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Kevin Muscat is now the frontrunner to be the new Rangers boss after Danny Rohl joined Steven Gerrard in dropping out of the race.
The former Sheffield Wednesday manager’s decision to remove himself from contention came after another farcical 24 hours for the Ibrox club.
Earlier in the day, Gerrard had been made one of the bookies’ favourites for the post despite ruling himself out on Saturday night from replacing Russell Martin.
It’s understood, however, that the Ibrox club had not re-approached their former boss despite odds on his return tumbling.
That has left former Rangers defender Muscat as seemingly the last man standing, although the lack of progress has become a concern for fans and embarrassing for club chiefs.
Rangers return from the international break with a home game against Dundee United on Saturday - and are currently eighth in the Premiership table after seven fixtures, 11 points behind leaders Hearts and nine behind Celtic.
Kevin Muscat now appears to be the frontrunner for the Rangers manager's job
Danny Rohl had held talks over replacing Russell Martin but has dropped out of the race
Steven Gerrard had seemed set on a return to Ibrox before also dropping out on Saturday
The swift appointment of a new manager after Martin’s departure would have allowed the new man some time to work with the squad before facing United.
Now, however, it appears unlikely that Muscat will be in the dugout anytime soon.
The Australian has guided Shanghai Port to top spot in the Chinese Super League, two points clear with four games left. Their domestic season ends on November 22.
Speculation abounds that Rangers are lining up Neil McCann for an interim period in charge until his former Ibrox team-mate Muscat is free to come to Glasgow.
The 52-year-old won a domestic Treble as a player with Rangers in 2003 in his only season at the club, while as a manager he has won titles in Australia, Japan and China with Melbourne Victory, Yokohama F Marinos and Shanghai Port.
Port have started looking at a contingency plan in case their manager does depart but, again, it’s not a good look for the Ibrox club that they have to wait for a potential new boss to arrive.
Rohl, 36, reportedly impressed the Rangers hierarchy during talks last week but, rightly or wrongly, was considered by sceptical Rangers supporters to be another version of Martin having also worked in the English Championship.
Previously an assistant manager with RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and the German national team, Rohl had steered Wednesday out of relegation trouble in England’s second tier in 2023-24.
The German led The Owls to a 12th-place league finish in his only full season as a manager before leaving the troubled Yorkshire club in July.
