Rangers chairman Dave King has suggested that managers out of job do not have the credentials to become the new manager at Ibrox.
The Light Blues sacked Pedro Caixinha earlier in the season after a run of poor games before appointing Graeme Murty as caretaker manager. King hopes to announce a permanent successor to Caixinha in “another week or so”. The Rangers chairman insists that the club wants to be thorough and patient with their recruitment process and will be looking at managers who are currently under contract. This has led to speculation linking Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes, a former Rangers player himself, with the top job at Ibrox.
“After Pedro’s departure, our timescale for a new boss was not to name him as soon as possible, but to be thorough in the recruitment process,” King said.
“If a manager had popped up quite quickly in terms of our evaluations, and we felt he was absolutely the right person, we would have sealed it as soon as possible.
“However, we were not going to make an appointment just for the sake of being speedy. We looked at what was available at this stage of the season and just didn’t feel there was an outstanding candidate in whom we were willing to invest the next three years.
“As a result, it focused us to look outside of what is available to managers who are currently under contract and as soon as you move into that area it’s a different type of negotiation.
“You’ve got to talk to clubs, you’ve got to talk about compensation and so it has taken longer than we would have liked, but no longer than is necessary.
“It’s such a key appointment, whether we take another week or so should not be a factor in deciding on an appointment we’re going to make for the next three years.”
King rues the fact that the club is taking so long to announce a new manager but concedes that it is because the pool of candidates is weaker.
“It has taken longer than we would have expected but I really thought the pool of candidates available would have been a lot stronger,” he added.
“I had some name recognition and it’s not they’re right or wrong, but it’s about a fit for Rangers at this moment in time.
“We’ve set criteria. We didn’t want to go with a foreigner with no experience of British or Scottish football. We ended up indentifying targets, rather than just being reactive to those who have applied for the position.”
Coincidentally, Rangers face McInnes and his Aberdeen side on Sunday at Pittodrie Stadium in the Scottish Premiership. A win will take Rangers to second spot relegating Aberdeen to third on the table.
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