Rangers’ five men in line to replace Philippe Clement

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Rangers’ five men in line to replace Philippe Clement
POHANG, SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 01: Shanghai Port head coach, Kevin Muscat looks on prior to the AFC Champions League Elite East Region match between Pohang Steelers and Shanghai Port at Pohang Steelyard on October 01, 2024 in Pohang, South Korea. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images)

It’s abundantly clear Rangers ‘manager’ Philippe Clement is a dead man walking now, and it’s a matter of time before he is either sacked via a mutual consent deal, or does the decent thing and resigns.

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But who replaces him?

Unfortunately, the only man Ibrox Noise truly trusts is of course no longer with us, so we now have to accept a new manager will carry a massive bag of risk with him, and we’re taking a chance whoever comes in.

But there are main contenders, and Ibrox Noise looks at them in turn. Who can turn this farcical Rangers mess around and give us something resembling our club again?

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Derek McInnes:

Ibrox Noise has time for our ex-player, he was swallowed up by the Rangers-hating Aberdeen train for a long time, and said very questionable things about our club during the Pedro and Warburton eras, but since leaving them has been a lot more palatable. He’s been to four cup finals, won one, and knows Rangers as well as anyone. The one thing he lacks is experience with a ‘must-win’ club, he’s only managed St Johnstone, Aberdeen, Bristol and Killie. Can he cope with the pressure at Rangers?

Kevin Muscat:

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Overlooked in favour of Clement, the Australian has been sensational in management. He’s won titles in three different countries now, making a mockery of any idea that he’s Angie lite. Muscat is a great manager, who knows the pressure of Rangers. The problem is the same as Clement – Australia, China and Japan are nowhere near the must-win of Rangers and the SPL. He’s won at levels and countries where football isn’t even the main sport. He knows the demands of our club, but can he up his game and take his talent at more unpressured levels up to Ibrox?

Rino Gattuso:

A true blue like the other two, Gattuso has been indifferent in management, but he has managed at a ‘must-win’ club in AC Milan, and he knows the pressure of Rangers is like nothing else. How did he do at the San Siro? 48% win percentage – it’s ok for an era where Milan were post-2012 (like Rangers) and had no money. He’s also managed Napoli (57%) and is currently thriving in Croatia with Split (58%), but has had lesser spells with Marseille and Valencia. He’s probably the best manager of the lot in terms of CV and experience at must-win clubs. And he knows Rangers very, very, very well. He’s also rejected the Rangers talk recently.

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Graham Potter:

Absolutely not. He’s been talked up by some, but crashed at the one club where pressure is a thing, Chelsea. Enzo Maresca showing how it should be done. He’s not a high-pressure manager and took time out of football after Stamford Bridge.

Frank Lampard:

Graeme Souness might have been right not to pick Clement way back when, but he was wrong in his choice of Lampard. The guy has been in three gigs, Derby (low expectation and still didn’t get promoted), Chelsea, where he crashed, and car crash itself Everton. He’s been out of a job since. Rangers isn’t the job for him even if he understands the pressure.

There are a few other names floating around, but these are the main five really. Take your pick…

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