Next Rangers manager: Who could replace Philippe Clement?

Glasgow Rangers have the chance to win a domestic cup double in a couple of weeks as they aim to win the Scottish Cup for the second time in three years at Hampden.

Celtic stand in their way, but if Philippe Clement could steer the Gers to a famous victory, then surely it would have been a successful season.

In terms of picking up the club from the doldrums under Michael Beale and giving them some hope, then, of course, having the chance to add a Scottish Cup trophy to the League Cup from earlier this term is a wonderful effort.

However, with several of the senior players in the squad letting the rest of the side down, dropping points when it mattered most, it is certainly a feeling of Deja Vue, as this scenario has occurred a few times in recent seasons.

The Belgian must undertake a total revamp of the playing squad, getting rid of those who lack the mental capacity to perform when the pressure is on, bringing in his own targets instead in the hope that they can inspire the club to succeed.

The 50-year-old has a lot of credit in the bank for the way he has steered the club away from a crisis, yet if the same players let him down next season after he fails to sell them, could his position become at risk?

Who could succeed the former Club Brugge manager if he was to lose his job? Here are seven candidates who have been linked with the club at one stage or another, including a former Chelsea icon and one who knows what it’s like to play for Rangers…

1

Kevin Muscat

Shanghai Port

After seeing Celtic achieve plenty of success under Australian coach Ange Postecoglou, it looked as though Rangers were going to go down the same road when Beale was sacked last October.

Muscat succeeded Ange at Yokohama F. Marinos in 2021, winning the J1 title in 2022 with the club.

Despite Clement getting the job, Muscat claimed that he did speak to the club regarding the vacant role.

2

Frank Lampard

Unattached (last full-time job: Everton)

The former Chelsea manager was one of the names linked with a move to Rangers following the sacking of Beale.

His last stint in management came at Everton, where he was removed from his duties in January 2023, still without a club at the time of writing.

Despite reportedly holding talks with the Ibrox chiefs about a return to management, Lampard wasn’t offered a formal interview, thus not getting the job. Might he ne offered one the next time, however?

3

Pascal Jansen

Unattached (Last job: AZ Alkmaar)

The Dutchman worked wonders with AZ Alkmaar during his four-year spell in charge of the club, leading them to three successive top-five finishes in the Eredivisie and this clearly attracted attention from the Ibrox side last year.

Before Clement arrived, Jansen was one of the names linked with a move to Glasgow in order to succeed Beale.

Nothing materialised, and he was “surprised” to be in consideration for the role during an interview after it was filled by the Belgian.

Jansen was sacked by AZ in January 2024 after nearly four years in charge of the club.

4

Graham Potter

Unattached (Last job: Chelsea)

The Englishman reportedly turned down the chance to manage Rangers back in October after being approached about succeeding Beale, but the former Brighton and Hove Albion manager was clearly in no rush to get back into management.

Following a few successful seasons on the south coast, Chelsea paid a reported £21.5m to bring him to London in order to succeed Thomas Tuchel.

Seven months later, he was gone and has been out of work since, although there have been plenty of offers.

While he may be at another club by the time Rangers are looking for another new manager, could he still be a realistic candidate?

5

Kjetil Knutsen

Bodo/Glimt

The Norwegian coach has worked wonders at Bodo/Glimt since taking over in 2018. Not only has he led the club to three league titles, but also made progress in Europe, beating Celtic 5-1 on aggregate in the Europa Conference League during the 2021/22 campaign.

Journalist Alan Nixon stated in October that the Light Blues would speak to Knutsen regarding the vacant managerial role at Ibrox.

Clement was appointed soon after, however, and this may have been the final chance for the club to sign him, as if he keeps impressing in Norway, his next move could well be to England.

6

Derek McInnes

Kilmarnock

Towards the end of 2017, Rangers were looking for their third permanent manager in the space of 12 months after Pedro Caixinha was sacked.

McInnes, then working wonders at Aberdeen, was offered the post, but ended up rejecting the chance to manage the team he had played for between 1995 and 2000.

His name did crop again when Beale was sacked last year, but nothing came to fruition, despite his excellent worth with current side Kilmarnock, who he has led to fourth spot in the top flight this season.

7

Oliver Glasner

Crystal Palace

Glasner took over at Palace back in February and, since his appointment, the Eagles have been on a solid run of form.

Recently, they have defeated Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United, with the future looking bright indeed under the Austrian.

He was also a name linked with the Rangers job in October. Glasner was the man in charge of Eintracht Frankfurt when they defeated the Light Blues in the Europa League final in 2022, clearly proving he knows how to succeed on the big stages.

It looks as though Glasner is another name that has slipped through the net, as reportedly Bayern Munich have shown an interest in the current Palace manager, but it looks as though he will remain with the London side after enjoying a strong start to life at the club.