Davide Ancelotti to Rangers: ‘I can understand why they’ve appointed him’
Rangers should be commended for their “calculated gamble” if Davide Ancelotti becomes their new manager this summer.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson argued that Ancelotti has earned his chance to be the main man at a big club like Rangers.
Football Insider sources revealed that Ancelotti has developed a strong reputation in the game as an assistant to his legendary father Carlo, across spells at Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton and Real Madrid.
The 49ers Enterprises planned to make their decision and announce Rangers’ next manager after the season had ended, and that period is now upon them after the Gers drew 2-2 with Hibernian on 17 May.
Now, Robinson has told Football Insider that it would be “no slight on Rangers” to make a left-field appointment in the form of Ancelotti, despite doubts over his ability to lead a team and a club himself.
Rangers ‘gamble’ to pay off with Ancelotti hire
Rangers have been urged by some to go down the more tried-and-trusted route and hire Russell Martin instead of Ancelotti, but the 35-year-old Real Madrid assistant remains high on the Light Blues’ shortlist.
Speaking on the new Inside Track, Robinson said Ancelotti’s record as a Champions League-winning coach will stand him in good stead, and provide Rangers with an element of the unknown next season.
“I think it’s a calculated gamble – it’s the man management skills that [Carlo Ancelotti] has got and how he deals with the players“, Robinson told Football Insider.
“It’s him that will pick the players at the end of the day, he’ll decide the tactics and he’ll decide the way the team play, who plays and who doesn’t play.
“But actually, the work on the training ground, what his son’s done, it’s apparent. How would you get experience if you’re not given an opportunity?
“Are Rangers going to be the first one to give him that opportunity? It would be no slight on Rangers for him to cut his teeth there as a manager.
“Who’s going to take the opportunity on him? Somebody’s got to be the first one to give him that chance.
“I think his CV, his history, his stock; everything backs up that he should be given an opportunity. Who is going to be brave enough and bold enough to give him that opportunity?
“The one worry for me would be the man-management side with the players because that’s something he’s not had to do before, but he’s worked with his old man day in and day out.
“It’s a gamble, but it’s a calculated gamble with somebody that’s got an excellent CV.
“If his surname wasn’t Ancelotti and he had that CV, and you looked at where he’d worked and who he’d worked with, you’d look at that and go; ‘yeah, I can understand why they’ve appointed him’.”
Rangers in race against time to decide new manager
With a domestic season to forget now done and dusted at Ibrox, full attention turns towards the 49ers’ soon-to-be-confirmed takeover of Rangers, and their managerial hire will have to follow soon afterwards.
Barry Ferguson’s chances of continuing his interim stewardship in a full-time capacity are near zero, but the 49ers will be under pressure to ensure their maiden appointment at Ibrox proves to be successful.
A £25million summer transfer budget will certainly help Rangers’ next manager to hit the ground running, but Ancelotti, Martin or any other appointee will have to get used to the pressure-cooker atmosphere of Ibrox as quickly as they can.