GERS NEED A HIRE POWER

Pros and cons of five top contenders for vacant job

- BY SCOTT McDERMOTT

RANGERS have tried the legendary ex-player route with Gio van Bronckhorst.

Then it was the young, modern-thinking coach in Michael Beale.

After that it was the foreign angle ~ Philippe Clement, a proven title winner in Belgium.

And, finally, it was the possession-based build-from-the-back philosophy of Russell Martin.

Given that all four manager were sacked without making it past 12 months in the job, it could be argued that none of them worked.

So the question is, where do Rangers go next?

Martin was axed on Sunday night after just 122 days in the job after a disastrous start to his Ibrox tenure.

Most supporters now want a more pragmatic head coach, preferably with experience of Rangers and Scottish football.

There are five early front-runners for the job. Here, we look at their credentials:

A fans’ favourite and iconic figure at Ibrox after he delivered their 55th title in 2021 and stopped Celtic winning 10-in-a-row.

The 45-year-old Liverpool legend immediately ‘got it’ when he arrived in Glasgow seven years ago.

His experience at the highest level made him ideal for the role, with Rangers trying to reestablish themselves as a force in Scottish football after a difficult period in the club’s history.

Gerrard needed three years to win a league but, for supporters, it was the one that mattered.

And more importantly, he set standards which have been allowed to slip since his departure to Aston Villa in November 2021.

After leaving Ibrox, he has endured tough spells in England and Saudi Arabia but he’s currently out of work and available.