Lorenzo Amoruso reckons former team-mate Giovanni van Bronckhorst would be ideal fit to become next Rangers boss

Lorenzo Amoruso reckons his former team-mate Giovanni van Bronckhorst is the outstanding candidate to become Rangers next manager.

The Dutchman is reportedly part of a three-man shortlist to succeed Steven Gerrard in the Ibrox hotseat and remains odds-on for the vacancy.

Van Bronckhorst met with Gers’ Sporting Director Ross Wilson in London during the weekend before flying back to the Netherlands.

Ex-skipper Amoruso, who spent six years at the Light Blues from 1997 to 2003, is adamant he would be the ideal fit to carry on the club’s recent domestic success.

He told Sky Sports: “Rangers at the moment needs this kind of manager, because you have to keep going the same way as Steven Gerrard.

“Giovanni is the best candidate to do so. Of course, every football player improves themselves with experience especially when they stop playing football.

“Giovanni knows how to win. As a player, he’s been winning and also as a manager, because don’t forget what he won with Feyenoord.

“He was a joker, a good lad, happy lad, so it was a good mixture of the team at the team. His relationship in the dressing room with everyone was very good.

“He’s a very polite person, he knows football. He was very calm on the field and knew what to do.

“I presume the way he was speaking at Feyenoord, he would organise Rangers the same way he was as a player; well organised and with good ideas in their head and their feet.

“I think its always important (knowing the club), not just in Giovanni’s case but in many others. Especially when you need to change manager in the middle of a season like Rangers are, you can’t afford to lose time because it is hard to get a new manager to settle in quickly.

“Giovanni knows the club, he knows the supporters, he knows the heavy weight that every player should carry when playing for Rangers.

“That’s why I think he would be one of the best solutions. A few names have been mentioned over the last few days, but ex-players are always the best solution for the club.”

Amoruso believes Rangers are entering a crucial week in terms of the timeframe to appoint a new manager.

He admitted: “There’s no rush but I think they’ve got no more than a week. I believe the choice is between Giovanni or another two managers.

“Rangers are a club that need to plan things for the future, they need to think long term about the Scottish Premiership and Europe.

“Also the January transfer window is very close, so if you need to buy somebody else, the new manager needs to be together with the club and the players.”

Those views are shared by another former Ibrox captain, David Weir, who has warned the club to make sure they appoint someone that can deliver success this season and beyond.

He said: “I think Giovanni has some great credentials and he knows the club, he’s been here before.

“I think it’s important and the fans will see the attractiveness in that. He’s available too which is important, so there is definitely some plus points for Giovanni that’s for sure.

“It’s definitely good to have some local knowledge and knowledge of the league and the club.

“It’s not essential but it’s important to get the right person to get the club successful in Europe and win the league for next season’s Champions League.”