adminBoyd’s Bold Call:Kris Boyd claims appointing Steven Gerrard would be a wrong move by Rangers as he names a better replacement for russell
Boyd’s Bold Call:Kris Boyd claims appointing Steven Gerrard would be a wrong move by Rangers as he names a better replacement for Russell
In the swirling chaos of Scottish football, Rangers’ sacking of Russell Martin after just 123 days feels like déjà vu. The former Southampton boss, appointed with high hopes of injecting flair into Ibrox, leaves behind a trail of mediocrity: one league win in seven, Europa League exits, and a humiliating 1-1 draw at lowly Falkirk that sealed his fate. With Celtic pulling away at the Premiership summit,
Rangers’ American owners are scrambling for a savior. Enter Steven Gerrard, the Liverpool legend and former Rangers hero, who’s suddenly the bookies’ favorite to return. But hold the Kop anthems—Kris Boyd, the ex-Gers striker turned pundit extraordinaire, has thrown a grenade into the hype. Appointing Gerrard now, Boyd argues, would be a catastrophic misstep. Instead, he champions Rafa Benítez as the superior replacement, a tactical maestro who could drag Rangers back to dominance.
Boyd, never one to mince words on Sky Sports or his Record Sport column, laid it bare this week. “Gerrard’s unfinished business at Ibrox is romantic nonsense,” he scoffed on the ‘Rio Meets’ podcast, echoing sentiments from his post-sacking analysis. The 44-year-old Englishman did deliver the 2021 title, ending Celtic’s nine-year stranglehold and etching his name into Gers folklore.
Yet Boyd points to the cracks beneath the glory. Gerrard’s Rangers reign was a slow burn, not a revolution—55 unbeaten games, yes, but built on a squad inherited from predecessors like Steven Gerrard (wait, no—Gio van Bronckhorst? Scratch that; it was Gerrard’s own meticulous build).
Post-Ibrox, Villa’s mid-table malaise and Al-Ettifaq’s Saudi struggles scream inconsistency. “He’s a players’ manager, great for morale, but Rangers need steel, not sentiment,” Boyd insisted. Reappointing him risks stagnation; the game’s moved on, with Gerrard admitting on Rio Ferdinand’s show that he craves a “project” with assurances on transfers and structure.
In a club already four managers deep in three years, Boyd warns, Gerrard’s return could breed entitlement, not evolution. Fans might cheer initially, but discontent would fester if Champions League dreams sour again.
Contrast that with Benítez, the 65-year-old Spaniard Boyd hails as the “perfect fit.” Unemployed since his 2024 Everton debacle—where he lasted 192 days amid fan fury—Benítez’s CV is a trophy cabinet: Champions League with Liverpool (2005 Istanbul miracle), La Liga with Valencia, multiple Europa League triumphs. Boyd, drawing from Benítez’s near-miss at Ibrox in February post-Phillipe Clement’s exit, argues his data-driven pragmatism suits Rangers’ chaos.
“Rafa doesn’t need to prove himself; he transforms underdogs,” Boyd said, citing Vladimír Šmicer’s endorsement: “Big clubs like Rangers play Europe yearly—it’s a Premier League springboard.” Former Liverpool full-back Gregory Vignal revealed Benítez’s intrigue last summer, confiding he’d have jumped if approached pre-Martin. Unlike Gerrard’s emotional pull, Benítez brings cold logic: high pressing, set-piece wizardry, and youth integration—tailor-made for a squad blending stars like Tavernier with loanees.
The Ibrox hot seat terrifies most, Boyd admits—Sean Dyche has already swatted away overtures, per Sky Sports. Gerrard might not flinch, but Boyd questions if he’s evolved enough post-Aston Villa. Betting markets echo the frenzy, with Gerrard at evens, Benítez a 6/1 outsider. Yet Boyd’s plea resonates: Rangers can’t afford nostalgia when Celtic lurks. Benítez, with his global aura, could lure talent, steady the ship, and eye Old Firm glory.
As exploratory talks loom in London between Gerrard and owners Paraag Marathe and Andrew Cavenagh, Boyd’s verdict cuts deep: Gerrard’s a crowd-pleaser; Benítez, the game-changer. In football’s brutal theater, romance loses titles—tactics win them. Will Rangers listen, or gamble on the ghost of triumphs past?
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