Steven Gerrard has departed Rangers, leaving a significant void to fill ahead of their clash with Dundee United on Saturday.
The Gers were keen to bring the Liverpool legend back to G51, but he rejected the offer following discussions with Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe.
It appears Gerrard wasn’t completely persuaded during the interview stage for the Ibrox role, forcing the Light Blues to turn their attention to alternative options.
Danny Rohl has now been strongly associated as Russell Martin’s successor, though the possibility of appointing an interim head coach also seems to be under consideration.
Slaven Bilic a contender for Rangers as potential interim boss discussed
Alex Crook speculates that the ongoing managerial hunt at the Gers could ultimately lead to a short-term appointment.
The talkSPORT reporter disclosed that Slaven Bilic, 57, is a name that has been proposed to fill the Ibrox role.
With the Light Blues set to face Dundee United in the William Hill Premiership on 18 October, it remains uncertain how matters in G51 will develop.
Speaking on talkSPORT on 14 October, Crook said: “Does that bring into play a possible interim manager? Slaven Bilic is someone else who I know has been put forward to the Rangers board.”
Kevin Muscat is another figure mentioned at Ibrox, but the Glasgow club might have to pay Shanghai Port a hefty compensation fee.
Considering how Martin’s stint ended in such a disastrous fashion, the American owners will likely wish to prevent a repeat of that mistake with their next appointment, and taking their time with the process seems sensible.
Steven Smith to take charge at Ibrox vs Dundee United:
Steven Smith is currently overseeing training at Ibrox, and the Gers’ Under-19s coach appears best positioned to guide them on a temporary basis for now.
Bilic enjoyed a strong spell at West Ham United between 2015 and 2017, but his more recent track record isn’t particularly promising.
The Croatian coach’s last three roles were with Beijing Guoan, Watford, and most recently, Al-Fateh in Saudi Arabia.
It wouldn’t be logical to appoint someone like Bilic on a short-term deal, as there’s still a considerable portion of the season remaining.