Scott Parker appears to be out of the running to take over at Rangers as the Scottish Premiership giants zero in on Philippe Clement and Kevin Muscat.
Like when the The Telegraph brought an end to rumours suggesting that Frank Lampard could end up at Ibrox, few of a Rangers persuasion are going to be shedding any tears as Scott Parker seemingly finds himself slipping off the shortlist.
TEAMtalk report that Parker, a former England international who represented West Ham, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur during a storied playing career, had been ‘put forward’ for the Rangers job.
But while TEAMtalk add that Parker was not particularly high up on the club’s list of managerial targets, the Heart and Hand podcast are a little more blunt in their assessment of the 42-year-old’s chances.
‘H and H’ believe that Parker is no longer in contention at this stage.
Scott Parker ruled out for Rangers
The Lambeth-born coach was linked with the Gers job a year ago too, when Mick Beale was eventually handed the reigns following Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s dismissal.
Parker would take over at Club Brugge a few weeks later but only lasted until March, dismissed following a dismal run of two wins just 12 games. Parker was also let go by Bournemouth at the start of last season following a humiliating 9-0 defeat to Liverpool.
Another coach who enjoyed a far more successful spell at Club Brugge does appear to be high up in the running, however. Philippe Clement, TEAMtalk add, is ‘extremely interested’ in the job. He won the Belgian Jupiler League title on two occasions in charge of the Blau-Zwart before guiding Monaco to a third-place finish in France’s Ligue 1.
Rangers close in on new head coach
Clement and his representatives reportedly arrived in London on Monday for talks with the Rangers bosses, chairman John Bennett and chief executive James Bisgrove also in the capital (The Sun).
Kevin Muscat – a one-time Rangers defender who built on Ange Postecoglou’s foundations at Yokohama F Marinos in Japan – is another leading candidate. Pascal Jansen cannot be ruled out either, even if the AZ Alkmaar boss did distance himself from the rumours last week.
Former Birmingham City coach John Eustace, meanwhile, is suddenly available after being given his P45 today.
