Philippe Clement was sacked by Rangers after 16 months in charge (Image: Getty)
hero Ally McCoist has publicly stated that he would ‘drop everything’ to take charge of his former club for a second time.
McCoist is a long shot with bookmakers to replace Philippe Clement, who was sacked after the 2-0 defeat at home to on Saturday. The 62-year-old’s only previous managerial spell came with the Gers between 2011 and 2014, when he led them through back-to-back promotions from the Scottish Third Division up to the Scottish Championship.
Although he is now a well-known punditry personality, appearing on the likes of TNT Sports and talkSPORT, McCoist has admitted he would jump at the chance to head back to Ibrox.
“Listen, you know me,” he told host Jeff Stelling on Monday morning. “I would drop everything for Rangers! You included!”
McCoist won 10 top-flight titles with Rangers as a player, and he remains their all-time top scorer with 355 goals in 581 games. The former Scotland striker also enjoyed spells with St Johnstone, Sunderland and Kilmarnock during a successful playing career which ended in 2001.
Rangers chiefs Patrick Stewart and Fraser Thornton are in the midst of selecting Clement’s replacement and there are a number of names in the frame. The club’s former midfielder, Barry Ferguson, has been offered the job on an interim basis until the end of the season.
Ally McCoist would ‘drop everything’ for a second spell as Rangers manager (Image: Getty)
Assistant coach Issame Charai is also in the running to take the top job, while Steven Gerrard has been linked with a sensational return to the club he left for Aston Villa in 2021. legend Gerrard is back on the market after leaving Al-Ettifaq by mutual consent last month.
Russell Martin and Sean Dyche, who were sacked by Southampton and Everton respectively this season, are also believed to be in contention. Rangers are 13 points behind league leaders Celtic and facing the prospect of a fourth consecutive campaign without winning the title.
Clement, who had been in charge for 16 months, went out with an after Saturday’s horror show. “I can say only sorry, and apologise for me and the team,” he said.
“This is not what Rangers teams need to show on the pitch. We all know this was far below the standards that we all expect. I’m always fighting until the end. I wanted to be on the field to fight, I cannot do that, so my task is to do it from the sidelines, and to get the team in the right mindset. That was not the case today.”