Rangers parted ways with manager Mark Warburton on Friday.
Rangers shocked the world on Friday evening, as they confirmed on their official website that manager Mark Warburton has resigned from his position at Ibrox.
Warburton guided the Gers to promotion from the Scottish Premiership last season, but lukewarm performances and disappointing results – such as the 4-1 defeat at Hearts earlier this month – had piled the pressure on Warburton.
Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie with Morton was seen as a crucial game for Warburton and his future with the club, but Rangers stunned many by announcing that Warburton – along with assistant boss David Weir and recruitment chief Frank McParland – have all resigned.
Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish
Graeme Murty will now be in charge for Sunday’s game with Morton, and whilst Warburton has told The Scottish Sun that he doesn’t know what Rangers are talking about, claiming he hasn’t resigned, the search appears to be on for a new manager.
Already, bookmakers have been pricing up odds for who could replace Warburton, and here are five of the most notable men in the running, as provided by Sky Bet.
Alex McLeish: 7/4 (at time of writing)
A Glaswegian with previous of managing Rangers, McLeish would no doubt love a return to Ibrox. The 58-year-old spent four-and-a-half years in charge of Rangers between 2001 and 2006, winning 66% of his games at the helm. With two league titles, two Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups, McLeish enjoyed a fruitful spell at Ibrox, but recent spells with Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Zamalek mean that Rangers fans may prefer new blood rather than going back to a former manager. Right now though, he’s the hot favourite to replace Warburton.
Former Inter Milan coach Frank de Boer
Billy Davies: 9/2
Another Glaswegian with ties to the club, Davies has been out of management for almost three years having left Nottingham Forest in March 2014. A former Rangers midfielder, Davies has previously made no secret of his desire to take the reins at Ibrox, but after so long out of the game, it’s unclear whether he’s the right man to step straight in and take over the Gers at such a difficult time. Currently third-favourite, he at least looks to be a contender.
Derek McInnes 6/1
Currently managing Aberdeen, it would be a surprise to see McInnes leave Pittodrie for a return to Rangers. The 45-year-old made over 50 appearances for the Gers in five years with the club as a player, and has impressed as Aberdeen boss with a win rate of over 56%. He may not be the sexy pick for Rangers, but he know the Scottish Premiership inside out, and has been Celtic’s main rivals in recent years having made Aberdeen challengers in the top three.
Michael O’Neill 16/1
If those names don’t set the pulses racing, Northern Ireland boss O’Neill may just do that. The 47-year-old not only guided Northern Ireland to Euro 2016, but also took them into the knockout stages of the European Championships for the first time in the country’s history. No stranger to Scottish football having played for Dundee United, Hibernian, Aberdeen, St. Johnstone and Ayr United, O’Neill could be the choice of many Rangers fans, but at 16/1, he’s more of a dark horse than a frontrunner right now.
Frank De Boer 7/2
Now we come to the first choice for many Rangers supporters. Dutchman De Boer spent a brief time with the club as a player after a glittering career with Ajax and Barcelona, but it’s his record as a manager that will attract many. De Boer, 46, won four successive Eredivisie titles with Ajax between 2011 and 2014, and is out of work having been sacked by Inter Milan earlier this season. Landing De Boer would be an ambitious appointment to rival Brendan Rodgers at Celtic, and at 7/2, bookmakers appear to believe they have a chance of securing a stunning coup.
Who would you like to see Rangers appoint as their new manager?
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