Australia manager Ange Postecoglou is understood to be interested in taking over at Rangers – but could he be their answer to Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers?
With the appointment of Pedro Caixinha blowing up in their face, the Daily Record reports that the Rangers board want to go back to basics and employ a Brit as the club’s best manager.
In recent days, however, a number of overseas coaches have reportedly expressed their interest in taking over at Ibrox from Belgian goalkeeping legend Michael Preud’homme to Uruguayan Gus Poyet.
And ESPN has reported on Tuesday afternoon that Australia manager Ange Postecoglou is the latest to throw his hat into the ring. The 52-year-old is expected to quit as Socceroos boss regardless of whether they beat Honduras in the World Cup qualifier next week and is understood to favour a return to club management.
The report adds that, due to the fact Postecoglou will be a free agent, he could appeal to Rangers. Derek McInnes is understood to be the club’s first choice but it will cost £800,000 to free him from his contract at Aberdeen, per the Scottish Sun.
Rangers’ Rodgers?
And while Postecoglou is unlikely to be too high on Rangers’ wishlist, they should not disregard comments made by Australia’s star man Tom Rogic in which he compared the manager to none other than his Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers.
“It’s almost a bit of a similar feel as I see the managers being a little bit similar in ways — both quite positive and both quite intense to work under,” Hoops playmaker Rogic told ESPN in 2016 when asked to compare Postecoglou with Rodgers.
“The environment’s good, the team’s good; when you’re playing, you’re happy and, when you’re winning games, it’s all good.”
The Greek-born Postecoglou has spent the majority of his managerial career Down Under, winning the A-League and breaking the record for the longest unbeaten run in Australian sporting history (36 games) during a sensational spell with Brisbane Roar.
Whether the PFA’s Manager of the Decade could make the same impact in Glasgow as Rodgers, however, is an intriguing debate.
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