Maccabi Haifa coach Barak Bakhar admits he is ‘flattered’ by reports suggesting he could replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst at Scottish Premiership giants Rangers, speaking to Ynet.
The Athletic, following Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to St Johnstone, claim that Van Bronckhorst’s job is ‘safe for now’. For now. Not next week. Not next month. For now.
With pressure rising and the air turning a shade of blue as deep as Rangers’ home shirt at McDiarmid Park, the former Dutch international cannot afford many more lifeless, spineless performances like that if he is to avoid a freshly-printed P45, just 12 months after replacing Steven Gerrard in the Ibrox dugout.
No decision on Van Bronckhorst’s future is imminent as things stand. But, according to Israeli publication Sport5, representatives working on behalf of Rangers have already made their interest known in Barak Bakhar; 43-year-old tactician who has lifted the Israel Premier League title during five of the last six seasons.
His Maccabi Haifa side, meanwhile, beat Juventus in the Champions League group-stages this term while scoring three times against Paris Saint-Germain.
Could Rangers replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst with Barak Bakhar?
“It’s flattering,” Bakhar said when quizzed about those Rangers links.
The former Hapoel Be’er Sheva coach is under contract until 2024. According to Sport5, he is not expected to leave Maccabi Haifa in the middle of the current campaign. Luring him away from the Sammy Ofer next the summer could be easier said than done too, especially considering that Maccabi are unlikely to let such an impressive young tactician go without a fight.
“I don’t care (the rumours of Rangers’ interest) are true or not. In any case, right now it’s not relevant,” Bakhar adds.
Bakhar’s Maccabi, like Van Bronckhorst’s Rangers, finished bottom of their Champions League group recently. But the former, at least, can look themselves in the mirror and be proud of their efforts; a famous win against one of the Serie A giants in the bag, plus a more-than-respectable tally of seven goals in a group also containing PSG and an outstanding Benfica outfit.
“Bakhar for Rangers?” former Celtic and Israel star Eyal Berkovic muses; highlighting the pros and cons of taking a job in the Glasgow goldfish bowl.
“Scottish football is weak. (There are only) two clubs. (But) you are close to England. And if you succeed you can move (south of the border) like Steven Gerrard.”
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