Rangers next manager latest as Mark van Bommel, Steven Gerrard, 'obvious choice' and Hearts' Derek McInnes addressed

Martin was axed after the 1-1 draw with Falkirk, leaving Rangers eighth in the Premiership and 11 points behind leaders Hearts. He leaves after just 123 days in charge and is statistically the Ibrox outfit’s worst-ever manager following just five victories in 17 matches and a win rate of 29 per cent.

The focus has immediately switched to who Rangers will turn to next as the embattled Glasgow club’s hierarchy, led up by chairman Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises, hunt for a new head coach just four months after appointing Martin.

Former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard, who led them to the Premiership title in 2021, has been installed as the early favourite to succeed Martin. The 45-year-old Liverpool legend is out of work after leaving Al-Ettifaq earlier this year and was touted for a return before Martin was hired in early June.

Speaking back in April, Gerrard said he was in no rush to return to management, although reports on Sunday night claimed that Rangers “are seriously considering” an approach for their former boss.

Another name that has shot to prominence is Dutch boss Mark van Bommel, who has not managed since last year after leaving Belgian side Royal Antwerp. Capped 79 times by the Netherlands, the 48-year-old had a stellar playing career that included stints at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, AC Milan and PSV.

What Van Bommel said about previous Rangers contact

Van Bommel claimed last month that he held talks with Rangers over the vacancy after Philippe Clement’s departure in February. “Yeah, there were some talks [to become the manager], but not directly to the board of Rangers,” Van Bommel said. “It's kind of the Dutch team - with a lot of Dutch players and also (Dick) Advocaat. I played against them once with PSV. The atmosphere is unbelievable. The Scottish league for me is a good league, and it’s a challenge to become champion and play in Europe.”

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd believes that the “obvious” choice for Rangers would be ex-Burnley and Everton boss Sean Dyche, who has been out of work since leaving the Merseysiders earlier this year and worked previously with current Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

“Steven Gerrard's a name that's never gone away,” Boyd told Sky Sports. “Frank Lampard's name was another one that was mentioned. I know he's doing some wonderful things at Coventry City, but is that out of the equation now?

“The obvious one for me would be Sean Dyche. Kevin Thelwell worked with him in the past, and he seems to have a lot of say in the players that are coming in. So if that relationship with Dyche is still there, he would be someone that I would maybe look to because he's shown that he can build football clubs up.

“Rangers need a strong character that's going to build it not only on the pitch, but off the pitch at the training centre. It just seems to be so broken, disjointed, and they're going to have to find a way to fix it.”

Boyd also weighed in on whether Rangers should make a controversial move for Hearts manager Derek McInnes, who has the Jambos top of the Premiership and unbeaten after seven games.

Boyd added: “Kevin Muscat is another one, or - Derek McInnes has had a fantastic start at Hearts, Do Rangers go and speak to him, or try? It didn’t work before, but the impact he has had at Hearts since moving there from Kilmarnock might be something that interests Rangers.”

Rangers are yet to announce who will take interim charge of first-team affairs after Martin was joined at the exit door by assistants Matt Gill and Mike Williamson.