Maccabi Haifa are confident that Barak Bakhar will reject any offer from Rangers as the Scottish Premiership giants scour the market for a Giovanni van Bronckhorst replacement, according to Israeli publication Sport5.
Bakhar’s story, at the Sammy Ofer Stadium, still has a few chapters remaining it seems.
Since taking over back in 2020, the 43-year-old former defender has guided Maccabi Haifa to no fewer than four trophies, including successive Israeli Premier League titles. But with a third in his sights, and a sixth in seven years if you include his terrific spell in charge of Hapoel Be’er Sheva, any potential approach from Rangers is likely to be placed on the backburner for the time being.
Sport5 claim that the Glasgow giants, who fired Van Bronckhorst on Monday, have already enquired about Bakhar’s availability. There is a confidence behind the scenes at Maccabi Haifa however that, even if Rangers were to offer him the job, Bakhar would opt to stay put.
Until the summer at least.
Who will replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst as Rangers manager?
The most successful Israeli coach of recent years is currently under contract until 2024. Maccabi, who recently defeated Juventus in the Champions League group-stages, remain hopeful of tying Bakhar down to a longer deal.
“It’s flattering,” Bakhar said when quizzed about those Rangers links earlier in November. “(But) I don’t care (if the rumours of Rangers’ interest) are true or not. In any case, right now it’s not relevant.”
According to the Scottish Express, former Lyon, Dortmund and Ajax coach Peter Bosz is in the running to replace Van Bronckhorst at Ibrox; the pupil potentially losing his job to his old master. Bosz was Van Bronckhorst’s captain at Feyenoord in the 1990s, and the pair have remained close ever since.
Sean Dyche, Kevin Muscat and former Ibrox assistant Mick Beale have also been linked.
Will Mick Beale return to Ibrox?
According to the Daily Record, Beale, who played a key role in Rangers’ ‘Invincibles’ campaign of 2020/21, is interested in a return to Glasgow despite only recently committing his future to QPR following an approach from Wolves.
“(The Wolves job) has come a bit too soon,” Beale told talkSPORT in October. “When we are doing well there will be speculation.
“One thing for sure is that Wolves is a fantastic football club, they’re a historic football club. It’s a real privilege. But I didn’t think it was the right moment as I entered into an agreement here.
“Integrity is a real big thing for me and loyalty. You don’t give it to receive it back. But if those are the things you live by, then at times you have to be strong by them.”
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