Danny Rohl’s Ibrox Exit May Not Say Good Things About Rangers | OneFootball

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Danny Rohl was not expected to leave Rangers this summer, with the Gers backing him and a summer rebuild on the cards. The German though departed for Red Bull Salzburg and though Rangers might ultimately feel in better shape now with Derek McInnes in charge, Rohl’s exit should be seen as worrying for what it says about Rangers right now.

Inside Futbol looks at why Rohl leaving Rangers is bad news, and it is not because the German is great.

Rangers had been committed to Rohl

Rohl, towards the end of the campaign, had come in for criticism for a myriad of reasons. His team selection against Celtic was scrutinised, while journalist Roger Hannah lambasted the side for having ‘no discernible style’ of play under him. His handling of James Tavernier’s farewell also raised eyebrows.

Despite all this, and a third-placed finish that had the effect of rubbing salt in their wounds as they missed out on Champions League football while rivals Celtic lifted the league title, the general consensus was that Rohl would be given at least a couple of further transfer windows to get it right.

It thus comes as a surprise that Rohl has moved on without much of a fight from Rangers and it raises the question of whether the powers that be at Govan viewed that interest from Red Bull Salzburg as an opportune moment for an expedient exit. Surely losing him though was not on their agenda.

Step down?

Red Bull Salzburg are not as big a club as Rangers; the Gers’ average attendance for a home game alone is five times that of the Austrian club. Rangers have a more fabled history, a worldwide reputation and comparatively greater recent success.

Rangers reached Europa League finals in 2008 and 2022, while being a shoo-in for at least the qualification rounds of the Champions League in most seasons.

The English-speaking world also provides the side with an advantage, with commentary and content becoming more accessible.

Performing well at Rangers might seem like the perfect platform for a dream Premier League job down the line, but the fact that Rohl thinks otherwise is worrisome.

Red Bull Salzburg as an institution

Red Bull Salzburg are part of Red Bull GmbH’s footballing empire, the second biggest club in the portfolio after RB Leipzig.

Being part of a multi-club organisation, especially in the way Red Bull have structured it, Rohl is only going to be even more of a coach and less of a manager, with the playing personnel and transfers viewed through the lens of the larger set-up rather than just that of the individual club.

It is difficult to envisage Rohl being given much authority to sanction or demand transfers, let alone being able to splurge £10m on Youssef Chermiti or €6m on Ryan Naderi, with Red Bull Salzburg hunting for bargains.

The player turnover at the Austrian club is also high, with the average length of stay being around two years, as that is the very definition of success in the Red Bull group. Rohl would also have to be wedded to the footballing philosophy adopted by the wider group, giving him little room to experiment tactically, even if he so desires.

Rohl, who began his coaching career at RB Leipzig and progressed to become an assistant to Ralph Hasenhuttl, now appears to have returned to a similar role, albeit under a different designation.

Pathway to RB Leipzig?

Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull and former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp played a key role in the choice of Rohl as the club’s next coach, indicating a possible pathway to RB Leipzig.

Though Martin Demichelis is now in to replace Ole Werner at RB Leipzig, Rohl is viewed as a potential successor there.

Even if Rohl gets the RB Leipzig job, the same constraints will still apply, as the Bundesliga side continue the process of selling players outside of the group clubs.

While Jesse Marsch, Marco Rose, Ralf Rangnick and Ralph Hasenhuttl all headed to the Premier League after a stint with RB Leipzig, it still appears to be a circuitous route for Rohl to take if that is what he desires.

Either the German tactician has grossly misjudged the attractiveness of his new job, or there is a deeper rot at Rangers than meets the eye.

Disruption to Rangers’ summer plans

Rangers looked like they needed major surgery even before Rohl’s departure and that might have only been accentuated by his exit now.

The good news is that Lawrence Shankland, Derek McInnes’ captain last year, has been the only signing through the door, on a free to boot, as the Gers took advantage of a break clause in the forward’s contract, meaning that the scenario of Rohl signings rotting away after his exit has been negated. But that is where the good news ends.

Tochi Chukwuani, Tuur Rommens and Ryan Naderi, all ostensibly Rohl signings, remain at the club after being brought in over the winter period, though Andreas Skov Olsen has returned to Wolfsburg.

One explanation could be that McInnes’ pragmatism is the best way forward for Rangers, especially with the Scot having been on the Gers’ books as a player in the nineties. McInnes was also approached in 2017, and it could therefore be argued that he is not a reactionary appointment.

That, however, will then raise further questions about why Rohl was appointed in the first place, especially coming off the back of a disastrous Russell Martin stint.

There are suggestions that there was friction between McInnes and Hearts regarding Jamestown Analytics, and Rangers might need to be wary of handing too much control over transfers to their new manager.

Rangers need to whittle down their shortlist to suit McInnes now, and they need to do it quickly, lest they lose out on potential bargains.

Right-backs Bryan Reynolds of Westerlo, a United States international, and Hampus Skoglund, whom Hammarby are reluctant to lose, could represent bargain replacements for Tavernier, but McInnes will need to be consulted before the Gers can make the leap.

Similarly, free agent Dan Neil, who is also wanted by West Ham United, and Joe Gelhardt, who is set to hold talks about his future with Leeds United, might not be available on the market for long.

Verdict

Rangers will want to avoid a scattershot approach in the transfer window, as they must prove that Rohl’s exit is not a continuation of their approach from the recent past.

With McInnes in the hot seat, it is now even more imperative that the side play a brand of football that is suited to Scottish football and to what Rangers fans might demand.

The 49ers have got a lot right at Leeds United over the past season or two, both in terms of transfers and managerial appointments or non-appointments. Rangers fans will hope that their decisions this summer are similarly beneficial to their club’s cause.