Another summer, another period of upheaval at Ibrox. The news that Danny Rohl could be set to quit Rangers has cast fresh doubt on activity at the club at the precise moment Andrew Cavenagh was hoping to press on and leave behind all the turmoil of his first year in charge. But with Rohl now edging towards a switch to RB Salzburg, nothing seems certain in Govan anymore.
Transfer plans teed up for the German boss have been paused while the recruitment team waits for confirmation on who it is that will be making the final decision on signings. Even the club's pre-season preparations and friendlies have yet to be finalised. With so much up in the air, it's no wonder some fans are seeking solace in the familiar.
And for former Ibrox ace Greg Stewart, the best way for Rangers to guarantee stability at last would be to turn to a well-kent face. Having played under Steven Gerrard and Derek McInnes, he has no preference. McInnes now looks odds-on to be the next Ibrox boss but Stewart would be happy with either him or Gerrard in the Govan hotseat. And he reckons new Gers' Chief Executive Jim Gillespie's knowledge of how McInnes operates could prove crucial.
"The two names that scream out to me are Derek and Steven," former Gers, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock frontman Stewart told Record Sport. "If we could get one of those guys, then 100 percent you let Danny go. You say thanks very much and go straight out and offer the job to whichever of those two you think you can get a deal done for first.
"I know the new chief exec Jim Gillespie likes Derek McInnes. I'm not going to say where I heard that but I know Jim likes Derek. So I think that would be his first option. But then you have Steven and it's assumed he didn't take the job last time round because of Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell. But neither of those two are there now. So for me, that raises a bit of hope that he might consider coming back.
"Steven showed what he can do with the right players when he was last in charge, winning an unbeaten title. And with Derek, well it's what Rangers have done for years – weaken your main opponents by taking their best players and coaches. Hearts did so well last year and almost snatched the title. They will have ambitions of going again this term.
"But Rangers have already taken their captain Lawrence Shankland on a free transfer, and if they can take their manager too it would feel like they've dealt Hearts a huge blow before a ball is kicked. As I say, I think people at the club think highly of Del. And going by what he achieved last season, I think they'll be even more confident that it would work. He can be a manager who can win titles."
The clock's ticking for Rangers to get the Rohl situation sorted and a new man appointed. The players are due to report back for pre-season training a week tomorrow but Stewart is refusing to worry just yet. "We've still got six weeks before the season starts," he said. "I get that most of the players will be back for pre-season in a few days but I do believe there is a strong core there. I just think we need to add to it.
"I think we need to add a bit of experience. We've got a lot of young, good players with lots of potential. They just need a bit of guidance next to them. Rohl leaving has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works. There have been targets that they will have been looking at. A new manager might have other ideas. But that's part and parcel of being a football club. These things can happen at any time. You imagine there will be a list of other targets as well as succession planning for new coaches."
Rohl's Ibrox tenure began with the German having his name cheered to the rafters by a fanbase just glad to be rid of Russell Martin. By the end, the former Sheffield Wednesday gaffer was copping similar levels of abuse to his predecessor after blowing the chance to win the title. But Stewart is still shocked by news that he could be heading for the exit. He said: "I'm quite surprised he'd want to leave Rangers to go to Austria. Salzburg are a decent club and have that Red Bull backing. But for me, Rangers is still a far more attractive proposition playing in a league that captured the imagination of the world.
"Everyone was glued to the SPFL last year with the way the title race went. But you couldn't say the same for Austria. Maybe the way last season ended has shifted his thinking. He lost a lot of the fans' trust. A majority of the fans I feel have turned against him. But I think Danny did well for us given the position we were in when he took over."
