Kyle Lafferty raves about Steven Davis, tips him to land the Rangers job
Kyle Lafferty has tipped Steven Davis to land the Rangers job after being appointed as the interim manager following the sacking of Michael Beale.
Speaking to the Rangers Review on Tuesday (3 October), the former Gers forward said his fellow Northern Irishman will have been “shocked” to get the opportunity at Ibrox, but that the “job is his” if he can pick up results.
If he can’t steer the Light Blues in the right direction, though, the 36-year-old believes Kilmarnock boss Derek McInness could be the right man to take over at the club.
“I’m sure Davo will have been shocked to get this opportunity,” said Lafferty. “But as he starts to get a feel for it and get more comfortable with the job, I’ve no doubt he’ll grow in confidence. And Listen, if he starts to get results and if we can close that gap on Celtic, then the job will probably be his. But the big if is getting those results.
“If not, then there will be a list of guys jumping at the chance to manage Rangers. One of them I’m sure will be another of my old managers in Derek McInnes.
“He’s definitely one of the best I’ve worked under. He was obviously offered the job before and for whatever reason, it wasn’t right for him. But if it doesn’t work out for Davo and Alex full time, then people like Derek I’m sure would be good enough to step up and get the job done.
“Everyone knows Derek is a Rangers fan and he played for the club, so he knows what Rangers means to the fans. But if Davo can get the results, then the job is his. Why would you want to change something that works?”
Experience needed
This is a job that might just come a bit too early for Davis to really be considered as a serious candidate to take the hot seat at Rangers.
Beale was a pretty rookie appointment and, after things largely stagnated on the pitch under the Englishman, it’s unlikely they will go down that route again this time.
There is a sense that the Gers’ hierarchy are looking to appoint someone with a bit more experience to try and get things moving in the right direction and plan ahead for the future.
But while Davis is in temporary charge, he does have the opportunity to impress those above him and, if he can pick up results, you never know in football.
With the international break coming up, it’ll be interesting to see whether the Light Blues take their time to appoint Beale’s successor or if they want to give someone that two-week window to get some much-needed time in with the players on the training ground.
In other Rangers news, a journalist has named an “outstanding” candidate in the race for the Gers top job.