Rangers land next manager guidance from 49ers 'pit bull' with Rafa Benitez link (2025)

Barry Ferguson is in interim charge until the end of the season with the US takeover at Ibrox inching closer

Rangers will reportedly receive "guidance" from 49ers technical director Gretar Steinsson over their next permanent manager appointment.

Barry Ferguson has stepped into the hot seat on an interim basis - and has boosted his chances of landing the job permanently by seeing off Fenerbahce to reach the Europa League quarter-final before beating Celtic on their own turf.

The victories have come in front of American tycoon Andrew Cavenagh - who is the driving force behind the Rangers takeover - alongside 49ers Enterprises.

But the likes of Steven Gerrard, Rafa Benitez, Russell Martin and Kevin Muscat have been floated as contenders to land the job when the Ibrox takeover is rubber stamped.

The Rangers Review report that Steinsson, the 49ers technical director, was at the matches alongside Cavenagh and will offer "guidance" on who should step into the hot seat permanently in the hot seat.

Steinsson previously held roles at Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Fleetwood Town before joining the NFL giants.

Marcel Brands, who was sporting director at Goodison Park when he hired the former Iceland international to a role as Head of Recruitment and Development, stated Steinsson was like a "pit bull" behind the scenes.

He told The Athletic: “He’s like a pit bull — if he sees something and wants something, he goes for it.

“Gretar was involved in the whole structure of the club, not just the first team. He was very involved in scouting but also in the first team and under-23s — he was at the games, he was at the youth academy.

“That’s a good sign because a lot of people only want to be involved with the first team. But he knew everything was important.

“He’s a guy that you can absolutely trust and rely on, who wants to work day and night.”

During his time at Everton - which lasted from December 2018 to December 2021 before he joined Tottenham as Performance Director - he was involved in the managerial appointments of Carlo Ancelotti and Rangers linked Benitez.

Speaking at the time of his appointment, Benitez stated he was happy to work under Steinsson: “I have been in football so many years.

"Normally in Spain and Italy you have a director of football, so I don’t have any issue with a director of football.

"We have conversations all the time, it’s one thing we’re doing regularly. We’re talking about ideas and after the owner and the board will decide which way they want to go."

So will he be able to convince Benitez to make a move to Ibrox? It may an impressive pitch from his former ally after the Spaniard stated last month he was keen on the Premier League.

He told Liverpool Echo: "I have had a lot of offers during the year. But I was always waiting for the Premier League because it's the league that I like. You have to choose the right opportunity and hopefully it will come soon."

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