Last night, Rangers announced that they had made the decision to relieve first team head coach Michael Beale of his duties – as such they will now begin the search for a new manager.
In a statement on his official Instagram page, Beale wrote: “Thank you Rangers FC to everyone behind the scenes at the training ground and Ibrox, to the board, staff, fans and all the players. I will always follow and support the club from afar and wish you every success.
“Now is the time for everyone to unite fully behind Steven Davis and the team in the coming games. There is still so much to play for this season and I have a strong belief in this group of players. Thank you and good luck.”
Did Rangers do the right thing in sacking Michael Beale?
Sadly, Beale’s position at Rangers had been under threat for some time – Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat against Aberdeen was merely the straw that broke the camel’s back.
It appears as though Rangers will be set for another season without major silverware – that is, unless they can win the Scottish League Cup.
According to a tweet from The 4th Official, Rangers will not seek to appoint a new manager on a whim – instead, they will bide their time until they can identify the perfect candidate.
Who is the betting favourite to be the next permanent head coach?
According to Irish bookmakers Paddy Power, Kevin Muscat is currently the favourite to be installed as the new Light Blues manager with odds of 5/2.
Muscat managed Melbourne Victory from 2013 to 2019 – he then endured a brief stint at Sint-Truidense. Following this, he was appointed by Yokohama F. Marinos in the J League, where he remains to this day.
The second favourite to assume the vacant manager’s post at Rangers is Graham Potter at 4/1. Potter’s credibility has taken a hit over the last year, following a catastrophic stint at Chelsea, but his successes at Brighton and Östersund should not be forgotten.
Following Potter in the betting odds is Jesse Marsch, who is rated at 7/1 to take the job. He lacks both experience and pedigree, but with stints at RB Leipzig and Leeds United under his belt, he has proven that he can perform admirably as a head coach at elite levels.
Also in the running are Kjetil Knutsen at 8/1, Marcelo Bielsa at 17/2, Ralph Hasenhuttl at 10/1, Gennaro Gattuso at 12/1 and Ruud Van Nistelrooy at 16/1.
