Rangers parted ways with manager Mark Warburton earlier this month.
Ex-Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew
Rangers are looking for a new manager after confirming on their official website last Friday 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 took charge of the Gers for last Sunday’s 2-1 Scottish Cup victory over Morton, and whilst Warburton told The Scottish Sun last week that he doesn’t know what Rangers are talking about, claiming he hasn’t resigned, the search for a new manager is well and truly on.
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: 2/1
We’ve now reached a week of Rangers’ managerial search, and McLeish remains the favourite for the job. The 58-year-old, who spent four and a half years as Rangers manager following a 2001 move from HIbernian, has been tipped to take charge until the end of the season, given that he’s a free agent having left Egyptian side Zamalek. His odds were as short as 1/14 earlier this week, but he’s back out to around 2/1 this evening, meaning he’s drifting ever so slightly.
Graeme Murty 2/1
Interim manager Murty oversaw last weekend’s 2-1 win over Morton in the Scottish Cup, but that was a far from convincing display, and the former Scotland international has no managerial experience right now. The former Reading ace has been coaching Rangers’ youngsters this season and will take charge of Sunday’s game against Dundee, giving him another chance to prove his credentials. Whilst Murty may not be the manager Rangers want in the long-term, he could take charge until the end of the season, with odds of 2/1 tonight.
Alan Pardew 5/1
A stunning flurry of bets have seen Pardew shoot to third favourite for the Rangers job, with the ex-Newcastle manager now in at 5/1. Sacked by Crystal Palace in December, Pardew is out of work and could fancy a swift return to management, with Rangers the biggest available job right now. However, his ties to Mike Ashley wouldn’t make him a popular candidate at Ibrox, and he may be aiming higher than Rangers right now having been spoken about as a possible England manager in the not-too-distant past.
Former Nottingham Forest manager Dougie Freedman
Alan Irvine 25/1
Scot Irvine has been out of management since being sacked by West Bromwich Albion in 2014, but he’s currently serving as Alex Neil’s assistant at Norwich City. Formerly of Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday, the 58-year-old has enjoyed a lengthy coaching career but limited success as a manager in his own right, meaning Rangers fans may not be too keen. At 25/1, he remains a dark horse at the very best.
Dougie Freedman 25/1
Another Scot in the running, Freedman has been out of management for almost a year having lost his job at Nottingham Forest in March 2016. Formerly of Crystal Palace and Bolton Wanderers, former Scotland international Freedman’s odds were slashed earlier this afternoon, but he’s back out to 25/1 this evening. Freedman, 42, is one to watch though, having been highly rated during his time in England, though he hasn’t lived up to his promise in recent years.
Who would you like to see Rangers appoint as their new manager?
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