David Martindale rules himself out of Rangers manager running, backs Derek McInnes or Malky Mackay for job
David Martindale has ruled himself out of any chance to get the Rangers job but backed Derek McInnes and Malky Mackay as capable alternatives within Scotland.
The Livingston boss told the media on 4 October, as per the Daily Record, “I think we can safely say it won’t be me. It won’t be, let me tell you,” before promoting his two SPFL rivals’ credentials for the job.
McInnes at Kilmarnock and Mackay at Ross County were singled out as part of an “abundance” of good choices within British football as the Livingston boss suggested a “fantastic skillset” that has “marketed well” from abroad is not necessary.
Martindale said, via PLZ Soccer: “I look at Derek McInnes, genuinely Derek, and Malky at Ross County, I think the two of them are top, top managers. I think any one of those two could do a job at a club the size of Rangers or Celtic, I genuinely do.
“I don’t get carried away with these foreign names that are so-called better coaches. You have got the ones who will come in and do very well, of course you have, but there’s an abundance of coaches working within Scottish football and maybe English football that could do a fantastic job within Scottish football.
“Sometimes we get it in our heads we have to look elsewhere for this fantastic skillset that someone has marketed very, very well from foreign shores. I think there’s a fantastic skillset in Scottish football for instance there. I just name-checked two there. Derek is one of the best in the league and Malky is a top, top manager.”
Options open
Rangers certainly shouldn’t rule anybody domestic out of the equation just because they might not get people off their seats on name alone.
Anyone who can actually get the Light Blues playing enjoyable football and winning games would soon be able to win the supporters over.
However, a former Celtic player like Mackay may have a much higher mountain to climb on the way to doing that, and whether he would even consider it in the first place as a result, may well rule him out straight away.
Martindale himself is often suggested by fans but there is a suggestion at this stage that such a big job may be too early in his managerial career, despite the good work he has done at Livi.
McInnes turned down the Gers once, and while that might make him ineligible for a second chance in the eyes of some it would be foolish to discount him as an option if the board genuinely believed he could help the club now.
As a former Rangers player who has won a trophy in Scotland and made multiple cup finals in addition he is possibly the answer, and has been tipped as much by other pundits.
He doesn’t appear to be among the main names that the club are thought to be talking to currently but if the interview process with the early frontrunners doesn’t go to plan he may well come into the equation.
In other Rangers news, Sky Sports reports four managers have expressed interest but one will be “very tough” to land, while two others are ruled out.