Deflection and Moonbeams as van Bronckhorst backs away from Ibrox despite ‘positive talks’

With hopes fading that Giovanni van Bronckhorst is on his way to Ibrox attention is turning to how to let the bears down gently over the bad news.

A look at the accounts and budget available to the next boss will have convinced the former Barcelona star that he is joining a very very different entity to the one that he played for 20 years ago under Dave Murray and Dick Advocaat.

Last year’s losses of £23.5m have only been slightly offset by non-Season Ticket money and hospitality but with expectations blown sky high by the Gerrard years the new boss faces a massive task with 12 matches coming up before January 2.

Rather than look at realistic targets like Tommy Wright, Derek McInnes, Shelley Kerr or Robbie Nielson the clamour to seen as big time means that celebrity manager’s have to be linked with the Ibrox job

The Sun reports:

Former Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman is a name which refuses to go away in connection to the Rangers job. It’s less than a month since the Dutch legend left the Camp Nou hotseat to be replaced by Xavi.

It had been thought that he was Qatar-bound and possibly even had a job lined up but he has a connection with Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson from their time together at Southampton.

And his odds with SkyBet have plummeted from 40/1 yesterday to just 10/1 today. That means he is now third favourite behind his countryman Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Frank Lampard at 7/1.

Jermain Defoe and goalkeeping coach Colin Stewart are taking training ahead of Sunday’s League Cup semi-final against Hibs at Hampden.