By support

28th Oct, 2017 | 11:04am

'Has to be a winner' - Kevin Thomson gives verdict on who should be next Rangers manager

By James Black

Former Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson insists the club need to appoint a “winner” as their next manager over someone who knows Scottish football – as he admits Derek McInnes might not be the right man for the Gers.

McInnes is the bookies’ favourite to replace Pedro Caixinha after the Portuguese was sacked on Thursday and Thomson thinks his old club should look to the likes of New York City FC boss Patrick Viera and Ronald Koeman when they compile their shortlist.

A host of former Gers players and Scottish pundits have all stated their belief that the Ibrox giants need to appoint a “Rangers man” to replace Caixinha but Thomson disagrees with that view and thinks Rangers should take as much time as necessary to get Caixinha’s replacement right.

“Unlike some of my former Ibrox team-mates, I don’t think the next manager must be a ‘Rangers man’,” Thomson said, as quoted by the Scotsman website.

“But I think he has to be a winner.

“Some of the names touted around already, like Ronald Koeman and even Patrick Vieira, clearly have that mentality, even if Koeman has had a difficult spell at Everton.

Caixinha was sacked after only seven months in charge at Ibrox as the Light Blues now look for only their 17th manager in 145 years.

Graeme Murty has taken interim charge of the Gers for the second time this year and will be in the dugout when they face Hearts on Saturday afternoon at Murrayfield.

The former Reading defender enjoys a growing reputation as a coach and has impressed since moving to Ibrox to take charge of the club’s Under-20’s side in August 2016.

Thomson also thinks that Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes might not be the right fit as Rangers boss just now with some of the other names who may be available, adding: “Derek McInnes has done a good job at Aberdeen.

“I just think with some of the coaches out there, and some of the CVs that will be sent in, Rangers need to think big.

“I know Derek would back himself against any of these names.

“But it has to be right this time and I am not sure Derek’s the one at the moment.”

In other Rangers news, Vladimir Weiss has delivered a surprise verdict on the sacking of Pedro Caixinha.

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