Joe Roberts

Thu 5 October 2023 11:10, UK

Rangers have shortlisted former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl in their hunt to replace Michael Beale, according to the Scottish Daily Mail.

As reported in their print edition (5 October, pg 70), the Austrian boss is among those under consideration alongside Frank Lampard, Kevin Muscat, Philippe Clement, Kjetil Knutsen and Derek McInnes.

Hasenhuttl, a striker in his playing days, was last seen with then-Premier League Southampton before his dismissal in November last year.

Good option

Rangers will want a new boss in the dugout as soon as possible and having to find a quality replacement so early in the season will be tough.

Most deserving options will already be tied to a club. The likes of Muscat, who is the coach of Yokohama F. Marinos, will have to be prized away from their clubs who will demand a compensation fee.

There are very few quality managers who are on the market, but Hasenhuttl could be a good addition at Ibrox. Having gained plenty of experience and success in the Premier League and the Bundesliga, the 56-year-old could certainly adapt to Scottish football.

In Germany with RB Leipzig, Hasenhuttl guided them to a second-place league finish in his debut season in the league, while his spell with the Saints saw them finish as high as 11th in the English top flight.

His style of play, if executed correctly, would suit the Ibrox faithful’s demands for attractive and compelling football. Hasenhuttl’s sides play with a lot of passion, and aggression and hold a lot of possession, which would be an exciting prospect for fans.

While the situation at Ibrox does look intimidating to enter from the outside, Hasenhuttl is certainly not the worst option on the list and would certainly bring an identifiable style of football to Glasgow.

In other Rangers news, London talks have been held with a 45-year-old now leading the race to become the next manager.