Jose Mourinho remains the most high-profile name linked with the vacant Rangers manager’s position, and the Portuguese icon may have already taken steps to explore the opportunity.
The multiple-time trophy winner has been consistently mentioned as a candidate for the Ibrox hot seat. Mourinho recently spoke about the possibility of managing Rangers or Celtic ahead of his Fenerbahce side’s Europa League defeat to the Gers in the last 16.
According to former player and current pundit Derek Ferguson – brother of interim boss Barry Ferguson – Mourinho may have already begun assessing the role behind the scenes.
Mourinho’s Subtle Interest in Rangers
Mourinho didn’t just mention his interest in managing Rangers or even their fierce rivals Celtic. He also took time to acknowledge the Rangers supporters after his side’s penalty shootout loss at Ibrox.
In a further intriguing move, the 62-year-old made his way to the home dressing room to congratulate Barry Ferguson after the game, a gesture that Derek Ferguson believes may have been Mourinho’s way of gauging what it would be like to manage the Glasgow club.
“What he did at full-time and his comments, I think he recognises that Rangers are a big club. And you know what, he might just fancy it,” Ferguson told Ibrox News exclusively.
“He went down to the home dressing room to congratulate Barry. I think he did that to get a feel for the club. Mourinho is Box Office.
“If Barry doesn’t get the job, would I want Mourinho in charge? Absolutely. His actions were clever and calculated, and I believe he was subtly exploring the possibility.
“He knows exactly what Rangers is about. It was a little ‘reccy’ for him, and from the vibe I’m getting from those around the club, it seems like he was assessing the situation. With the impending takeover, you never know what could happen.”
Barry Ferguson Still Favourite for Permanent Role
Barry Ferguson, however, remains the frontrunner for the permanent job after impressing as interim manager since replacing Philippe Clement.
He has turned Rangers’ fortunes around, with notable results including a dramatic 4-3 victory over Dundee and a famous win away at Celtic. His biggest achievement so far, however, was eliminating Mourinho’s Fenerbahce from the Europa League.
For now, Ferguson’s focus will be on maintaining this momentum. If he continues to secure positive results, the debate over the next permanent manager could become irrelevant, as Rangers may have no choice but to offer him the job full-time.
