Rangers next manager: The four names linked to Ibrox job as Russell Martin departs Glasgow following dismal start to the season

The Glasgow club have sacked Russell Martin after just 17 games in charge, including seven league games which has only resulted in one win. As a result, Rangers have found themselves struggling in the bottom-half of the SPFL table, a position unheard of for the club.

Discontent within the fanbase has been present for weeks after a poor start to the season, which has also seen Rangers crash out of Champions League qualifying to an embarrassing 9-1 aggregate result at the hands of Club Brugge. They have also failed to register wins in the Europa League campaign so far, losing 2-1 to Sturm Graz and 0-1 to Genk.

The final straw was a 1-1 draw to Falkirk on Sunday, October 6, when Martin was forced to rely on mounted police to escort him to his car after full-time as fans gathered outside Falkirk Stadium to vent their anger. The club confirmed on Sunday evening that Martin had officially departed the club, saying in a statement: “Rangers Football Club confirms that it has parted company with head coach Russell Martin. While all transition periods require some time, results have not met the club’s expectations.”

Now, attention turns to who could be coming in to revitalise Rangers’ season. Here are some of the names linked to the top job:

Steven Gerrard

It’s no surprise that Steven Gerrard’s name is once again linked to the Rangers job. The Liverpool legend served as Gers manager for three years from 2018, and became a Rangers legend after halting city rivals Celtic’s record-breaking 10-in-a-row campaign in 2021. The feat also saw Rangers mark an invincible league season and delivered the club their first league title in 10 years.

Gerrard’s decision to move to Aston Villa in 2021 was criticised by some corners of supporters, and the 45-year-old eventually failed to find success at the Birmingham side. He went on to manage Saudi outfit Al-Ettifaq, which also ended unceremoniously for Gerrard, who left the club by mutual consent in January 2025.

However, there is some strong support for Gerrard’s return to Ibrox despite his failure at other clubs. His title-winning season at the Glasgow side elevated him to hero status, as well as his ability to contend with Old Firm rivals Celtic.

Derek McInnes

Heart of Midlothian manager Derek McInnes has made an incredible start to the season with his Edinburgh side, who currently sit at the top of the league table above defending champions Celtic after finishing 7th last season. McInnes only joined the club in May of this year - but could he be tempted to leave Hearts during such a good run for a stab at the Ibrox top job?

The former midfielder already has history with his boyhood club, making 34 appearances for the Rangers from 1995 until 2000. He also previously turned down the Rangers job in 2017, at which point he was managing Aberdeen, which peeved some corners of the Rangers support. However, his work so far at Hearts has raised eyebrows amongst supporters. But would he be willing to abandon a positive SPFL campaign so far for the challenge of turning Rangers around?

Sean Dyche

Former Toffees gaffer Sean Dyche has been linked to the Ibrox job long before Martin’s confirmed departure, with the back-of-house team being linked to the 54-year-old manager. Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell previously worked alongside Dyche during his spell at Everton, meaning that the pair are already acquainted.

Dyche has had middling success at teams such as Watford and Everton, which was his most recently job having left the club in January 2025. He also oversaw two Premier League promotions during his time at Burnley and even guided the team in their first European campaign since 1967 in the 2017/18 season. At the time he was the longest-serving Premiere League manager, but was given his jotters in 2022 after the club found themselves in a relegation battle.

Kevin Muscat

Kevin Muscat’s name has been consistently linked to the Ibrox job any time the Glasgow side have been searching for a new manager in the past few years. A former defender for the club, Muscat was first rumoured to be in contention for the role before Philippe Clement was chosen for the role in 2023 but has remained on the wishlist for many Rangers fans since.

The former Australian internationalist is currently managing Chinese side Shanghai Port, whom he won the league with in 2024. His managerial record so far has seen him secure titles in Australia, Japan, and China. As he leads Shanghai Port to a league-defending season, could he be tempted to make the move to Europe and the UK to hopefully continue his managerial success?