Martin SACKED | Why This ‘Angeball-inspired’ Aussie Chief Should Become The Next Rangers Boss | OneFootball

After a dreadful four months at Rangers, Russell Martin has been relieved from his duties following Sunday’s shocking 1-1 draw with Falkirk. A few names are mentioned in the rumour mills to succeed him at Ibrox, and Kevin Muscat, the former Gers defender, is the bookmakers’ favourite (2/1) over Danny Rohl (9/4), Steven Gerrard (5/2) and Sean Dyche (11/4), as revealed by The Scotsman.

The likes of Derek McInnes, Steven Davis, Barry Ferguson and Gary O’Neil are also in the mix. But the Australian, currently in charge of the Chinese Super League heavyweights Shanghai Port, is leading the fray, having been linked a couple of years ago before losing the race to Philippe Clement.

Profiling The Rumoured Targets

Meanwhile, Dyche was supposedly the obvious choice, as he worked with Kevin Thelwell at Everton. The Englishman is hailed for his magnificent managerial stint with Burnley. He also managed to keep the Toffees up in the top flight, but was dismissed earlier this year for his passive playing style. While he is known for his patchwork with struggling sides, winning trophies has never been his strength, particularly in modern football, when silverware is considered the currency of success.

Moreover, Dyche would explore the Championship market, similar to what Martin did, thus introducing mediocrity, when you expect the club to challenge Celtic for the Premiership crown, as well as a deep run in Europe. Thelwell should not repeat his mistake and, therefore, opt for alternatives during the international break.

Gerrard remains the most successful Rangers boss in recent times, as he guided them towards the ‘invincibles’ league win in 2021. But the Liverpool legend failed miserably with Aston Villa and Al-Ettifaq since leaving Glasgow. He relied heavily on Michael Beale during his tenure; however, the latter was unable to deliver when appointed as the head coach, replacing Giovanni van Bronckhorst. The idea of Beale’s return as Gerrard’s assistant might not work out, considering they failed in the Saudi Pro League.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 25: Russell Martin, Manager of Rangers looks on from the dugout during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Rangers FC and KRC Genk at Ibrox Stadium on September 25, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Euan Cherry/Getty Images)

Rohl, on the other hand, holds considerable promise. He did extremely well at Sheffield Wednesday under adverse circumstances, before parting ways by mutual consent due to the club’s ownership and financial issues. The German is on the rise, but he is too young to handle the pressure and meet the expectations north of the border.

Why Rangers Should Push For Muscat

This makes Muscat the most viable option for his profound success with Melbourne Victory, Yokohama F. Marinos and Shanghai Port. Although he only lasted for six months at Sint-Truidense, Muscat’s journey in the Far East and growth as a manager remind us of Ange Postecoglou, who came from Japan and lit up Scottish football with Celtic, followed by a dramatic Europa League triumph as the Tottenham Hotspur boss. His strong desire to win trophies is often described as “Angeball-inspired”.

Muscat does not have Martin’s ‘branding’ of ‘free-flowing’ football, but he would inject aggression and demand high pressing from the current crop of Rangers players. It remains to be seen how adaptable their summer signings are if the club decide to snap up the Aussie gaffer.