Rangers parted ways with manager Mark Warburton last month.
General View of Ibrox Stadium
Rangers are looking for a new manager after confirming on their official website last 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 in February – 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 four games, and whilst he oversaw a dramatic 3-2 home win over St Johnstone on Wednesday evening, defeats at Dundee and St Johnstone mean he is unlikely to get the job on a full-time basis.
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.
Pedro Caixinha: 4/6
Portuguese manager Caixinha has emerged as Rangers’ top managerial target according to The Scottish Sun, and he is now the odds-on leader with bookmakers today. The 46-year-old is currently managing Qatari side Al-Gharafa following spells in charge of Uniao Leiria, Nacional and Mexican side Santos Laguna, and could now return to Europe. A former Celtic scout, Caixinha is the surprise leading contender for the Gers job, and bookmakers seemingly think he’s closing in on the job.
Gary Rowett: 2/1
The same report from The Scottish Sun claimed that if Caixinha doesn’t get the job, then the club would pursue a deal for Rowett. The 42-year-old was harshly sacked by Birmingham City in December despite having the Blues on the fringes of the Championship play-offs – and Gianfranco Zola’s struggles since taking the job show just how great Rowett’s work was. Now 2/1 for the Rangers job, Rowett would be a smart choice for the Gers having also impressed in charge of Burton Albion, whilst he wouldn’t require compensation either.
Graeme Murty: 10/1
The current interim boss bounced back from successive 2-1 away defeats at Dundee and Inverness Caledonian Thistle by overseeing a dramatic 3-2 home win over St Johnstone on Wednesday evening. The former Scotland defender has no managerial experience, but has been coaching the Rangers youngsters this season, and has been thrust into the caretaker role at Ibrox. His odds have unsurprisingly been cut after Wednesday’s win, but even at 10/1, he looks unlikely to win the job.
Pedro Caixinha
Alex Neil: 10/1
A leading contender for the job on Tuesday and Wednesday, Neil has slipped back out in the odds this evening, now sitting at 10/1. The Norwich City boss had a strong record in Scotland with Hamilton Academical, earning himself a 2015 move to Norwich, when he immediately took the Canaries to promotion from the Championship. Neil suffered relegation last season though, and hasn’t been able to get Norwich into the promotion mix this season, with some poor results casting doubt over his future at Carrow Road. Now 10/1, Neil also looks unlikely to return to Scotland, with the 35-year-old more likely to stay at Norwich now.
Derek McInnes: 14/1
With ties to Rangers having played for the club and a strong record in Scottish football with current employers Aberdeen and former club St Johnstone, McInnes has been a popular candidate among many fans and pundits. Paying considerable compensation may put Rangers off though, and having been 5/1 for the job on Wednesday, McInnes is now back out to 14/1 for the Rangers job, meaning he’s unlikely to make a move back to Ibrox in the near future.
Who would you like to see Rangers appoint as their new manager?
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