The managerial saga surrounding Rangers has been a mess at Ibrox, not just during their hunt for a new head coach but during Russell Martin’s ill-fated stint in Glasgow.
The former defender was relieved of his duties just hours after Rangers’ final game before the international break and the Gers hierarchy have been rather stressfully and frantically trying to find a replacement.
At first, it looked like Steven Gerrard would head back to Scotland. That move ultimately did not come to fruition. Next on the list was Danny Rohl, but he rejected advances.
So, the top brass at Rangers focused on Kevin Muscat instead. Currently with Shanghai Port, he had made it clear he was not willing to move before the Chinese Super League season had finished.
Yet, he was the clear frontrunner and was all set to take on the reins until things collapsed on Sunday.
Consequently, the Ibrox outfit headed back towards Rohl and thankfully, this time around they avoided any late twists. He was officially unveiled on Monday afternoon.
What does the future hold for them under the German? We’ve predicted what his starting lineup could look like, and there may be one or two new additions too.
1 GK – Jack Butland
Last season, during Barry Ferguson’s mixed interim tenure, he actually dropped previously undisputed first-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland, favouring Liam Kelly, who started both legs of the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club in April.
This season though, Butland has very much been restored as first-choice, starting 17 of the 18 fixtures, the League Cup win over third-tier Alloa the sole exception.
The highlight of his campaign, so far, has been saving a penalty from former Celtic striker Oh Hyeon-gyu against Genk, even if the Gers did lose that game anyway.
Butland has certainly been busy so far this season, particularly in the eight European ties, underling his quality, giving Rohl no reason to make a change.
2 RB – James Tavernier
He may divide opinion, but James Tavernier is a bona fide Rangers legend and, whatever supporters may say about him, he remains an integral figure in this team.
Already this season, the right-back has scored five goals across all competitions, netting four of the eight they have bagged in the Premiership.
Last Saturday, the club captain took his tally to 531 appearances and 135 goals for the club, still a pivotal figure in this team, at both ends of the pitch.
The 33-year-old was controversially left on the bench by Martin for crucial Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, but he has since reiterated that he is undroppable.
3 CB – John Souttar
On paper, Rangers do actually have the makings of a solid centre-back pairing, not that they’re showing it very much this season.
Everyone connected with Scottish football has to be pleased to see John Souttar doing well given the injury misery he has endured, rupturing both anterior cruciate ligaments during his time at Hearts.
Last season, the 29-year-old managed to stay fit, accumulating 40 appearances, the most he’d ever managed in a campaign, so continues to be a solid contributor for both club and country, and should remain first-choice under Rohl.
4 CB – Derek Cornelius
Many of Rangers’ summer signings have been, to put it politely, underwhelming, underlined by the fact few feature in this dream XI.
However, one signing who, in the long run, will prove to be an excellent addition is Derek Cornelius.
After arriving on deadline day, before even making his debut in light blue, he gave Rangers supporters an amuse bouche of what he is capable of by scoring a sumptuous free-kick for Canada against Wales in Swansea.
Cornelius arrived from Ligue 1 giants Olympique de Marseille, following one season at Stade Vélodrome, having become something of a globe trotter, even at just 27 years old, having already played in Germany, Serbia, Canada, Greece, Sweden, France and now Scotland.
Since his debut against Hearts, Cornelius has started every match, instantaneously establishing himself as one of the first names on the team sheet, and he should very much remain that going forward.
5 LB – Max Aarons
If we’re being truthful, there is no dream solution to Rangers’ left-back conundrum.
Jayden Meghoma has started pretty much every match since arriving on loan from Brentford, but the 19-year-old has appeared out of his depth, really underlining his inexperience.
So, for now, Max Aarons would be the most solid solution, having filled in at left-back both during his career in general and this season.
In truth though, this’ll surely be one of the positions any manager seeks to strengthen come January.
6 CDM – Pierre Ekwah: new signing
According to a recent report, Rangers and Celtic are both interested in signing Pierre Ekwah.
The 23-year-old can play at centre-back or as a defensive midfielder, and will certainly want to be on the move come January.
He spent last season on loan at Saint-Étienne from Sunderland, with les Verts making the move permanent for £5m over the summer, but this came after they had been relegated to Ligue 2.
Thus, reports claim that Ekwah has refused to play in France’s second-tier, thereby yet to feature at all this season, leaving him in the proverbial wilderness.
Highly rated from his time in Chelsea and West Ham’s academy, he may prove to be available at a cut-price and would represent an upgrade on someone like Joe Rothwell.
7 CM – Mohamed Diomandé
Ahead of the start of the new season, big things were expected of Mohamed Diomandé, who has so far endured something of a campaign to forget, albeit he’s not the only one.
The 23-year-old was sent off against Genk on the opening night of the Europa League, and his absence was felt as they were beaten 2-1 by Sturm Graz a week later.
He also sat out Saturday’s draw with Dundee United due to injury, but has certainly shown his quality in the past, so they’ll want him back in the line-up as soon as possible, possibly at the expense of Thelo Aasgaard.
8 CM – Nicolas Raskin
Likely to be World Cup-bound, Nicolas Raskin, has started four of Belgium’s last six qualifiers, including each of the last three, starting alongside Kevin De Bruyne, who isn’t bad, is he?
Despite this, Russell Martin decided he was surplus to requirements, leaving him out of four matches, not even on the bench for home games against Celtic and Hearts, with supporters choosing to side with Raskin, which is when the anti-Martin protests really ramped up.
Setting all that aside, the Belgian is clearly Rangers’ most talented player, named the club’s player of the year last season, so the new manager has to make him a central figure.
9 RW – Bobby Clark: new signing
It was actually reported earlier this week that Celtic were set to sign Bobby Clark from RB Salzburg for £6m, only for Brendan Rodgers to very much shut down those rumours. So, could the former Liverpool midfielder end up on the other side of Glasgow?
The 20-year-old, who made his senior debut at Liverpool, is currently on loan at Derby County, after a forgettable spell in Austria.
Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout describes him as a “roaming playmaker” who possesses “amazing technical quality” and can operate anywhere behind a striker, which sounds like exactly the type of player this Rangers team is lacking, does it not?
The fact he’s also been described as “the new Gazza” should also help convince those of a Rangers persuasion of his natural talent. He looks a fine replacement for Oliver Antman on the right flank.
10 LW – Djeidi Gassama
If only one Rangers player has shown glimpses of genuine quality this season, it has to be Djeidi Gassama.
After arriving from Sheffield Wednesday where he was managed by Rohl, he announced himself in style, scoring four goals in his first four appearances for the club, on target home and away against Panathinaikos in Champions League qualifying, before also bagging a double against Viktoria Plzeň in the following round.
The Frenchman has only scored once since, this also in Europe against Sturm Graz just before the international break, but is clearly a talented player that this current Rangers set-up is failing to get the best out of.
