Since Pedro Caixinha was jettisoned by Rangers three weeks ago, there has been a clamour, in the press, at least, for Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes to take over at Ibrox.
Fans, however, do not seem so impressed and appear to be more willing for patience than the media, particularly as other CVs arrive on the south side of the Clyde and Graeme Murty’s success as interim boss goes on.
It is easy, though, to see why McInnes might make such an attractive proposition. The 46-year-old’s credentials certainly add up. He has enjoyed significant success at Pittodrie over a three-and-a-half year stay, has a deep knowledge of the Scottish game and turned out for the Ibrox club as a midfielder when they were at their peak in the 1990s.
But after rejecting the Sunderland job in the summer, he has also shown himself to be a man of patience – though perhaps not when it comes to fielding speculation over his future.
“There's been no contact from any club, which therefore means it's speculation,” he fumed on Thursday ahead of the Dons’ weekend clash against Motherwell, clearly agitated. “And it's three weeks on now, so I don't want to be sitting here answering questions all the time, every press conference I do.”
Nevertheless, he clearly is not willing to uproot from Scotland’s north east at the first sign of an inflated pay packet. That in itself may be enough to make the Rangers board think twice, although the hefty compensation the Pittordrie club would demand for their manager could be another stumbling block.
Bad enough that Aberdeen have established themselves as the second force in Scotland, but for their manager – a Rangers man, no less – to turn them down would be another embarrassment to add to a long list that have dogged the club in recent years.
Indeed, McInnes would be correct to think twice about taking the role, which, although it could offer an incredible reward if he were to be successful, represents something of an archetypal poisoned chalice.
The expectation level at Rangers is simply too high for any manager to be confident of meeting.
Finishing second is the least expected of the Ibrox club, but the fans want to see a challenge for top spot. The stark truth is, though, that even stopping Celtic winning 10-in-a-row looks improbable.
The Hoops are already well on their way to lifting a seventh successive Scottish crown, and given their financial advantages, unless there is a dramatic shift in power, it appears that it will take any manager at least two and a half years to make the Ibrox six competitive at that level – and it will likely be longer.
But the lifespan of trophyless managers at clubs used to success is notoriously short. And no club in world football is as starved of that winning feeling as Rangers, who have won 114 domestic honours in total but nothing since 2011. Since the club paraded their first league title in 1891, they have never endured a drought such as this when competitive football has been played.
Rather than grow accustomed to the situation, the fans have, understandably, grown increasingly restless, goaded by the success of their rivals from across town.
Leaving the stability of Aberdeen, where he has been afforded time to build a team, for such a potential hornet’s nest would, therefore, be a major risk.
It would appear a gamble that McInnes does not need to take as he is not restricted to a glass ceiling in Scotland. Sunderland’s interest showed that he has caught the eye south of the border, albeit after a previous year-long spell in the Championship with Bristol City that saw him endure mixed fortunes.
Logic would suggest that if he is patient enough, a similar role will become available at a club where there is a greater chance of long-term success.
But logic rarely applies in football. The draw of Rangers and managing a side with 50,000 fans on a weekly basis may prove too much for the former Ibrox midfielder, especially if he believes that he can somehow break Celtic’s monopoly on Scottish football – a carrot that would afford him legendary status.
He would be well advised to think long and hard about the consequences of a move, however.
