49ers backed to have next Rangers manager shortlist locked and loaded as pundit can't shake transfers concern

One pundit reckons 49ers Enterprises will already have their eyes upon who they want as next Rangers manager - but it comes with a transfer fear.

The investment wing of the San Francisco-based NFL franchise are closing in on a takeover at the Light Blues. It will herald a new era at Rangers but there is much to be done, with Barry Ferguson only the interim manager with Champions League qualifiers to come in mid-July.

A new boss will want time in the transfer market and a pre-season to get his ideas across to players new to his methods, but club hero Craig Moore reckons that while they aren’t in the door yet, the prospective new Rangers owners will have their managerial skates on. Moore was asked if Ferguson would be a candidate the 49ers may look at, and the former player insisted the prospective new owners will already have an idea of who they want in as Rangers’ next manager.

Pundit has next Rangers manager hunch

He said on Go Radio: “I think he would be, but see, in terms of this being an organisation, the 49ers, it's not their first rodeo , they've got other clubs and all that sort of stuff. So in terms of would they have a shortlist of managers that they believe are potentials for their projects? Of course, of course they will. There's a lot of work that will already be within the system that's sitting there to be able to pick apart when they want.

“Barry has a local knowledge, the local knowledge of the football club, which I think at times can be extremely valuable. To be fair, all Barry wants is the absolute best for the football club. What Barry would make sure that translates across to the new people is the information and what he's seen on a day-to-day basis, the infrastructure, the recruitment, he will be going through absolutely everything. This is so valuable, this information that Barry will be able to give across.”

Rangers recruitment fears

Amid all the talk of change in the boardroom and the dugout, Moore fears that recruitment in a playing squad pining for overhaul could be forgotten. He said: “I'm still concerned in terms of... I understand about due diligence and making sure that everything's in order. In terms of the work that needs to be already for me underway, I don't think it has started. Maybe they have behind the scenes. All the information that's out there now in terms of the technology and the data and all these tools that are used for recruitment, Rangers have got to be able to execute much better because it's been nowhere near good enough.

“Time is money. Sometimes you have to be able to be ready to swoop for the right player in a certain time frame. I just don't know where the club are at in terms of those scenarios and situations. That for me as a supporter, so to speak, is a concern because you go on to market potentially too late and therefore what are you getting?”