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Big names are being touted as next Rangers manager candidates.
The 49ers could come in with a household name - but one pundit reckons Rangers fans have already made their mind up on who comes next.
Currently, Barry Ferguson is the interim manager after poor domestic form brought the sacking of Philippe Clement. The club icon has guided Rangers to Europa League progress against Fenerbahce and also secured a win against Celtic at Parkhead.
It comes in the backdrop of a takeover bid by the US-backed San Francisco 49ers Enterprise wing. Former player Jamie Murphy has been running over the situation on who the prospective new custodians could look to hire as permanent gaffer.
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Barry Ferguson backed as Rangers manager
While he believes the 49ers will possibly want a show-stopping name, as he feels they are entitled to seek, the ex attacker reckons Rangers fans will want to see Ferguson given a go beyond the summer. He said on Go Radio: “I think for someone like Barry Ferguson, who's been the captain, knows what it's all about, who has been a Rangers fan, I think Rangers fans would be particularly happy if he got given the job for how long. That's up to other people, but it's obviously a bit of a turnover at the minute at Ibrox with the takeover maybe coming in, maybe not, people still not sure about it.
“I think if you appoint him the manager initially, maybe on a year or whatever, it gives people time to see, can he be the Rangers manager? Is he going to take Rangers forward? Or do we need to bring our own person in? I think that's something that you can only ask the new owners if they do come in. Some new owners like to make a splash and there are obviously much bigger names than Barry outside Scotland. But in Scotland, I think if you asked most Rangers fans who they wanted to be the next manager, they'd probably say Barry Ferguson.”
Dundee focus
What comes long term is not the focus for Ferguson just now, rather the game against Dundee on Saturday in the Premiership. He said at his pre-game press conference: “I'm manager of the football team and there's high standards now. If anybody dips below these standards then I'm afraid you're not going to be part of the team.
“Every game is a challenge. But this is a challenge I'm looking forward to because over the season games away from home haven't been to the standard which is expected at Rangers. We all know what Dundee did a couple of Sundays ago winning convincingly at Tannadice. So I'm under no illusions what type of game it's going to be. The players have been told that today. They'll get told that again. And it's a challenge as a Rangers player that you need to go and meet head on.
“It’s not about playing nice, pretty football at times. My players need to learn that. And certainly they're starting to learn that. You've seen that in performances over the last two or three weeks that sometimes you need to dig deep to get results. I would love to go and guarantee everybody that it's going to be nice, free-flowing, attractive football. But that's not the way it is in Scotland.”
Related topics:Jamie MurphyPremiershipBarry Ferguson
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