Former Barcelona defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst named Rangers manager

Van Bronckhorst made 117 appearances for Rangers

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has been appointed Rangers manager, after Steven Gerrard left the club to become Aston Villa boss on Thursday 11 November. The Scottish Premiership champions have been searching for a replacement head coach after Gerrard joined Villa last week, following three years at the helm. Van Bronckhorst - who played for Rangers between 1998 and 2001 - managed Feyenoord from 2015 to 2019 and was most recently head coach at Guangzhou City, with reports suggesting that he left the position in order to spend more time with his family. After taking the reigns at Feyenoord in 2015, he led the club to KNVB Cup success in his first full season in charge, before sealing the Eredivisie title the year after - the club's first in 18 years. https://twitter.com/RangersFC/status/1461375687567286281 Rangers Chairman, Douglas Park, commented: "I am delighted to welcome Giovanni as our manager to begin a new era and build further on what has already been achieved at the club. "The team is in a good position on the park and, as a board, we will support both Giovanni and Ross Wilson to continue to make Rangers a success. "I wish Giovanni all the very best in his role and look forward to working closely alongside him." On his appointment, van Bronckhorst continued: “I am absolutely delighted to be returning to Rangers as the club’s new manager. “I feel so lucky to be going to work with a squad which is in a great position on all fronts and largely has that experience of being winners. “I look forward to carrying on and enhancing the work that has been done already alongside Ross Wilson and the board of the club, and I’m grateful for the chance to work again at this huge football club. “I cannot wait to meet the club’s incredible supporters again and begin this new era for us all.” It is thought that Rangers officials - led by ​​sporting director Ross Wilson - met with the 46-year-old in Amsterdam on Tuesday to discuss terms, following an initial meeting on Saturday in London. Van Bronckhorst made 117 appearances for Rangers - winning two league titles, which included a domestic treble in 1998/99. He also earned 106 caps for the Dutch national team and spent time at Arsenal and Barcelona during his playing career. The Gers are currently four points ahead of Celtic at the top of the Premiership table after 13 games, with their next match seeing them face-off against Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden Park. David McCallum, Brian Gilmour, Jermain Defoe and Colin Stewart are currently in charge of the first team and could lead the side out in Sunday's League Cup semi-final against Hibernian, before the Dutchman takes to the dugout.

Rangers’ next fixture after this weekend is a Europa League group game against Sparta Prague at Ibrox next Thursday.

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