US investment is set to pour into Rangers with a multi-million pound takeover on the horizon.
An American consortium headed by 49ers Enterprises chief and Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe is set to hoist Rangers into a new era at Ibrox.
With US healthcare mogul Andrew Cavanagh also heavily involved, Rangers’ long-standing shareholders have agreed to shift a majority 51% shareholding into American hands.
The US takeover of Rangers has been agreed with a period of due diligence taking place before the deal is complete.
But before the club’s prospective new owners can start making a big impact on the pitch, there’s the small matter of appointing a new Rangers manager still to take care of.
We’ve spoken before about the 49ers using their American contacts in the transfer market with the MLS an emerging football market with plenty of affordable talent.
But we reckon Rangers would be better served looking elsewhere when it comes to the club’s next boss amid murmurs surrounding Canada manager Jesse Marsch.
Jesse Marsch a potential Rangers manager candidate
Jesse Marsch might currently be in charge of the Canada national side but the American’s name has been doing the rounds online when it comes to Rangers.
Former US international Marsch, 51, has also been named amongst the frontrunners with the bookmakers, owing to albeit subtle links to the Leeds United ownership.
The former Leeds United manager is considered one of brightest coaches in the American game and has top level experience with RB New York, RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig.
With Red Bull having close links to the 49ers and Leeds United, you begin to see why Marsch’s name is an easy one to mention alongside Rangers.
Sacked by Leeds United in February 2023, Marsch was out the door at Elland Road before the 49ers completed their £170m takeover in July the same year.
But comments the American has since made about the expectations at Elland Road should have alarm bells ringing amongst Rangers fans at Ibrox.
Leeds United exit comments raise Rangers red flag
Jesse Marsch was sacked from his role at Leeds United after less than a year in charge with an unconvincing record.
Having won just 11 of his 37 matches in charge, Marsch claims he wasn’t given enough time to introduce his principles to the squad.
Philippe Clement has already said his emotional goodbyes to Rangers but this is a mantra which is ominously similar to the Belgian’s.
“The truth about the Premier League and when you’re a club like Leeds with where we were at the time is it’s not just turn key, you need time,” Marsch told BBC Sport in November 2023.
“You have to develop everything from tactics to mentality to understanding to bravery, and then you have to have luck on many days to be effective in that league. I was never afraid of that, I always enjoyed that challenge.”
Ok, so it’s not unlike a manager to defend his own record.
But where Rangers fans will really turn against the idea of hiring Jesse Marsch concerns comments about his Leeds team not getting what they deserved from matches.
Marsch reckons it was external pressure and not logic which led to his sacking, branding Leeds’ decision ‘foolish’ in an attempt to offer some perspective.
“The unfortunate part was many games where we were better than the opponent we did not get the points,” said Marsch.
”In the end if that becomes a trend that puts pressure on the entire environment and the process and when there is a lot of money on the line, owners feel pressure to make, for me, foolish decisions.
“Decisions that are against the metric, against the logic and the rationale of what is being developed or what is actually happening. But I’m not bitter with anyone. I’m very appreciative of the experience, I learned a tonne from it. It’s made me a better person and a better coach.”
Leeds United, like Rangers, are one of Britain’s biggest clubs who’ve underperformed in recent years.
At Rangers, the club requires a win-at-all-costs mentality which was at odds with Philippe Clement’s positive reassurance that things were moving forward slowly despite poor results.
Jesse Marsch might be a talented coach but the last thing Rangers need is someone patronising supporters with comments about moving in the right direction.
The Gers need someone to take responsibility and accept the pressures that are attached to the job.
The club needs a proven winner and that’s why options like Rafael Benitez or Jose Mourinho are infinitely more suitable than someone like Jesse Marsch.
