It feels like the beginning of a new Rangers era with excitement growing over what could be possible under ambitious owners.
The San Francisco 49ers Enterprises takeover is close to being announced by all accounts with Barry Ferguson hinting that there could be movement on the next Rangers manager in the coming days.
Tipped to be the next man in charge is Davide Ancelotti, a name known throughout the football world, as are the clubs that he has worked at.
Walter Smith learned from two legend of the game in Jim McLean and Graeme Souness, but they don’t come much bigger than Carlo Ancelotti.
Alongside him for every step since 2012 has been his son Davide in a variety of roles that make him one of the up-and-coming coaches of his generation according to a well-respected Spanish football journalist.
Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Rangers face tough fight to land Davide Ancelotti
Speaking to STV, Guillem Balague has explained just how integral Davide has been in his father’s recent successes:
“I would say he is one of the most coveted or most sought-after assistants in the world to be converted into a number one,” Balague told STV.
“Because, of course, having been with Carlo Ancelotti as his assistant in different levels at Bayern Munich first, Napoli, Everton and Real Madrid, he’s got a lot of experience. But what has happened, especially in the last two years at Real Madrid, is that he’s actually become what you can say is a first team head coach, while Carlo Ancelotti was the manager.
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“So, Carlo chose the starting eleven. He basically tried to balance the egos and didn’t fully work this season. But Davide was the one put in the work every day.”
Are Rangers making a familiar mistake?
It is impossible to compare one assistant manager to the next but the obvious worry will be that Michael Beale was the “brains” behind Rangers’ title success in 2020/21 and flopped when he got his chance in the Ibrox hotseat.
Michael Beale isn’t Davide Ancelotti.
Balague’s comments about Ancelotti’s influence at Real Madrid over the last few seasons can’t be ignored.
Before tailing off this season, they had won back-to-back La Liga and Champions League titles.
Ancelotti also has the sort of gravitas needed to step up and demand immediate respect.
Rangers are moving to a new recruitment model and it is more of a head coach that they need.
The days of a manager like Steven Gerrard or Philippe Clement controlling every aspect of the club are long gone.
Clubs don’t want Ancelotti because of who his dad is, they want him because he has been a successful assistant manager at three of the biggest clubs in Europe and in the Premier League with Everton.