Rangers could sack Rohl by hiring the next Walter Smith at Ibrox

Events elsewhere might have dominated the headlines on Wednesday night, yet the ongoing malaise at Ibrox should not be overlooked, with Glasgow Rangers slipping to a fourth Premiership defeat in succession.

Just a matter of weeks ago, the Gers were firmly in the title shake-up, having gone into the split just a point behind leaders Hearts, losing just two league games all season prior to that.

Now, that gap rests at 11, with Danny Rohl’s side having hit the skids when push has come to shove, nosediving toward the climax of yet another trophyless campaign in Glasgow.

There may well be a feeling that Rohl simply needs to start afresh with a new squad and a new season, yet just as winning breeds winning, losing also begets losing.

Why Rohl’s position should be under threat at Rangers

In a rivalry where finishing second is akin to finishing last, ending the season in third place is disastrous for those at Ibrox, with a largely promising spell under Rohl having all unravelled this month.

As Wilfried Nancy learned at Celtic, losing four on the trot in Glasgow is considered an abomination, with such a dismal run having proved fatal for the Frenchman back in the Autumn.

The Light Blues may not be so quick to pull the trigger with regard to Rohl, although questions will need to be asked of his big-game acumen, with the evidence having not exactly been promising to date.

Indeed, the 36-year-old has twice been undone in cup competitions by Martin O’Neill’s men this season, having again been bettered by the veteran Hoops boss in last week’s Old Firm derby, with the gap between the two clubs now at ten points.

Losing to Hearts and Motherwell too, is one thing, but a home defeat to Hibernian has sunk Rohl to another low, with much of his fine work since October having come undone so swiftly.

The ex-Sheffield Wednesday boss has spoken of the need for “strong changes” next season, amid the saga surrounding James Tavernier’s non-farewell, yet he might well find that he is the one who needs replacing heading into 2026/27.

The next Walter Smith could now replace Rohl at Rangers

Speaking last week, amid reported interest from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, Rohl quipped that the newspapers were reporting that he could have got “20 jobs” last year, such were the rumours regarding his managerial future.

He might well be hoping that one of those 20 comes up again before too long, with it likely to be no surprise if a change is made in the Ibrox dugout.

For all the positivity of prior statement performances like the 4-2 win over Hearts, when it has really mattered at the crunch stage of the season, Rohl has failed to keep pace with Rangers’ title rivals.

And so, if the club hierarchy are to look for a suitable replacement, there would be no surprise to see Steven Gerrard come into the conversation again, with the Englishman said to have held talks before Rohl was appointed late last year.

No agreement was reached on that occasion, with Gerrard believing the timing wasn’t right, although Sky Sports did report that he would ‘welcome’ talks again at another stage.

Well, now could be the time for that second act, with the former England international having already proven that he can lead this club to glory, as he did when claiming the 55th league title back in 2021.

The foundations were also set for the following season, despite his swift exit, as the Light Blues reached the Europa League final and won the Scottish Cup under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

It hasn’t worked out for Gerrard since, following forgettable spells at Aston Villa and Ettifaq, but Rangers should welcome him back with open arms, just as they did for the likes of Walter Smith in the past.

The old cliche is to ‘never go back’, yet Smith bucked the trend following his return in 2007, going on to win three successive league titles between 2008 and 2011.

Of course, the late, great Scotsman had achieved far more than Gerrard in his first spell, romping to seven league titles in a row, including 1990/91, while claiming a plethora of other domestic honours.

He was a hero, an icon at Ibrox, with Smith doing his reputation no harm by picking up where he left off upon his return, with Rangers also reaching the UEFA Cup final in 2007/08.

Gerrard, while not to the same extent, is a fan favourite in his own right, while, like Smith, he knows what it takes to be a success in such intense, pressurised surroundings.

A succession of managers have tried and failed to make it work at Ibrox both before and since Gerrard’s time at the helm, with the Glasgow outfit simply a beast that none of those figures have been able to tame.

The out-of-work coach has already proven he can do just that, ensuring he should be right at the top of the list if Rohl is to be replaced this summer.