Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland

Michael Beale knew exactly where the bar was set and Saturday's rather limp 3-1 defeat at home to Aberdeen was just the final straw for the Rangers board this time.

Seven points behind champions and league leaders Celtic with just seven games played.

With the defeat at Ibrox to Celtic just coming shortly after the humbling by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League play-off, Beale knew he had to get to this incoming international break with an 100% record.

He won the next four matches, but that limp loss at home to the Dons was just something neither the Rangers board, or their fans, could tolerate.

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We're not expecting any white smoke about a new manager from Ibrox today, but we'll keep you up to date on the website (and BBC radio and TV too) with the latest news as it develops.

For now, I'll leave my colleague Kheradine Idessane to sum up Michael Beale's Rangers demise...

A manager of either side of the Old Firm who cannot compete with the other is never going to survive long.

Michael Beale failed to close the gap on Celtic under both Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers.

The one victory against Celtic that Beale did deliver was at the end of last season, when Postecoglou's side had already romped to the league title. In his last derby, his side lost a Celtic side ravaged by injury, low on confidence and still in the infancy of Rodgers' rein at Ibrox.

When it mattered, he just couldn't crack Celtic and that was perhaps the biggest factor in his downfall.

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Of course, those are just a selection of the names being banded about by the bookmakers.

Rangers will no doubt have their own ideas - and will be searching far and wide before even creating their shortlist.

You can suggest your own by giving us your thoughts here.

And what about Steven Davis as a permanent appointment?

How long will the 38-year-old be given to prove himself in interim charge? Rangers are indicating they are in no rush to make a permanent appointment.

Will the Northern Ireland midfielder be the man for the job? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

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Frank Lampard was reportedly spotted in Glasgow at the weekend, although suggestions are that it had nothing to do with a pending Ibrox vacancy.

It might appeal as a Steven Gerrard Mark 2 appointment, but this 45-year-old former England midfielder hasn't really suggested he is a managerial heavyweight with Derby County, Chelsea or Everton.

Should Rangers give him a chance? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

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Ralph Hasenhuttl is still out of work after the 56-year-old Austrian lost his job at Southampton a year ago following a poor start to last season.

Landing the highly-regarded former RB Leipzig manager could be viewed as something of a coup for Rangers.

Is it a coup Rangers fans would want to milk? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

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Kjetil Knutsen, the 54-year-old Norwegian, has made a name for himself after establishing Bodo/Glimt as one of the top teams in Norway since taking charge in 2018.

Led them to their first-ever title win in 2020 and followed up the feat a year later. Currently a point clear at the top of the Eliteserien after 23 games.

Has also overseen some impressive European runs over the past three seasons, most notably in the 2021-22 campaign when Bodo/Glimt reached the quarter-finals of the Conference League after dismissing Ange Postecoglou's Celtic 5-1 on aggregate.

Do Rangers fans think he could do the same for them? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

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Jesse Marsch, the 49-year-old American, came to prominence when he led Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg - who had Erling Haaland in attack in his first season in charge - to two consecutive league and cup doubles.

Renowned for his high-intensity approach, Marsch earned a crack at the Leeds United job in February 2022 and ensured they stayed in the Premier League, but a poor start to his first full season at Elland Road led to him being sacked back in February.

Was interviewed about vacancies at Southampton and Leicester City earlier this year but remains out of work.

Would Rangers fans want big Jesse? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

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And what about Derek McInnes?

The 52-year-old former Rangers midfielder turned down the Ibrox job in 2017 while he was with Aberdeen.

Following his departure from Pittodrie, McInnes has led Kilmarnock from the Championship and re-establishing them in the top flight - and has already overseen victories over both sides of the Old Firm this season.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers even endorsed him as a potential Ibrox boss in August.

Does he receive the same enthusiasm from Rangers fans? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

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So what do you think of the possible contenders as for Rangers' next manager?

The bookies' favourite is Kevin Muscat, the 50-year-old former Australia defender - who played for Rangers in the 2002-03 season and who is currently flourishing in charge of Japanese club Yokohama F Marinos after succeeding the Celtic-bound Ange Postecoglou in the role in the summer of 2021.

Won the Japanese league title last year and his team are currently second, four points off the top with five games to play.

The man for you? Thumbs up for yes. Thumbs down for no.

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We've looked at the credentials of interim boss Steven Davis and Alex Rae, the former Rangers midfielder brought in to help.

But what about the other members of the interim team?

Former left-back Stevie Smith, who has been a youth coach at Ibrox since 2021, had two spells as a player with Rangers as well as playing for Norwich City, Aberdeen, Preston North End, Portland Timbers and Kilmarnock.

Former Ayr United midfielder Brian Gilmour has been coaching the club's B team.

Meanwhile, Colin Stewart has been goalkeeping coach at Ibrox since 2017 and, as a player, was a man of many clubs, making most appearances for Ross County, Livingston and Greenock Morton.

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Former Rangers striker Kenny Miller thinks that Michael Beale's successor can revive the team's fortunes this season.

"The fans voiced their views last week in a win against Motherwell," he told Sky Sports. "When that happens, and the extent of it as well, it was always going to be tough for Michael and his team to turn that back around and get the confidence and belief of the fans back on side.

"The season is not lost, it can be salvaged, so I would like to see the right appointment made as soon as possible."

Kenny Miller has echoed fellow former Rangers player Kevin Thomson's view that "calm and collected" Steven Davis will be able to lead Rangers through the next few vital weeks.

"He knows everything about the club - he's been a player here for a really long time and been part of some really successful teams," Miller said of the interim player/manager.

"He'll be able to front it in the short term, but the next appointment is really, really important. They have to have a proven track record."

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Michael Beale brought in nine new signings this summer and Kris Boyd believes only one of the new arrivals merits pass marks so far.

"I think it all comes down to recruitment again," the former Rangers striker told Sky Sports. "Jack Butland is the only one of the arrivals who can keep his head held high. The rest have been nowhere near it and are going to have to improve.

"Unfortunately for Michael Beale, he pays the price of poor recruitment and poor performances and results on the pitch."

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Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd is among those who think the club had no choice but to sack Michael Beale.

"I don't think there was any option after the way the season has started," he told Sky Sports. "You can't lose three of your opening league games."

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It seems that, while some thought Michael Beale deserved more time, most Rangers fans - and pundits - back the decision to sack the manager.

Thumbs up if you think the club got it right. Thumbs down for no.

Some Rangers fans have also chipped in with suggestions for Michael Beale's successor:

Anon: Rangers need an established manager, someone with big game experience. Maybe Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the former Manchester Utd manager, or Tim Sherwood, the former Spurs and Blackburn player.

Anon: I thought Michael Beale was the wrong choice at the time. I would like Derek McInnes as manager, he gets the best out of players, he knows the Scottish game.

Donald: Michael Beale was never the right choice for the Rangers job and the board should have spent more time in the recruitment process looking for a replacement for Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Rino Gattuso would jump at the job.

Robert: No more project managers.

Give us your thoughts here.

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We asked you earlier to give us your thoughts on Rangers' sacking of Michael Beale and here's a selection:

Margaret: We have no fight in our team. Too many passes in the middle of the park. So disappointing as a fan watching my team with no passion.

Ryan: Lack of ideas, lack of cohesion and a lack of passion. No longer can the excuse of new players needing time to bed in be used. The additions and the money spent on them is, at best, poor.

Gary: Interesting comparison with Aberdeen in that both did reasonably well under their new management teams at end of last season. Both recruited heavily over the summer and both started poorly this campaign. Patience perhaps beginning to yield new shoots at the Dons, but no such forbearance at Rangers.

Scott: I know it sounds daft, but we can't keep sacking managers. Beale is obviously a very good coach at the early stages of his management career. It's the scouting department and guys above Beale we should be questioning.

Robert: Michael Beale had to go. Summer recruitment was shocking. There seemed to be no obvious game plan. The brand of football was extremely difficult to watch. No cutting edge, no pace. No more project managers.

Robert: Rangers have been playing well below the standard they are capable of. Michael Beale just could not turn it around. It was definitely time for a change.

Wild Bill: You let Colak, a proven scorer, and Sakala, who although a raw talent, had goals leave. None of the new intake compare. I wonder who was in charge of recruitment. Had they seen any of these players or looked at their stats? How on earth did they think they were suitable?

Phil: The quality of players Beale recruited were not very good. mostly bench warmers from other leagues.

Anon: I feel sorry for a new manager that has to work with this poor squad. Long contracts for many of the new dud players that Beale has brought in. Worst squad that has donned the shirt.

Ryan: The league is done and it's not even Christmas.

Give us your thoughts here.

Kevin Thomson thinks whoever is appointed Rangers manager "has a mountain to climb" to rescue the club's season, especially in the Premiership.

"The DNA of the club, whether people like it or they don’t, is winning trophies and games of football," the former midfielder tells BBC Scotland. "I’ve been there as a player and, when you don’t win, even if you’re playing well personally, you can come under real criticism and scrutiny. It’s just the way it is, it’s a unique club in terms of winning - it’s demanded and expected.

"When you get off to the start Michael got off to, statistically you very rarely win a trophy, especially the league title if you’ve already lost three games out of seven. I think they were going to be massively up against it knowing there were two Old Firm games still to come at Celtic Park.

"Probably the opinion of a lot of fans is that the season’s done already. That’s maybe slightly naive, because I think you need to believe you can get back in it, but at the same time, it’s not naive to say it’s going to be a mountain to climb.”