Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen has distanced himself from speculation regarding a potential move to Rangers amid the rising pressure facing Ibrox boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst, in quotes reported by the Daily Record.
In the last 12 months or so, Knutsen has been linked with taking over at the likes of Norwich City, Brighton Nottingham Forest, Burnley and now Rangers.
That should come as no real surprise, however. Arguably no one in Scandinavia, apart from perhaps Graham Potter, has made such a remarkable impact in charge of one club in recent times.
Bodo/Glimt had never before won Norway’s top flight since Knutsen took charge. After breaking their duck in 2020, they repeated the trick one year later.
Knutsen, described as an ‘absolute master’ tactician, is also the main reason why the team from the Arctic Circle are regulars in European competition these days; outclassing Celtic while hammering Jose Mourinho’s Roma 6-1 just last season.
Who could replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst at Rangers?
The three-time Eliteserien Manager of the Year was in no mood to pour fuel on the fire when quizzed about the prospect of taking over from Van Bronckhorst at Celtic’s Old Firm neighbours, however.
“Things that are outside Bodo/Glimt, I am completely uninterested in,” Knutsen says. “I do not want any enquiries, and I do not answer any telephone calls. I only have 100 per cent focus on Bodo/Glimt.”
Rangers fell nine points behind Celtic in the Premiership title race this weekend; dropping yet more points away from home at St Mirren as questions surrounding Van Bronckhorst’s future once again arose.
Under his management, Rangers reached the Europa League final but have drifted to a distant second-best domestically. There is also the not-insignificant matter of becoming the statistically the worst team ever to feature in the Champions League group-stages; no wins, no points, six defeats and a goal difference of minus-20.
Rangers are also reportedly keen on Maccabi Haifa coach Barak Bakhar. He, like Knutsen, distanced himself form the speculation recently however.
“It’s flattering,” Bakhar says. “(But) I don’t care (if the rumours of Rangers’ interest) are true or not. In any case, right now it’s not relevant.”
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