The Rangers appear to be on their way to being purchased by the San Francisco 49ers, and one of the first decisions they must make is who will be the new manager.
The club fired Philippe Clement before the takeover was completed due to their poor domestic performance.
His replacement, Barry Ferguson, was appointed on an interim basis until the end of the season.
Michael Stewart: The Rangers job is Barry Ferguson’s to lose.
Michael Stewart has shared his opinion on the new permanent Gers boss.
He feels the 49ers will know what kind of manager they want once the takeover is complete.
They will also be aware of what Ferguson has done and the quick impact he’s had at Ibrox since being given the job.
Stewart told Premier Sports’ YouTube channel on 17 March at 54:16: “Barry Ferguson, I’ve got no doubt, the incoming owners would have in their mind, the type of manager they’re going for.
“Barry Ferguson’s now in interim charge until the end of the season.
“He’s got the platform for him to make the case for him to get it and he’s certainly making the case at the moment.
“He might not end up getting it, but I’ll tell you what, with every passing game, he’s building the case and he’s banging the drum to say: ‘Look, I should be in that conversation’.”
Rafa Benitez would make far more sense than Barry Ferguson.
Rafa Benitez would make significantly more sense than Ferguson as Rangers’ permanent manager due to his considerable experience, tactical intelligence, and demonstrated success at elite levels, as opposed to Ferguson’s limited managerial credentials.
The Spaniard, a Champions League winner with Liverpool in 2005 and a La Liga champion with Valencia, has a plethora of high-stakes experience from managing clubs like as Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Napoli in Europe’s best divisions.
His pragmatic, defensively solid approach could help Rangers recover from Clement’s inconsistent tenure, while his ability to maximise squads, as evidenced by Newcastle’s Premier League survival, is ideal for a club looking to punch above its weight against Celtic.
Ferguson, a Rangers legend as a player, lacks comparable managerial experience, as his stints at Clyde and Alloa Athletic produced modest results, and he has never worked full-time for a club of Rangers’ stature.
Benitez’s global reputation could attract better talent and command respect in the dressing room, crucial for a title challenge, whereas Ferguson’s appointment risks being a sentimental gamble, leaning on nostalgia rather than substance.
With Rangers needing a reset after Celtic’s dominance, Benitez’s track record of delivering trophies and structure trumps Ferguson’s unproven potential, making him the smarter, safer choice.
