Who next for Rangers' 'poisoned chalice'?

Kevin Muscat, Steven Gerrard, Sean Dyche and Derek McInnes have all been linked with Rangers previously

Rangers are seeking their seventh new team boss - and fifth permanent - in four years after the sacking of Russell Martin.

Sunday's 1-1 draw in Falkirk - leaving the former Southampton manager with only a 29.41% win rate, the worst of any Rangers boss in post for more than a couple of weeks - proved the final straw as fan protests started to turn ugly.

The international break gives the under-fire new owners and board time to consider their next move, but speculation was already rife about who might succeed the former Rangers and Scotland defender even before the axe finally fell.

Bookmakers have naturally quoted some familiar faces who were linked with the job before Martin was appointed in June.

Steven Gerrard is still revered by many Rangers fans for leading the club to the title in 2021 that denied Celtic 10 in a row, but he chose to leave for less successful spells with Aston Villa and Al-Ettifaq.

Former Rangers midfielder Derek McInnes rejected the Ibrox job in 2017 but has the club's fans looking jealously at what he has achieved after leading Heart of Midlothian to the top of the table currently after his summer switch from Kilmarnock.

Considering Sean Dyche worked with Rangers head of recruitment Kevin Thelwell with Everton, the Englishman's name will be again linked with the vacancy.

Former Rangers defender Kevin Muscat was reportedly in contention when Philippe Clement got the job in 2023 and his Shanghai Port side are currently leading the Chinese Super League as they aim to retain the title.

Meanwhile, Danny Rohl recently left financially troubled Sheffield Wednesday and Barry Ferguson is back in an ambassadorial role with Rangers after ending last season as caretaker, but who do the Glasgow club's fans want?

Gerrard the man to help Rangers tread water?

For Rangers Review editor Joshua Barrie, Martin's exit was inevitable given the "totally broken relationship" between the head coach, the club and their supporters that had reached a point where there was "an actual safety concern" amid fan protests.

"Also, from a performance point of view, one [league] win in seven - that's the type of record that you only get away with if you don't deserve to have that kind of record," he told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland.

"And, on the basis of their performances over those seven games, Rangers couldn't really argue - and Russell Martin couldn't really argue - that they deserve many more points."

Barrie pointed out that it took Rangers "a long time" and many interviews to make Martin's appointment this summer, but although they must act quicker this time, he wondered if they can return to any of the previously beaten candidates.

"Can you go to the number two? Is that right? Is the job description the same? The squad has been built in a certain image, to a certain style. Do you go for more a unity candidate?" he said.

"Does the Steven Gerrard conversation start again? I think it will."

No consensus over next head coach?

Most Rangers fans had misgivings about Martin's initial appointment, but while most are pleased he has gone, they point out that Rangers' new owners, chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell must take some of the blame.

John: We need to look at recruitment in key positions. I can't understand recruiting people from clubs that have not been doing well, ie Man Utd and Everton. Please don't bring back Steven Gerrard - failed at Aston Villa and his Saudi club.

Michael: Russell Martin was the wrong choice from the get go. Questionable record previously, but it's Thelwell and Stewart who have clearly underestimated what kind of a manager Rangers need. They need to go as well. Stevie G or Kevin Muscat please.

Ian: Never been so pleased to see someone get the sack. We were all hoping he would turn it around, but it never really looked likely. His attitude in after-match interviews was shocking. He actually looked as if he just didn't care. Bring back Barry and his team or SG.

Jim: Martin was just too stubborn and tactically naive. Now, what we don't want is a young manager full of self-important waffle about a "project". Dyche or Muscat would be no-nonsense managers who would bring much needed leadership.

David: The next step is not Sean Dyche, because he is as bad as Martin. We must pick someone who can play a variety of ways and tactics. Gerrard possibly, but there are others recently mentioned who are capable of providing this.

Stephan: Should never have been appointed. Wasted lots of money on players who probably won't fit the next man in charge. Whoever got him in should not be in charge of the next appointment. Either Muscat or Gerrard should be next.

Willie: Lost their way years ago - bringing in foreign managers, too many overseas players. Use the money on the academy. That's the way forward.

Marwan: This deluded Russell Martin was never Rangers class. I hope our next manager is Sean Dyche - a decent, Premier League-class manager who took Burnley on a smaĺl budget to seventh position and then to Europa League. And his style is very similar to the great Walter Smith.

Louise: Russell Martin seems a decent man, but it was clear from very early on that managing Rangers was out of his depth and he has not delivered even a hint of what he promised when he took over. Hopefully we can find a manager who understands the club and that every game for Rangers is a must win.

James: He was never the right man for the job. Only Barry Ferguson got the best out of the players when he was in charge. But, good as he was, he was only a care taker. The question is, who really wants the job, as its a bit if a poison chalice?

Paul: Think we have a good squad and a proper manager will get the team going. Derek McInnes is the man for the job, but will he leave Hearts ? Hope so, but we need a manager that uses the players' attributes instead of forcing them to play only one way.

Alex: Overstayed his welcome - 123 days too long. Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart next too. They were part of the problem. I'd take Stevie G back in a heartbeat.

Michele: Had to happen. Should have stuck with Barry.

'Who'll want to come to us now?'

There were some who had sympathy for Martin as they see deeper problems at Ibrox.

Derek: I think it's premature. Nobody within Rangers' financial stratosphere is going to make the immediate improvements that some of the support seem to want. This, while admittedly atrocious, is just going to be rinsed and repeated until there's an understanding that more than a decade of catastrophic mismanagement isn't going to be undone by one appointment and one transfer window.

White & Wooly: It's a shame that he wasn't give more time. Ian McCall has stated a number of times you should judge a manager after 50-plus games.

Kenneth: Rangers have been failing greatly in the last few years due to poor decision making from those behind the scenes of the club. They have been getting away with a good proportion of blame for club failure whilst elected team managers were taking most of the fallout for bad results and club management. A simple fact that Rangers have had four managers in three years points directly to bad choices made by those on the top tier.

James: Russell Martin was no good as a Rangers player and proved he was not management material. But the players need to take some of the blame for what is happening and most of the new signings should be shown the door as they are not suited to playing the Scottish game. I also am convinced that there is a massive problem within the dressing room, which has to be resolved before things get better.

Gordon: I'm not here defending him, but the same problems Martin had are the same problems Ferguson and the rest have had previously. Nothing will change with some of the players remaining.

Jim: What happens if the next manager doesn't win? Are we going to treat him like this? I can see future managers, players and supporters think twice about this club. Sack the guy, fair enough, but no-one deserves this kind of treatment.

Mike: He had to go, but some fans need to look at part they have played. The rubbish about his diet, hair, wardrobe cast negativity from the start and affected the team. Who'll want to come to us now?