Walter Smith passed on in 2021 at the age of 71.
“Consider Walter Smith’s Advice: Why the Rangers Board Should Look Beyond Fan Opinions in the Search for the Next Boss – Keith Jackson”
To start unraveling the unfathomable tangle Rangers have created for themselves, there is a very straightforward remedy.
Every time those in charge of running the Ibrox club are required to make decisions that could worsen the already grave position, they only need to ask themselves one question. What was Walter Smith going to do? And if they are unsure of the solution, they should be able to determine how the great guy would have approached the situation by excluding all other possibilities.
First off, despite being a lifelong ardent follower of the Rangers, Smith also demonstrated a healthy contempt for the views of his fellow fans. During his two trophy-filled terms in charge, he came to the realization that although they pampered him one week, they would demand his head on a plate the following. As a result, despite his strong affection for them, he learnt to deal with their erratic behavior primarily by ignoring them entirely.
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Making a choice based on how it would affect his popularity with the spectators is something Smith would never do. To that end, the Rangers board should be studying his example as they deliberate over how and who to succeed Michael Beale.
They must have believed they were speaking with a highly qualified contender for the role when they contacted Frank Lampard last week and scheduled an appointment with the former Chelsea and Everton manager in London.
In order to hear what Lampard had to say, chief executive James Bisgrove seems especially eager to set up a face-to-face meeting. He even went so far as to invite Graeme Souness to the meeting. However, after Record Sport broke the story, Rangers dropped the entire plan like a hot potato as the fans’ outrage grew to apoplectic proportions.
Paul Murray and Barry Scott left the club
By Friday night, word had leaked from Ibrox that discussions with Lampard would not be continued, which appeared to be little more than an attempt at crowd control. All of this suggests that a club is basing its managerial hiring decisions on what people post on online message boards and social media platforms.
And if that’s the case, that would be a truly staggering state of affairs – even if, on this occasion, the fans probably had a point. Lampard might have been a quality football player and his status as one of the Premier League’s greats would most certainly make him a marketing man’s dream, which is perhaps what initially attracted Bisgrove. However, very little he has done since moving from the field to the dugout suggests he would be remotely capable.
Rangers manager John Bennett has been tasked with appointing an experienced manager with a history of winning more football matches than he loses. Smith, if still in charge, would have approved the appointment of Souness, drawing on his expertise from the 1980s transformation. If Souness succeeds Bisgrove, Bennett, and director Graeme Park, who appointed Pedro Caixinha last time, the selection process might reach a satisfactory conclusion. However, Rangers are unsure of what they are looking for. The selection process has not yet reached a satisfactory conclusion, with Lampard and Kevin Muscat having been interviewed but lacking similar CVs, style of management, or philosophies on how the game should be played. Muscat, who has a reputation for being one of the most brutal, old-school hatchetmen in the business, has no lasting profile from his playing days. The selection process is expected to reach a satisfactory conclusion.
Australian manager Phillipe Clement is a cultured and contemporary coach with three Belgian top flight titles, but is reportedly seeking a job in Saudi Arabia at high wages. Meanwhile, Dutch head coach Pascal Jansen is building a strong reputation in the Netherlands, but his current club, AZ Alkmaar, is difficult to deal with and would not welcome Rangers’ approach. Both managers have a unique approach to their work.
Oliver Glasner, who led Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League in Seville 18 months ago, has been a surprise candidate for the German national job. Despite his credentials, Glasner has not received a follow-up call from Ibrox. Another potential candidate is Kilmarnock’s Derek McInnes, who would have interested Smith, who has always been a mentor and sounding board for Glasner.
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