Scott Parker now wants Rangers job as manager race continues to expand behind Frank Lampard and Kevin Muscat
Scott Parker has now emerged as the latest candidate looking to succeed Michael Beale as manager of Rangers, according to the Daily Mail.
The newspaper reported via their website on 6 October that the former Fulham and Bournemouth boss is “interested” in taking over at Ibrox and has thrown “his hat in the ring” to be considered.
Frank Lampard and Kevin Muscat reportedly remain the frontrunners, after it emerged that both have been put through to a final round of Light Blues interviews after separate talks in the past week.
Parker’s name has come into the frame soon after that of Austrian Oliver Glasner who has reportedly made a similar late move to join the selection process.
Steven Davis took charge of his first game in charge as caretaker away at Aris Limassol on Thursday night (5 October) but saw another uninspired performance result in a 2-1 defeat.
Developments
Options apparently continue to emerge despite the appearance that Rangers have already locked in on Lampard and Muscat.
Parker is a more realistic option than the likes of Steve Bruce or Billy Davies but is still hardly going to get fans jumping at the possibility.
He fits a similar mould to former Chelsea and England teammate Lampard, and has arguably achieved more as a manager thanks to getting Fulham and Bournemouth both promoted the Premier League in England.
But he has been out of work since a bruising short spell in charge at Club Brugge last season, where he only lasted 12 games between December and March before being sacked.
He was linked to the summer vacancy at Leeds United which ultimately went to Daniel Farke, but appears to now be looking to get back into work in the SPFL.
And short failed stint in Belgium is apparently not a barrier to the job since Muscat lasted just six months in charge at Sint-Truidense and is now a prime candidate, but the Australian’s connection to Ibrox as a player plus league titles in his homeland and Japan work in his favour.
Depending on how highly the Rangers hierarchy rate the English Championship Parker might still be an attractive option, having won in the play-off final with Fulham and come second with Bournemouth, but having not win the division either time potentially won’t inspire confidence he could overhaul Celtic in Scotland.
In other Rangers news, an ex-Ibrox favourite has talked up the wisdom of appointing one “brilliant” option who wants the job.