This piece was exclusively available yesterday, direct to your email inbox if you are signed up to our superb Rangers Insider email newsletter.

Please support us and take five seconds to sign up here.

When Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s successor finally gets to put his feet under the table, he will be met with the sight of a significant to-do list that needs immediate attention with not a lot of time to produce results, as is the norm at Ibrox.

If the candidate is Michael Beale, he will benefit from his previous experience at Rangers, with a deep understanding of the unique environment that is Glasgow’s football goldfish bowl.

Pressure, demands, expectation, scrutiny - all that and more will be exactly as it was roughly this time last year when the 42-year-old departed for Aston Villa after Steven Gerrard was lured to the Midlands. If the next manager is totally new to Rangers, then that is a different proposition altogether.

Whilst football transcends regardless of the location in many ways, the unique, peculiar idiosyncrasies of Scottish football and the form of the opposition can leave many seasoned professionals like a fish out of water. This has happened to players and managers before, just as it will again.

To Beale, or not to be. That is the question right now but whoever the 18th permanent manager of Rangers Football Club will be, there are very pressing matters waiting to be addressed.

Hit the ground running

15th December. Rangers v Hibs. A pulsating night at Ibrox awaits when an expectant capacity crowd will be ready for a response from their team in what will be the opening salvo for the new man. This first impression will be critical in order to build momentum as well as getting the fans onside. Prior to that, a mini pre-season of sorts in the form of two warm-up games and ample time on the training pitch awaits over the next three weeks. Start as you mean to go on.

Back to basics

In the recent games against St Johnstone and St Mirren, Rangers dropped points despite starting those fixtures looking relatively okay. Some decent forward play was evidenced but the foundations were suspect, to say the least. Injuries have hampered efforts in recent months but we have watched a Rangers side bereft of identity and those essential components that make up a competent side. Organisation, graft, grit, belief, confidence, inspiration. It won’t come together immediately but that’s ok as long as the starting blocks are put in place from day 1. In the short-term, the new manager will need to construct a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts due to the overall picture of the Rangers first team squad but there is quality in that dressing room to be nurtured and rebooted.

Contracts

This is obviously not the sole preserve of the manager but in conjunction with Ross Wilson, this squad needs serious attention. As things stand, nine first-team players are all heading for the expiry of their existing contracts - Allan McGregor, Steven Davis, Scott Arfield, Ryan Jack, Filip Helander, Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, Malik Tillman and James Sands. That represents a lot of business to be done and key first-team components to be replaced. There have to be some exits as much as a couple may be retained for valid reasons. Losing the likes of Kent and Morelos for nothing would sting but that is the prerogative of those individuals if they chose to run down their deals. That said, it should not happen to two players at the same time, a duo that has contributed so much in recent seasons. Then there are the loan situations of the US internationals, with potential further dialogue with NYC FC and Bayern Munich, respectively.

Rangers Review: (Image: NQ)

Transfers

When combined with the contract issues above, it is clear just how precarious this situation is for Rangers with a need to get things right. The summer transfer window and acquisition of seven players in the form of John Souttar, Antonio Colak, Malik Tillman, Tom Lawrence, Rabbi Matondo, Ben Davies and Ridvan Yilmaz did not have the required or necessary impact when it was clear that the squad needed an injection of freshness and more importantly, quality. This still stands, even more so with the nine-point deficit behind Celtic, a new managerial regime and the need for fresh impetus.

It’s difficult to see the club spending millions in January but there needs to be smart business conducted. Further stagnation is just not an option with a squad that needs to be rebuilt and re-energised.

Progress

A non-negotiable for the new manager and the ultimate outcome of this is success. Van Bronckhorst achieved some progress in terms of the Scottish Cup win, Europa League final place and Champions League qualification but it there was regression domestically. That is what has to change. The new manager will have reasonable expectations overall but in a Rangers context, that means putting a team on the pitch that thrives with the demands of winning every game. It won’t happen obviously, but they need to handle the expectation. A title bid may well be beyond this current side but there is a gap to be narrowed at the very least as well as striking a blow on Celtic. The derby fear factor, particularly at Parkhead also has to be banished. The two domestic cups will also provide a chance for an instant return.

The mission is far from easy, but the objectives are clear.

READ MORE: