.
But, following the dismissal of Pedro Caixinha in 2017, Numan suggested to the Sunday Post the former Netherlands captain could afford to set his sights higher.
Van Bronckhorst, after all, was a man on the up, having guided Feyenoord to their first Eredivisie title in 18 years a few months earlier.
Rangers, meanwhile, were hardly a picture of health, fourth in the Scottish Premiership table and choking on Celtic’s dust.
Four years later, things have changed dramatically – for Van Bronckhorst and Rangers.
Van Bronckhorst speaks very fondly of his time at Rangers
The 46-year-old is no longer one of the most coveted young coaches in Europe, his reputation dented by an ill-fated spell in China.
Rangers, meanwhile, have clambered back to the summit of Scottish football, slamming a blue flag triumphantly into the peak while ending a decade of disappointment.
Suddenly, Van Bronckhorst feels a lot more ‘gettable’ for a Rangers side that has made huge strides since Caixinha’s overdue dismissal.
“I know him very well. We were teammates at Rangers and in the Dutch national team,” Numan says of Van Bronckhorst.
“He is a talented manager and a very good person. He also has Rangers in his heart and speaks very fondly about his time at Ibrox.
“If an agreement can be reached between Rangers and Giovanni, I think we would be getting someone who will continue to bring success to Rangers.”
Van Bronckhorst isn’t the only candidate, although he does appear to have emerged as the most likely appointment.
Rangers have also been linked with Alexander Blessin, the high-pressing, taurine-powered tactician recently named Belgium’s coach of the year.
Callum Davidson, Alex Neil and Frank Lampard have also been linked.
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