Who's Next?!

I started my last article with "There's never a dull moment being a Rangers fan, even in international breaks we manage to find some sort of drama". Boy was I right. 

Thursday brought the news we were all dreading for most of this week. Steven Gerrard was officially announced as the new Aston Villa manager.

It was a quick ride, from being linked on Monday, which I dismissed as nothing but "lazy journalism", to being installed as the bookies favourite Tuesday, betting suspended Wednesday, and then appointed Thursday. 

I still didn't believe it as the bookies were shortening the odds. "It's just because people are backing it due to the newspaper reports" I told myself. I was so sure there was nothing in it.

I hadn't expected it at all. I was sure he was happy at Rangers. I was sure he was settled at Rangers. Why was I so sure? Because he bloody well told us he was, that's why! Emma Dodds asked him not 2 weeks ago after we beat Brondby 2-0 at Ibrox, and with a cheeky grin, he replied "Do I look happy? Do I look settled? Well, don't ask me silly questions then!"

Then on Tuesday night I started to realise that perhaps, just perhaps there was more in it. There was no denial through the regular channels, no other names being put forward by rival newspapers, and the Villa friendly reporters were saying it was all but a done deal.

Wednesday was agony waiting for the announcement, Thursday even worse. Then it came through and I slipped into anger. How could he leave us mid-season? With such an important run of fixtures to ahead? To go to Aston Villa... 

When Brendan Rodgers left that lot for Leicester mid-season 2 years prior Steven Gerrard gave an interview where he said that wasn't his style. He could never do that to Rangers.

After last season was over he said he was still focused on Rangers. He had unfinished business and he wanted to win 56 and some cups too.

It's easy to say he's a liar, a rat, a snake, but I think he truly meant it at the time. However this season has been a tough start, we're still top of the league by 4 points but it should be so much more. The team has struggled massively for form and it looks like a squad that's on its last legs.

Perhaps Gerrard has seen that he can no longer get a tune out of the squad, and realisation that should he fail this season, with that lot in a rebuilding season, he could damage his chances of an English Premier League job in the future, he's decided to jump ship before he's pushed?

Couple that with the fact he's staying so far away from his family, something I admit I would struggle with, it's easier to start to understand why he would decide to go. He has no ties to us, despite him saying he's taken the club to his heart, and his family and future career are the most important thing to him.

It will be interesting to see what happens in January, and if he comes in for any of his old squad to help bolster his relegation battle with Villa. Especially after a tough opening few fixtures for him. 

I will always thank him for restoring our club to where it belongs, my first ever attempt at an article was about the effect he's had since he came (The Gerrard Effect), but at the same time, I won't be in a rush to welcome him back to Ibrox any time soon. Perhaps that feeling will fade in time, but for now, I'm still angry at how he's left, even if I can sort of understand.

It's time now for the club to look forward, and perhaps this is a blessing in disguise? The right move, done the wrong way. As I said earlier, it's easy to see he's struggled to get a tune out of the team this season. Perhaps new blood into the management team will bring that hunger and desire back. At least there's a chance the favourites might be held to the same standards as everyone else now and get a seat on the bench if they're not performing.

It's important that the board make the right appointment, and it's important that they make it fast. With a cup semi-final round the corner we need the new management team in and settled as soon as possible.

Giovanni Van Bronckhorst is the early bookies' favourite, and most of twitter's favourite too. I have to admit he's definitely my favourite. I wanted him in before Gerrard was even a possibility, and I'm more excited about the prospect this time than I ever was about Gerrard. So I'm not getting my hopes up.

He's not the only one being mentioned though. An old favourite of the Rangers' da's Rino Gatusso is also getting a number of mentions, along with even recently sacked former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman.

Whoever the board go with though, it has to be right. We can't afford a slip-up with this appointment. Not with automatic qualification to the Champions League available at the end of the season. So if anyone even remotely connected to the club reads this, that means NOT DEREK MCINNES.

In all seriousness though, whoever comes in will undoubtedly receive the full backing of the Rangers support as we push on for 56, and before that a League Cup trophy win and progression into the round of 32 in the Europa League.

Hopefully, we'll be able to welcome the new gaffer with a sea of orange at Hampden eh? Until then it'll be interesting to see what happens, and it certainly won't be dull.

The Rambling Ger

Twitter - @GerRambling

IG - TheRamblingGer