Report shares how Rangers board feel about Michel Preud’homme

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Michel Preud’homme has made no secret of his desire to replace Pedro Caixinha at Rangers.

It’s somewhat baffling that Michel Preud’homme does not get the credit he deserves outside of Belgium. The 58-year-old was one of the best goalkeepers in the world back in his day but his work in the dugout has been rather unfairly overlooked.

Preud’homme’s name is hardly a regular fixture in discussions about potential new managers for some of Europe’s biggest clubs. But perhaps it should be.

After all, Preud’homme guided Standard Liege to their first Belgian league title in 25 years back in 2008. Club Brugge also lifted the Jupiler League trophy under the former Benfica shot-stopper in 2016, ending an 11-year barren run.

And that’s without mentioning the fact that Preud’homme also finished as a runner up in Belgium and Holland with Gent and FC Twente. He has three Belgian Manager of the Year awards on his CV and also won the prestigious Rinus Michels Award in 2011, an annual prize in Dutch football given to the most impressive coach across a calendar year.

Proven track record

Nonetheless, the Daily Record claims that managerless Rangers do not regard Preud’homme as a serious candidate to take the reins from the departed Pedro Caixinha at Ibrox.

The publication claimed on Sunday that Preud’homme, who left Brugge at the end of last season, wanted the job and had held talks with Gers chairman Dave King.

The veteran coach’s agent even confirmed that Preud’homme had rejected an offer from Belgian side Mechelen because he wanted to wait and hear whether his application at Rangers had been successful.

The Record, however, reported that Rangers have made appointing a British manager a priority after the disastrous seven month reign of Portuguese Caixinha. Though ruling out Preud’homme because his voice does not have that Scottish twang seems a missed opportunity.