Rangers boss sees Ibrox exit chances narrow as possible suitor shift focus on other managerial targets
Ibrox boss was reportedly on German club’s wish list but a new favourite has emerged
Rangers boss Danny Rohl is no longer under consideration for the VfL Wolfsburg job after reportedly dropping down the pecking order to become the club’s next permanent manager.
The German club are on the lookout for a new head coach after their first-ever relegation from the Bundesliga was confirmed last week. Rohl is understood to have featured on a shortlist of potential candidates to replace Dieter Hecking, who is moving upstairs to become the club’s new sporting director.
However, it’s claimed the 37-year-old has fallen out of the frame with in-demand SC Verl boss Tobias Strobl identified as Wolfsburg’s preferred candidate as they step up their search for their new man.
According to reports in Germany, Strobl also has interest from second-tier outfit Arminia Bielefeld after parting ways with their coach Mitch Kniat. He led Verl to a record-breaking campaign in the third tier of German football, recording a best ever league points tally of 64.
Strobl still has another year left to run on his current deal, and with no buy-out clause in his contract, his current club are in a strong position to demand a lucrative compensation offer before allowing him to hold talks with interested parties.
News of Wolfsburg’s diminishing interest in Rohl will please some sections of the Ibrox fanbase, while others have been less than convinced by the former Sheffield Wednesday boss impact in Glasgow thus far.
Rohl ‘fully committed’ to Rangers and vows to set new standards
Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh swatted speculation of a potential exit for Rohl aside last month, declaring: “I would consider it bad for the club if Danny left. We believe that Danny gives us the best chance of winning the league next year, so we’d be incredibly disappointed if Danny left and wouldn’t see it in any way as convenient.
“But I think Danny is completely committed and we expect him to be here.”
And Rohl has already given supporters his word that he will remain in the Ibrox hotseat heading into the new campaign.
When questioned about his certainty of remaining at the helm next season, Rohl said last month: “From my side of course, 100 per cent. There’s a lot of rumours. I think I looked back last year with how many clubs I was linked, I could get maybe 20 jobs there in the newspaper.
“But my full focus is on Rangers. I think even in the last couple of days our conversations with the board, with the club, goes just in one direction, how we can win titles in the future. I’m convinced I chose the club with the reason to bring success, to win titles.
“A good process is not enough. We want to have titles and for this we have to change things. We set standards, but we have to increase the standards and if we do this, then we have a chance. If you look a little bit back and we are honest with each other, in the last 15 years we didn’t win what we should do.
“I think this is the big part we have to change. For this, we have to make a lot of things better. That starts to set the standards. I think in the last six months we improved the standards higher and higher. I think this is a big part of our future. Set new standards and that means we have to change things in this building, this is crucial.”
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