Rangers fans fear 50-year-old would be another Van Bronckhorst at Ibrox

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·3 October 2023

Rangers fans fear 50-year-old would be another Van Bronckhorst at Ibrox

Highlights

Rangers fans have reservations about Kevin Muscat being appointed as Michael Beale's successor in the Ibrox hot-seat.
The former defender previously featured for the Scottish Premiership title-chasers during his playing career.
Muscat is currently in charge of Japanese side Yokohama F Marinos and could be available for a cut-price compensation fee.

Rangers fans feel Kevin Muscat is 'not the right answer for right now' as the Ibrox hierarchy seek a replacement for Michael Beale in the Gers' dugout despite a key development, journalist Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT.

A 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen proved to be the final straw for the Glasgow giants, with Beale being sacked a matter of hours later as their attempts to steal the Scottish Premiership title away from Old Firm rivals Celtic suffered another major blow last weekend.

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Rangers manager news - Kevin Muscat

Muscat has emerged as a serious contender to be named as Beale's successor and, according to talkSPORT, the Yokohama F Marinos chief is interested in holding discussions with the Rangers hierarchy over potentially heading back to familiar surroundings.

The report suggests the 50-year-old tactician, who made 24 appearances for the Gers during his playing career, is eager to embark on a fresh challenge and wants to open talks over a potential switch into the Ibrox dugout.

It is understood that Yokohama F Marinos are desperate to hold onto Muscat and have put a new contract on the table, but he has held off putting pen-to-paper following the axing of Beale and a cut-price compensation package could be agreed if Rangers make their move due to entering the final months of his contract in Japan.

The former Australia international has won silverware during his time at the Yokohama F Marinos helm, while he also led Melbourne Victory to the A-League title in his homeland.

Rangers fans have same 'gut feeling' over Muscat as van Bronckhorst - Dean Jones

Jones believes Rangers' links to Muscat have left supporters with a similar feeling to when Giovanni van Bronckhorst was handed the Ibrox reins, which did not end up going to plan.

Although the respected journalist does not feel the entire fanbase are against the idea of appointing Muscat, he is aware that a significant number are insistent that he is not the correct option to be going for as they look to get their season back on track.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

"I do think there will be an element of this that will remind them of what happened with Giovanni van Bronckhorst. That was a gut feeling, it seemed, for a lot of Rangers fans at the time that it wasn't going to work. From the immediate reaction that I'm seeing and hearing at the moment, it feels like a similar vibe to that. "It's not that they're all totally against the idea of appointing Muscat and that it can't possibly work. It's just that there's a feeling that this is not the right answer for right now. "Sometimes you have to listen to and understand the vibe that fans have, particularly the ones that are there week after week at Ibrox."

How did Rangers perform under van Bronckhorst?

Van Bronckhorst's reign at Rangers lasted just 68 matches, according to Transfermarkt, with 42 wins being sealed in that time.

The high point of the Dutch tactician's time in charge of the Gers was leading them to the brink of European glory, only to miss out on clinching the Europa League trophy thanks to a penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of German side Eintracht Frankfurt in the final less than 18 months ago.

Like Muscat, van Bronckhorst featured in a Rangers shirt during his playing career, resulting in there being a clear correlation in the hierarchy's way of thinking if they end up making the appointment.

But the 48-year-old was sacked by the Glasgow giants 11 months ago after they had fallen nine points adrift of cross-city rivals Celtic in the race for the Scottish Premiership title, which resulted in Beale being handed the job, and he has been out of work since.

Who else is being linked with the Rangers job?

Reputable reporter Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that AZ Alkmaar boss Pascal Jensen would be 'very interested' in taking over at Rangers, while he also has admirers behind the scenes at Ibrox.

The 50-year-old has enjoyed a fruitful spell in charge of the Eredivisie outfit, leading them to 88 wins from 145 matches, and it would result in the Gers hierarchy looking to the Dutch market once again after previously recruiting van Bronckhorst.

Preston North End chief Ryan Lowe has been identified as an alternative option and Rangers chief executive James Bisgrove has made tentative enquiries over what funds it would take to prise him away from the Championship club.

But it appears that Graham Potter will not be appointed as Beale's successor as he has ruled himself out of the running after showing no interest in filling the Ibrox vacancy despite currently being on the lookout for a fresh challenge.

It comes after the former Chelsea boss had been identified as the Scottish Premiership title-chasers' top target and he also rejected the opportunity to take over at Ligue 1 side Lyon last month.