Glasgow, 07.11.2018, Ibrox Stadion, Fussball, Scottish Premiership, Glasgow Rangers Imago Images
Steven Gerrard would be forced to withdraw from an upcoming Liverpool Legends fixture in Malaysia if he is appointed the next Rangers manager.
The 46-year-old attended a press conference promoting the match against a Manchester United select, scheduled for Saturday, October 3, in the Far East.
Gerrard indicated at the time that a looming decision over his managerial future could rule him out of the event.
Speaking last month, Gerrard said: “It’s a fantastic event in a couple of months’ time. I’m hoping to be available to come over to be a part of it. I should have a decision in two, three weeks.”
Current Rangers boss Danny Rohl is weighing up an offer to become the next manager of RB Salzburg, with the Austrians confident they can secure his services from Ibrox.
Rohl is 37 years old, and Red Bull are said to be prepared to come up with the financial package needed to prise him away from Glasgow.
Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh and the Ibrox board are pushing ahead with drawing up a shortlist of candidates to replace Rohl should an agreement with Red Bull be reached.
Gerrard is expected to be among the leading candidates, with Derek McInnes and Kevin Muscat also highly admired by decision-makers at the club.
Rangers chief executive Jim Gillespie, speaking at the North American Rangers Supporters’ Association annual convention, was asked directly whether Gerrard and McInnes would feature on the list.
Gillespie stated: “Those are the type of names that will be on the shortlist.”
Gerrard, who delivered Rangers their historic Premiership title in 2021, has previously been approached twice by the club before they appointed Russell Martin and subsequently Rohl.
Insiders in both camps had agreed to “leave the door open for the future,” suggesting a working relationship was never fully closed off.
A third approach to the Gerrard camp now appears increasingly likely if Rohl completes his move to Austria.
Hearts manager McInnes faces a potentially difficult position, having only recently endured the agony of narrowly missing out on the Premiership title with the Edinburgh club.
McInnes also watched his star striker Lawrence Shankland depart Tynecastle for Ibrox, and now he himself could be the subject of a Rangers approach.
The Edinburgh Evening News reports that Hearts are braced for a call from Ibrox as Cavenagh and the board seek a swift resolution to the managerial search.
The situation is moving quickly, with Rangers keen to have their new manager in place as soon as a formal departure agreement with Rohl is confirmed.
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