Former Rangers boss Stuart McCall has been appointed as the new manager of Bradford City.
The 55-year-old former Gers midfielder and manager has a deep connection with the Yorkshire club, having made close to 400 league appearances for the Bantams as a player, before serving as manager on two previous occasions.
McCall has been appointed following the sacking of Gary Bowyer on Monday and has signed a deal until at least the end of the 2020/21 season.
“I am naturally delighted to be here again and am fully focussed on the 15 games we have left to play,” he told Bradfordcityfc.co.uk. “It is always difficult taking over from a manager who has lost his job, so I feel for Gary [Bowyer]. But, when Julian [Rhodes] contacted me, I was desperate to return.
“We have to assess the squad very quickly and get ready for the remainder of the season. I obviously know a few of the players from my previous spell here, so am looking forward to the challenge.
“The club is a huge one in this division and, with everything still to play for, the job is to try and get us back to where we should be.”
Verdict
Bradford City is a club that McCall knows inside out and he’s clearly delighted to be back almost exactly two years after being sacked.
When he departed in 2018, the Bantams were sitting comfortably in the top half of EFL League One. Since then, fortunes have dipped considerably and they are now eighth in League Two.
The aim is to get back to the third-tier as soon as possible, and McCall should be refreshed and raring to go to lead that charge.
While he was reportedly interviewed for the Hearts job before it was given to Daniel Stendel [BBC Sport], this is his first managerial post since being sacked by Scunthorpe United in March 2019.
