The Rangers board were forced to return to the drawing board at the weekend after Kevin Muscat became the latest man to reject the club’s offer of being their new manager.
Sacked after just 123 days in the role, head coach Russell Martin was relieved of his duties following the 1-1 draw with Falkirk over a fortnight ago, and while club chairman Andrew Cavenagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe were hopeful of finding his successor quickly, under-19 coach Steven Smith took charge of their 2-2 draw with Dundee United at the weekend.
Previously, bookies had suspended betting on the former Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard returning as Martin's successor, with reports claiming a deal that would see the 45-year-old complete a sensational reunion with the club was ‘close’ following constructive talks with the club’s hierarchy in London. However, those talks also broke down, with reports saying the ‘timing’ was not right for the former Liverpool midfielder.
So, who is the current favourite to be the next manager at Rangers? Here are the latest odds for the next permanent Rangers manager.*
*All odds are offered by Bet365 and can change at any time. Please gamble responsibly.
1. Neil McCann - 25/1
Spent time on the Rangers coach staff last season, and is a 25/1 outsider to be named as Russell Martin's successor. | SNS Group Photo: SNS Group
2. Rafa Benitez - 20/1
The former Newcastle United and Liverpool boss had been tentatively linked to the role following the sacking of Philippe Clement in February, and is viewed as a potential candidate by the bookies. | Getty Images Photo: Getty Images
3. Stephen Robinson - 20/1
The Northern Irish boss has taken both St Mirren and Motherwell into Europe on smaller budgets, and has been mentioned as surprise name in the race to be the next Rangers boss. | Ian MacNicol Photo: Ian MacNicol
4. Barry Ferguson - 20/1
Adored by the Rangers faithful for his time as a player with the club, Ferguson led the club on an interim basis last year. His time in charge was hardly a roaring success, though, so a return is unlikely. | Getty Images Photo: Getty Images