Rangers told Benitez will close gap on Celtic as £6m appointment claim made
Rangers have no intention of rushing their search for their next permanent manager thanks to the stability provided by Barry Ferguson.
Ferguson has improved results on the domestic front, the most notable result being the 3-2 Old Firm win over Celtic last month.
There is also the small matter of the Europa League, with Rangers set to face Athletic Bilbao over two legs in the quarter-finals.
Ferguson may well do enough to land the job on a permanent basis, but that will not stop the same old names being linked with the top job at Ibrox.
Benitez linked with Rangers job
Much-travelled manager Benitez is one of those to have been mentioned as a candidate for the Rangers job.
As per journalist Marc Guidi, appointing Benitez would set Rangers back £6million a year in wages.
Many Rangers fans would feel underwhelmed by the prospect of Benitez, who has managed 14 clubs at senior level, succeeding Philippe Clement in the Ibrox dugout.
However, pundit Derek Ferguson believes Benitez would be an ideal choice for the Gers should the Light Blues opt not to stick with his brother Barry.
“You look at his CV and it shows you he’s won plenty,” Ferguson exclusively told Ibrox News.
| Club | Win percentage |
| Napoli | 52.7% |
| Real Madrid | 68% |
| Newcastle United | 42.5% |
| Dalian Professional | 31.6% |
| Everton | 31.8% |
| Celta Vigo | 27.3% |
“Barry brings passion and everything Rangers supporters want, but at the end of the day, when you look at a CV, Benitez’s is second to none. You can’t ignore that.
“I’m like a lot of the supporters in being excited by results under Barry, but when there’s guys of the calibre of Benitez putting their name forward, I’m all for that.
“I just want Rangers to be back competing with Celtic. Guys of Benitez’s quality will only help with that.”
Rangers to delay managerial appointment
Barry Ferguson’s job prospects are ultimately in his own hands. What exactly qualifies as being a successful season between now and the end of May is unknown.
Should Rangers reach the semi-finals of the Europa League, say, would that be enough for Ferguson to land the job permanently?
Gers chiefs will certainly not rush a decision, and it is likely that plenty of plates are already spinning behind the scenes.
All supporters can do for now is sit back and enjoy the ride.