Rangers parted ways with manager Mark Warburton earlier this month.
General view outside Ibrox
Rangers are looking for a new manager after confirming on their official website earlier this month 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.
Whilst Warburton was under real pressure, many expected him to be sacked if he was to leave the club, but his resignation was accepted after a bizarre sequence of events regarding a failed move to Nottingham Forest, as reported by the Daily Record.
Graeme Murty has taken charge of the last three games for Rangers, including successive 2-1 away defeats at Dundee and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and the search for a new manager is well and truly on – whether it’s on a long-term basis or just until the end of the season.
Bookmakers have been pricing up odds for who could replace Warburton, and here are five of the biggest movers in the market today, as compiled by Oddschecker.
Alex McLeish: Evens
Still the favourite after more than two weeks of Rangers’ managerial search, McLeish is leading the way with bookmakers. Whilst he ticks boxes for Rangers given his availability – having left Egyptian side Zamalek at the end of last season – and has managed the club before, the Gers may have moved to appoint him by now, even if only until the end of the season. Bookmakers still believe McLeish is the top choice for Rangers though, meaning he remains a name to watch.
Alan Pardew: 13/8
Over a week ago, Pardew’s odds crashed after a bizarre series of bets, before drifting back out of the running. Today, Pardew is again one of the favourites for the job, as he has been cut to as short as 13/8 for the job. Looking to get back into management after being sacked by Crystal Palace in December, Pardew would be a big-name appointment, but maybe not one that would appease fans given his relationship with Mike Ashley. Pardew often starts well before suffering a terrible run of form, something Rangers should be wary of if Pardew is a realistic target.
Gary Rowett: 6/1
Harshly sacked by Birmingham City in December despite the club sitting just outside the Championship play-off places, Rowett built up quite the reputation for himself at St. Andrews. Following a 2014 move from Burton Albion, Rowett turned the Blues from relegation candidates to play-off hopefuls, and has been admired by many for his work in the Midlands. Rowett will be in demand for a host of jobs over the coming year, and the 42-year-old is now down to 6/1 for the Rangers job after a number of bets today.
Norwich manager Alex Neil
Alex Neil: 9/1
Scot Neil survived a terrible run of form earlier this season to keep his job at Carrow Road, with Norwich now hovering around the play-offs. Formerly of Hamilton, Neil is still just 36 years of age and has Premier League experience under his belt, making a return to Scotland right now seem unlikely. However, his odds have tumbled today, with odds of just 9/1 for the Rangers job this evening.
Vitor Pereira: 25/1
A surprise candidate this evening is Vitor Pereira, despite the Portuguese boss taking over at German side 1860 Munich earlier this month. The Times reported back in 2015, before Rangers appointed Warburton, that the Gers had held talks with Pereira over a move, but the deal fell through. Formerly of Porto, Al-Ahli, Olympiakos and Fenerbahce, the 48-year-old has endured a nomadic managerial career, and is now down to 25/1 to finally take charge at Ibrox.
Who would you like to see Rangers appoint as their new manager?
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