Could Steven Gerrard return? Contenders to replace Philippe Clement at Rangers

Rangers are looking to replace Philippe Clement after the Belgian boss was sacked on Sunday night following the dismal 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren the previous day.

Clement took over from Michael Beale in October 2023 and won only the Premier Sports Cup during his time in Glasgow while recording just one win in seven Old Firm matches.

While the Ibrox club are reportedly in the midst of a possible takeover from a USA-led consortium, it is not yet clear if they will install an interim boss for the rest of the season but here, the PA news agency looks at some of the contenders for the hot seat on a permanent basis.

Steven Gerrard

The last man to bring the William Hill Premiership title to Ibrox after he thwarted Celtic’s bid for a record 10-in-a-row in 2021. The former Liverpool and England captain’s decision to leave for Aston Villa did not go down well with a section of the Gers support and his time in Birmingham did little to enhance his managerial reputation, and neither did his stint as boss of Saudi club Al-Ettifaq. However, having shown he can overcome Celtic over 38 games he would be accepted back in Govan, although whether Beale, part of his coaching staff, could also come back is another question.

Russell Martin

The former Southampton boss had an unsuccessful spell at Ibrox as a loan player in 2018. However, he has a reputation as a manager who likes to play good football. After spells at MK Dons and Swansea, he guided Saints to the Premier League via the play-offs in his first season. However, the top flight proved too tough a task and he was sacked in December following a 5-0 defeat by Tottenham, with Southampton bottom of the table. While entertainment is required by the Gers fans who became irked by Clement’s laboured style of play, winning football is key to life in Glasgow.

Kevin Muscat

The former Rangers defender was reportedly in contention when Clement got the job in 2023. Muscat is currently in China with Shanghai Port where he won the league, which means he has secured titles in Australia, Japan and China. However, there are reports that he has just signed a new one-year deal. Having to possibly buy him out of his contract may be an expense that the Ibrox board could do without, even if the former Australia international did want a return to the UK.

Sean Dyche

The Englishman had mixed experiences in his most recent job at Everton, after a generally impressive spell at Burnley. He saved the Goodison Park side from relegation in 2022/23 after taking over from Frank Lampard halfway through the season. He guided the Toffees to 15th despite being hit with an eight-point deduction in total the following campaign but it all became too much this season and he departed the Merseysiders in January, to be replaced by David Moyes, with Everton just a point above the drop zone.

Derek McInnes

The former Rangers midfielder is in charge of Kilmarnock, who Rangers play on Wednesday night. McInnes rejected the chance to become Gers manager in 2017, which annoyed a section of the Light Blues support. However, there are few better placed than the former Aberdeen and Bristol City boss to evaluate the landscape in Scottish football. He will know the huge advantages that Celtic have over Rangers in terms of money and squad quality which may sway any possible decision. On the flip side, he may believe he will not get another opportunity to manage his boyhood club and relish the challenge, which may be aided by fresh investment of new owners.