Incoming sporting director Kevin Thelwell is now pushing Rangers to replace Barry Ferguson with a “genius” manager, according to a report.
49ers eyeing manager as takeover edges closer
Last week, it was confirmed that Thelwell is set to take over as sporting director upon the expiration of his contract with Everton, and it could be a summer of major change at Ibrox, with the 49ers now edging closer towards acquiring ownership of the club.
As such, the prospective new owners have started to work on appointing a new manager to replace interim boss Fergurson, and a move for former boss Steven Gerrard is now being considered, alongside recently sacked RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose.
There have also been suggestions the 49ers could move for Leeds United manager Daniel Farke, as there is doubt over the German’s future at Elland Road, despite leading his side to promotion from the Championship this season.
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According to a report from Football Insider, Thelwell has been put in charge of overseeing the search for a new manager, and he is now pushing for Rangers to appoint Sean Dyche, who is available after being sacked by Everton earlier this season.
Ferguson is not expected to be handed the job on a permanent basis, with Thelwell currently exploring his options, and he has informed the club’s hierarchy that he believes Dyche would do a brilliant job as manager.
The sporting director has experience working with the 53-year-old, having spent time together at Goodison Park, but there have been suggestions they didn’t have a good relationship, so it is unclear whether he would be interested in taking over at Ibrox.
"Absolute genius" Dyche could excel at Rangers
In the Englishman’s most recent roles, he has been tasked with keeping teams in the Premier League, rather than pushing for a spot higher up the table, but he did a stellar job to ensure the Toffees retained their top-flight status after replacing Frank Lampard.
The job at Ibrox is very different, given that Rangers fans expect to compete for the Scottish Premiership title every season, but there are signs the former Burnley boss could be up to the task, having led the Clarets to two automatic promotions from the Championship.
The Kettering-born manager may be famed for his defensive approach, but it is an understandable mindset when taking Burnley to places like Anfield and Old Trafford, and his promotion-winning side were the Championship’s joint-top scorers in 2015-16.
Having also been lauded as an “absolute genius” by former Burnley academy coach Lee Waddington, there are plenty of signs that Dyche could be a success north of the border.