One Rangers manager candidate has apparently given his "assurance" that he is "ready" to replace Michael Beale at Ibrox.
Why did Rangers sack Michael Beale?
The Teddy Bears sacked former boss Beale nearly two weeks ago after a poor run of both form and results. The Scottish Premiership title hopefuls currently languish seven points behind Old Firm rivals Celtic, having lost three league games already – a start to the campaign which, quite simply, hasn't been good enough after a busy summer transfer window. Booed off on multiple occasions, Rangers made the big decision to relieve Beale of his duties after 10 months in charge.
Former Gers striker and club legend Kris Boyd, speaking to Sky Sports and giving his reaction to the big news, criticised both the recruitment and performances on the pitch – stating there was no other option but to get Beale out the door.
"I don't think there was any option, the way the season has started," said Boyd.
"You can't lose three of your opening league games. Even when Rangers won last week against Motherwell there were boos after the game, so the fans had just had enough. I don't think they'd seen enough improvement. I think it all comes down to recruitment again, and Jack Butland is the only one of the arrivals who can keep his head held high at this moment in time. The rest have been nowhere near it and are going to have to improve.
"Unfortunately for Michael Beale he pays the price of poor recruitment and poor performances and results on the pitch. A lot of fans had already made their minds up that Michael Beale was not the man to take Rangers Football Club forward. You look at the big games and there haven't been any results in those."
Who are the Rangers manager candidates?
Reports this week indicate that the frontrunners to succeed Beale are in fact both former AS Monaco manager Philippe Clement, who's won multiple league titles in Belgium, and ex-Gers star Kevin Muscat. There are also suggestions that Croatian boss Nenad Bjelica has thrown his hat in the ring after leaving Trabzonspor, as he eyes a late bid to beat both Muscat and Clement to the job (TEAMtalk).
Muscat is currently in charge of Yokohoma.F Marinos in Japan and makes for an interesting candidate, with Daily Record journalist now dropping a Rangers update. Sharing some very promising Muscat to Rangers news, the reporter claims that the Australian is "ready" to succeed Beale; giving his "assurance".
“My understanding is, you know, Kevin Muscat has given his assurance that ‘I’m ready to go, I will join’,” he said on PLZ Soccer.
Muscat has actually been praised by treble-winning Man City boss Pep Guardiola, who claimed he is wowed by the manager's Yokohoma side during a pre-season tour.
“I say wow,” the Spaniard explained to press.
“I watched Yokohama and I like what I see. Maybe because we are in the same football group – the City Football Group – they are doing a very good job."
