Braga boss Carlos Carvalhal reveals he was ‘minutes’ from taking Rangers job ahead of Europa League clash
Braga manager Carlos Carvalhal has revealed that he was once “minutes” from becoming Rangers manager in an exclusive in the Scottish Sun.
Gers’ upcoming Europa League opponent held “secret talks” over taking over at Ibrox before Mark Warburton took the job in 2015, then was also linked with replacing Brendan Rodgers at Celtic.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst takes his side to Portugal for the first leg of the quarter-final against the former Sheffield Wednesday boss next week (7 April), and the man in the home dugout could have been the visitor.
Carvalhal told SunSport: “I was close with Celtic and with Rangers also.
“I was connected with Celtic one time and I was connected with Rangers one time.
“When Rangers were in the second division, before Mark was there, I was connected with both Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday.
“In that moment, it was a question of minutes.
“I was talking with both clubs but Sheffield Wednesday was faster in that moment.
“They came to talk with me faster and we decided to go there.
“But in that moment, I also had in my hands a possibility to go to Rangers.”
Close but far
Football is a small world and this sort of situation must come up far more frequently than we find out about.
Light Blues fans might have felt differently at the time, but considering the path the club eventually took it didn’t work out too badly.
Had Carvalhal taken charge perhaps Steven Gerrard would never have arrived and the 55th league title might still be in the future.
Van Bronckhorst has a chance to perhaps surpass the man he took over from in November.
It will be a big ask, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility for the Dutchman to defend Gerrard’s Scottish title and win the Europa League.
The Scottish Cup is still on offer as well, and with two routes directly into the Champions League group stage, there is considerable success still on offer.
In other Rangers news, John Hartson is feeling confident ahead of the Old Firm derby and has made a bold claim.