With the pressure rising on Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the under-fire Rangers boss may have been breathing a sigh of relief last week when Barak Bakhar distanced himself from a reported move to Ibrox.
The Maccabi Haifa coach, reports say, has been identified as a potential replacement. Though while Bakhar labelled Rangers’ interest ‘flattering’, he was also quick to play down an immediate departure from a Maccabi side who stunned Juventus in the Champions League a couple of weeks ago.
But if Bakhar’s comments strengthened Van Bronckhorst’s position, reports suggesting that Alexander Blessin could become available sooner rather than later may have the opposite effect.
Blessin, the Daily Record say, was one of the leading candidates to take over from Steven Gerrard at Ibrox 12 months ago, before Van Bronckhorst got the nod instead.
If some at Rangers were regretting not handing the reigns to a man named Belgium’s Manager of the Year in 2021, after working wonders alongside Fashion Sakala at an unfancied KV Oostende outfit, then a second chance could soon be heading their way.
Could Rangers replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst with Alexander Blessin?
According to Alfredo Pedulla, Genoa are ‘not happy’ with how the current season is progressing. Despite sitting third in the Serie B table, Blessin’s job is under threat following three games without a win. Genoa are already in the process of identifying successors too; Aurelio Andreazzoli and Salernitana boss Davide Nicola under the microscope.
“I understand the boos,” Blessin sighed following this weekend’s stalemate with Como, the Genoa supporters making their dissatisfaction known.
The Rangers players were greeted by a similarly irate reaction following a 1-1 draw of their own; yet more dropped points, this time away at St Mirren, widening the chasm between the Gers and rivals Celtic. Going into the World Cup break, the gap stands at nine points.
Rangers continue to lack inspiration and direction; plodding through matches seemingly without a semblance of a gameplan. Blessin would certainly give this underachieving squad an identity again; his high-pressing style of play earning the 49-year-old plenty of admirers in Italy, even if the results haven’t always followed.
“Italian football has imitated (Pep) Guardiola for 15 years,” the legendary Fabio Capello tells Football Italia.
“There were no vertical passes or physical strength. On the other hand, we should follow Jurgen Klopp’s playing style. Alexander Blessin at Genoa is offering even something more than Klopp. The German way is the model to follow.”
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