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By GARY KEOWN AND PAUL FORSYTH Published: 02: 00 AEST, 2 May 2025 | Updated: 02: 48 AEST, 2 May 2025 View comments Marco Rose has been installed as one of the favourites for the Rangers manager’s job by bookmakers – and already made it clear on a previous visit to Glasgow just how much he loves the heat, noise and tradition of the Old Firm rivalry. The 48-year-old German is looking for employment after being sacked by RB Leipzig in March and has emerged as a candidate for the role of head coach at Ibrox under the incoming US consortium involving 49ers Enterprises. The investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers own Leeds United and work hand-in-hand with energy drinks giants Red Bull, who own a minority stake at Elland Road and are the club’s main shirt sponsors. Rose has in-depth knowledge of the Red Bull set-up, having been in charge of both Leipzig and Austrian outfit Red Bull Salzburg. And new Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell was appointed on account of having gained international experience in the US with New York Red Bulls. Rose defeated Celtic in European competition with Leipzig and Salzburg, but it was on a visit to Ibrox with Borussia Dortmund in February 2022 that he expressed his huge admiration for the atmosphere created by Rangers supporters and their greatest rivals across town. RB Leipzig's Emil Forsberg is mobbed by team-mates after scoring against Celtic Marco Rose, then RB Leipzig's head coach, celebrates after beating Celtic in 2022 Marco Rose took his Borussia Dortmund team to Ibrox a season earlier and was impressed He saw his side knocked out of the Europa League that night on a truly thunderous occasion – a 2-2 draw seeing Rangers progress to the last 16 by a 6-4 aggregate – and admitted that the evening was much different from games in Germany at that time, where Covid-related restrictions were still in place. In his after-match press conference at Ibrox, Rose said: ‘It was an absolutely great atmosphere here at Ibrox – great stadium, great fans. It is similar to Celtic, where I had the pleasure to be before. ‘There are two great clubs here in Glasgow. It has been special – particularly, at the moment, because we do not have that many supporters in Germany. ’ Rangers CEO Patrick Stewart, meanwhile, has been clear that Thelwell’s time at Red Bull’s franchise in New York played a big role in making him the outstanding candidate for the sporting director’s role. ‘He is joining us from the Premier League with Everton, where he has had experience with Wolverhampton Wanderers as well but, critically, he has worked with New York Red Bulls in the US, ’ Stewart told club media. ‘So, he has international experience combined with that British experience. When I talked about this role back in February, I talked about having someone really experienced who could sit at the top of the tree, run the entire football operation and do so from a position of experience and expertise and that is precisely what he brings. ’ Patrick Stewart could do with a favour from his former club. .. he needs Man United to lose! Stewart must hope his former club fall short. .. again! Rangers CEO Patrick Stewart spent 18 years in a number of roles at Manchester United before heading north to Ibrox – but has every reason to be cheering against his old club as they fight it out in the Europa League semi-finals against Athletic Bilbao. Stewart initially joined United as general counsel in 2006 and moved up the ranks to board member, executive director and CEO during his time at the club before leaving in 2024. However, his loyalties will be torn over the two-legged battle between the Red Devils and Bilbao. If the Spanish team went on to win the Europa League, it would give Rangers a major boost in UEFA competition next season. Right now, the Ibrox outfit are scheduled to enter the Champions League in the second qualifying round through the League Path. However, if the side that wins the Europa League also qualifies for the Champions League through their domestic league placing, Rangers’ coefficient would see them enter a round later and be absolutely guaranteed league-phase football in one of UEFA’s three competitions. Were they to fail in trying to make it to the Champions League league phase, they would drop into the Europa League play-off and, even if they slipped up there, too, the Conference League would be waiting as a safety net. Spain’s Primera Liga holds five automatic Champions League places and Athletic are currently sitting comfortably in fourth. They are five points clear of fifth-placed Villarreal and six points ahead of sixth-placed Real Betis with just four fixtures remaining. Athletic are also the only club left in this term’s Europa League who can help Rangers by claiming a Champions League place via their domestic competition - and that’s why Stewart may secretly be rooting for the team in red-and-white that his former Old Trafford colleagues wouldn’t expect. Rangers fans will be asked to honour the late Jimmy Bell by wearing a retro strip for charity Ibrox fans urged to get shirty for charity Ibrox fans are being urged to honour a club favourite by turning up for the visit of Aberdeen in their favourite jerseys from yesteryear on Sunday, May 11 – while raising cash for a prominent cancer charity. For the past three seasons, supporters have staged a ‘Retro Shirt Day’ with the blessing of club chiefs to mark the passing of long-serving kitman Jimmy Bell, who died aged 69 in May 2022. The upcoming clash with Jimmy Thelin’s Dons has now been named as the match around which this now-annual event will be staged, with donation buckets also being stationed around the Ibrox Stadium footprint ahead of the visit of Dundee United three days later. All proceeds will go to the Emmie Smillie Charity Foundation which, according to fans’ group Copland Collective, has been chosen by Bell’s family. Rydnn Mc Guire, just 17, helped Rangers youth team to victory over Celtic this week Young keeper Mc Guire proves he has the right stuff Rangers youth keeper Rydnn Mc Guire showed exactly the kind of spirit the first-team badly need when celebrating his side’s midweek Glasgow Cup final victory over Celtic. The 17-year-old saved a spot-kick in the shoot-out as Steven Smith’s side came out on top after a 1-1 draw at Firhill on Tuesday evening. The young guns’ win came in a week in which Celtic’s senior side clinched the Premiership title, moving them onto 120 first-team trophies compared to the 118 that have been won by Rangers. Mc Guire, however, insisted that never letting the Parkhead club get their noses in front has to be the mentality at all levels within Ibrox. And he explained that beating the Bhoys in the Glasgow Cup final for the second successive year made his team’s win at Firhill all the sweeter. ‘Rangers are known for winning trophies and not letting them get ahead of us, so to do it twice is a great experience, ’ said Mc Guire, who has been given some experience of training with Barry Ferguson’s top-team squad in recent weeks. ‘When it comes to these games, especially against Celtic, they are the easy ones to get up for. As long as you get over the line, that is all that matters. ’ Rangers had Nana Kasanwirjo, who scored his side’s goal in regulation time, in their line-up as he returns from long-term injury and midfielder Aiden Mc Callion admits he played a key role. Mc Callion told Rangers TV: ‘He obviously has a good bit of experience at the back and he talked us through the game a lot. It was good to have him behind us. ’ Rangers, however, are awaiting medical updates on young forward Findlay Curtis, who was taken off during the final and left the ground on crutches. Jodi Mc Leary has already made an impression for Rangers women and she's not yet 20 100 not out for Mc Leary. .. and she's still only 19 Jodi Mc Leary made her 100th appearance for Rangers in last weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-final. Not bad for a striker who isn’t even out of her teens yet. The 19-year-old came on as a substitute in the 5-0 victory against Aberdeen at Hampden, which keeps alive Rangers’ bid for a clean sweep of domestic trophies. A hat-trick by Jane Ross, as well as goals from Rio Hardy and Lizzie Arnot, booked Rangers a place in the final, which will be held at the same venue on May 25. With their eyes on the league championship, and the SWPL Cup already under their belts, Rangers are doing everything in their power to claim a domestic Treble. Despite the scoreline at Hampden, the holders weren’t at their best against Aberdeen, but they were comfortable in the end and the win regained momentum after their league defeat by Hibs. While Ross was the headline act, adding two assists to her three goals, it was a memorable day for Mc Leary, who has been with Rangers since coming through their academy. ‘Only being 19, I didn’t expect 100 appearances to come so soon for me, ’ she said. ‘To get to that milestone, playing for the club I love, especially at the national stadium in front of my friends and family, was special. Hopefully, I will get another 100. ‘I don’t think it was the performance we needed off the back of the result against Hibs, but the main thing is getting through to the final. ‘It is our trophy, and we want to retain it and in the end it was a good victory over an Aberdeen team who have proved they are a good side. We can build on this. In the cup, winning is the main thing. ’ Former Rangers midfielder Aaron Ramsey has that sinking feeling at Cardiff Ramsey knows how Ferguson feels after Cardiff flop It hasn't been a good time for iconic players reinvented as interim managers. While Barry Ferguson has struggled to make anything of the Rangers mess he inherited, Aaron Ramsey has presided over Cardiff City’s relegation to League One. To be fair, when Cardiff sacked Omer Riza, Ramsey was given just three games to pull off a miracle at the Welsh club, where he started his career. After a goalless draw at home to West Brom last Saturday, their relegation was confirmed. Ramsey had come through the ranks at Cardiff before going on to have a stellar career with Arsenal. In 2022, he joined Rangers on loan from Juventus, only to suffer a frustrating six months, the nadir of which was his penalty miss in the Europa League final. After a year with Nice, he returned to the club that made him, just as his son, Jonny, was joining their academy. How it must pain them both to see Cardiff, a Premier League side just six years ago, slip helplessly into the third tier. By all accounts, Ramsey was almost in tears at an awards dinner last Saturday night. ‘It’s been very frustrating because this club means a lot to me, ’ he said. ‘I felt like I could have an impact and have that miracle ending. It wasn’t to be and we have to own up to that. ’ It’s no fun seeing your own club in crisis, never mind being in charge when it plumbs the depths. Just ask Barry Ferguson.
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