Rangers considering Michael Carrick: who will lead the club after Gerrard's refusal.

Michael Carrick may be appointed as Rangers' coach

According to The Sun: Michael Carrick has emerged as a potential candidate for the Rangers coaching position after Steven Gerrard declined to return to his former club, the press reports.

The former Manchester United player, 44-year-old Carrick, has not held a permanent position since June, following his dismissal from Middlesbrough.

Interest in Carrick has grown since he successfully took on the role of interim coach at Manchester United, not losing a single game in three matches.

He is currently being considered for a significant position in Scottish football, particularly at Rangers. The team fired Russell Martin after 123 days in charge due to unsatisfactory results - just one win in seven matches.

According to Sky Sports, Carrick is being considered alongside candidates such as former Sheffield Wednesday coach Danny Röhl, Ipswich's Kieran McKenna, and former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl.

Meanwhile, two currently unemployed coaches - Gary O'Neil and Graham Potter, are not candidates for this position.

Rangers held 'constructive' talks in London with Gerrard regarding his potential return, but

“he declined due to timing issues”

Fans were surprised by the refusal, considering that negotiations had advanced significantly and the club's structure had changed considerably since his last tenure in 2021.

Despite this, Rangers intend to approach the process of appointing a new coach carefully and aim to find a manager before the match against Dundee United.

Although Carrick is not currently managing a club, he is actively working as a technical analyst for UEFA for the Champions League match between Barcelona and PSG.

The former Champions League winner from 2008 discussed how games are won by utilizing space behind the defensive lines of both teams. He noted:

“A simple combination of passes with mannequins for synchronizing runs and avoiding offside is one way.”

“Players need to understand when to run - these triggers - and also where passes are going. And for the passer, it should not be 'to' the player, but 'forward', into space.”

The situation at Rangers is indicative of Scottish football, where the distribution of roles and responsibilities within the coaching staff is crucial for the team's results. The choice of a new manager will be an important step towards improving the situation, allowing the club to return to the winning path. Carrick's chances of appointment are not in doubt, given his previous experience and the support he receives from fans.