THE future wasn’t bright under an Oranje boss. Now Rangers must adopt a red, white and blue print as they search for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s successor at Ibrox.
It is best for Rangers to go British. There are no guarantees of success no matter the nationality, but a foreign appointment seems like a gamble that Rangers don’t need to take, and one that they perhaps cannot afford, given the situation on and off the park.
To say that bosses from the continent have a mixed record at Ibrox would be something of an understatement and any board that plucks a relatively unknown name out of the hat now better have courage of their convictions and a good sales pitch to supporters lined up.
The likes of Gerardo Seoane or Kjetil Knutsen may well be fine coaches and tacticians and their respective records deserve acknowledgement. But it would be too great a risk to pitch them into Rangers right here and right now and expect the immediate results that are required.
It is one thing having ideologies and a way of working, but the list of big names who have flopped here shows how challenging Scottish football is. From pitches to the Press, it is a different beast to other leagues and the next boss must arrive with his eyes wide open to the weird and wonderful world that awaits him.
Old Firm fixtures are occasions like no other. Trips to Pittodrie, Easter Road and Tynecastle can be treacherous and the approach of teams at Ibrox can frustrate as the pressure to win week after week grips the mind like a vice.
Van Bronckhorst should have been better placed than the likes of Paul Le Guen or Pedro Caixinha to handle those factors and he at least understood the mindset, he got it at Rangers. He returned to Glasgow with a knowledge of the game here but even his appreciation of the club wasn't enough to enlighten him and ensure he delivered success.
The Rangers job is a unique one and it takes a certain kind of character to be able to handle the demands of an expectant support and analytical media. In the Old Firm goldfish bowl, it really is sink or swim and those who underestimate it will fail to keep their heads above water.
A glance over the list of names who have been successful at Ibrox sees a trend quickly emerge and there is a stature and presence about the likes of Jock Wallace, Graeme Souness and Walter Smith that immediately becomes evident. The position of manager is not for the faint-hearted and respect must be commanded by a leader, a statesman as well as a football man.
When Steven Gerrard arrived at Ibrox in 2018, he had a gravitas that ensured those working under him would work for him. Anyone who did not conform or meet the bar that was continually raised soon found themselves heading for the exit door as the Englishman revolutionised the club at all levels.
The transformation needed now is not quite as great as it was then, but the feeling has seeped into the support that standards have slipped. Once again, Rangers require a manager who is as strong with his words as he is his actions.
It is a manager rather than a coach that Rangers need right now, someone who demands the final say on every aspect of the club. The signings will be his, as will the way of playing, and there is a dearth of pace, power and personality in the Ibrox squad that must be addressed first and foremost.
The Gerrard reign saw Rangers find equilibrium. He had the track record and the personality to lead a team and a club, while his staff had the coaching expertise and knowledge to plug the gaps in his resume and put a winning side on the park.
Four years on, the situation is similar and the answers to the problems can be learned from previous eras and endeavours as the Rangers board prepare to make a decision that will shape the here and now and the coming seasons.
That balance must be found once again. Rangers need the best of British.
