Rangers icon weighs in on Danny Rohl debate after boss dropped major hint on future pre-Celtic defeat
The pressure is mounting on the Light Blues boss after three Premiership defeats in a row
Rangers hero Barry Ferguson believes that manager Danny Rohl will be staying at the club next season, due to some comments he made ahead of the Celtic defeat on Sunday.
After back-to-back defeats to Motherwell and Hearts, the Old Firm derby at Celtic Park had a must-win feel about it for the Rangers boss, but despite a fast start through Mikey Moore, the hosts eventually prevailed 3-1, thanks to a goal from Yang Hyun-jun and a Daizen Maeda brace. The result was the final nail in the coffin regarding Rangers’ title dream as it’s now mathematically impossible for them to catch both leaders Hearts and their bitter rivals.
When Rohl originally came in, he steadied the ship in times of uncertainty after the disastrous spell of predecessor Russell Martin. A flurry of positive results halfway through the campaign got Rangers back within title contention. However, at the business end of the season when the pressure is on, the Govan side haven’t been able to handle it, leading to question marks regarding his future. To add to this, German Bundesliga side VFL Wolfsburg have reportedly taken an interest in him.
Ferguson weighs in on Rohl future debate
Former Rangers captain Ferguson knows what it’s like to represent the club on the pitch and in the dugout, having taken over interim duties last season after the dismissal of Philippe Clement. Speaking on Go Radio, despite the mounting pressure, he expects Rohl to still be Rangers manager next season, due to some comments the German made in his pre-match conference.
Ferguson said: "I listened to his presser before the Celtic game and he was looking ahead to next season and where he wants to strengthen. I know there's been talk about Wolfsburg being interested but we just need to wait and see over the next week or so. Certainly he's going to come under a bit of criticism and pressure with three bad defeats. I said a few weeks ago I was pretty confident Rangers would be in with a good shout but they've not been able to handle the situation very well."
49ers forced to make call on Rohl
The onus now lies on Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers Enterprise to make a decision on Rohl’s future, which will have to be made sooner, rather than later going into the summer. So far the American has stuck by his man, however if the late season capitulation continues then his hand may be forced. Rangers now face Hibs at home and Falkirk away this week in their last two fixtures of the campaign, where it’s now just a matter of restoring some pride.
After the Celtic defeat, Rohl once again indicated he has no plans of leaving Ibrox ahead of next season. He said: "In general I think in football, especially in places where you want to be the best and want to win titles, no defeat helps, of course. It goes quick in football, this is sometimes also part of the story. I had, until now, a lot of great moments with the club, and I'm convinced that I will have more of these great moments in the future.
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