Alan Hutton: "Mourinho at Rangers Would Be Absolute Box Office!"

Speaking exclusively with BoyleSports, former Rangers and Scotland defender Alan Hutton has given his prediction ahead of the Old Firm clash at the weekend.

Hutton speaks candidly about the managerial experience needed for a Rangers rebuild and gives some key insight into some transfers which could rock the SPL this summer.

Old Firm Prediction

It really depends on which Rangers team turns up. From week to week, you really don't know what's going to happen. I feel that when they are playing a big game like Celtic or in the Europa League, they can raise the bar and that's the one plus side.

Celtic have already won the league. That's done and dusted, so how are they going to be feeling going into this game? Of course, they won't want to be beaten, but I think Rangers really have something to prove and in the last couple, they've done really well.

I feel maybe that gives Rangers the slight advantage even though they've not been playing at the highest level. So I feel at home they can get a victory and can get something because they need to please the fans. It's not been a good season at all, but I feel they've got enough to raise a level for the game Sunday.

There's definitely going to be goals because Rangers have been conceding goals for fun, I'll go 3-2 to Rangers in an exciting game.”

Mourinho to Rangers? Box-Office

Jose Mourinho at Rangers would be absolute box office, I'm sure of it. He was asked the question when Rangers played Fenerbahce, and he didn't say no. It seemed like he would quite like and fancy something like that. So it would be interesting.

I think for a guy of his experience and quality to come in, it's probably something that Rangers need at this moment in time because they're going to go through, I feel, a big rebuild, especially with the takeover that's happening and the changes behind the scenes.

You need somebody with that experience that can deal with those sorts of pressures and maintain what they need to do against obviously Celtic and the rest of the league. So it would be brilliant to see. I'd love to see his press conferences from week to week, I'm sure it'd be fun.

Gerrard Or Rose?

Which manager would give Rangers the best chance of winning the Premiership? Marco Rose has been mentioned in recent weeks.  I think he's got a wealth of experience. He's got a background working with RB Leipzig and Salzburg and they've kind of linked with the 49ers enterprise. So that could be something that could be looked at as well.

But you need an experienced manager to go in and deal with the situation. There's a lot going on at the club. There's going to be a lot of changes within the playing squad and the backroom staff. So to be able to deal with that and deal with Celtic and their dominance, you need experience.

Look, Steven Gerrard's been there, he's done it, he's won the league there, he knows what it takes, he knows the pressure that he'll be under. Whether he fancies coming back or not, we'll have to wait and see, but there are a number of decent candidates out there that we'll be looking at.

Martin's Magic or Madness? Rangers' Bold Bet

The big thing for me is the style of play, Russell Martin has shown that at MK Dons as well, where he started and then moved on to Swansea and Southampton. It didn't quite work in the Premier League because it’s a different animal and the way he plays open and expansive at times, especially when you're a smaller club in terms of the Premier League, it might not quite work for you.

I think there's always a risk, whatever manager you bring in, but he's young, he's hungry, he wants to do well. I think it could work with his style. I think the fans would definitely take to it. But look, we're going to have to wait and see. After the takeover, they'll then decide. So like I said, there's going to be a lot of change in the upcoming months.

Rangers Rebuild

Do Rangers need to bring in six or seven players? Yeah, absolutely. The big thing for me is it's going to take more than one window. It's not going to happen overnight, this change.

I think there's probably a lot of players that now probably need to move on. They need more experience within the team, more leaders within the team that know what it's all about, and how difficult it's going to be to bridge that gap to Celtic.

So, yeah, they need first and foremost the manager and the right people roundabout in the background and then start to build. It's going to take, this is going to be a long-term project, not short term.”

Taylor Old Firm Switch?

Could Greg Taylor ever make the switch to Rangers? I think it'd be very difficult. I mean, he's had a great career at Celtic, the trophies that he's won. He's been a great servant to the club.

I know that they're bringing in Kieran Tierney, Jeffrey Schlupp came in there in the January window. It seems like he's back in the driving seat. Schlupp came in and did really well, but now Greg Taylor's been back involved.

I heard that they had offered him an improved contract. I feel that that's probably what he was after and looking for. So I feel that he probably will stay and fight it out with the likes of Kieran Tierney, who's coming back in the summer. But I think it'd be very difficult to go to Rangers.

If there was a club in between if he went somewhere else and then possibly came back then maybe, but I still think that would be hard. I can't see it happening.

Igamane’s Premier League Potential

Is Hamza Igamane ready for the Premier League? He’s probably not ready to go down to the Premier League and be a regular starter, but I think at his age what he's shown so far is he's got the technical ability, he's improving week by week and I think when you go down there, no disrespect to Rangers, but you're playing around probably better players and playing against better players you're going to become better yourself.

So I think he's got everything that it takes to get to the next level. If there is a bid of around £20 million I think that's something Rangers couldn't turn down.

They've not been great in the past in terms of when players maybe hit their ceiling in terms of value, they've not sold them on. I don't want to see him leave because I think he is a very good player and he's going to get better. But if they get a fee in that kind of region of 20 million, I think they would have to take it.

Igamane At Spurs

Could Hamza Igamane thrive at Spurs? Yeah, of course. I think an opportunity to move to the Premier League is up there for every player. Everyone wants to play at the highest level possible.

I think that's the toughest league in football at this moment in time and to go to a club like Spurs, although they've not hit the heights this season, they'll be looking to the future.  They want to build. They want to get back up and compete at the higher end of the table. I think that would be a move that would excite any player.

So for him, I think that would be a really strong, really good move. I don't want to see him leave, of course, but again, it all comes down to the fee. If that's there on the table, you can't turn that sort of money down.

Werner Made For The SPL

Would Timo Werner take the Premiership by storm? I'd like to think so. With the pace that he has, and again, it's no disrespect, I think that the Scottish league has been good this season in terms of the developing teams below it all fighting for different spots, I think it's been good. It's still coming down a level from the Premier League, of course.

You'd be silly not to say that. So you'd like to think with the pace and attributes that he's got, if he can just calm himself down a little bit in front of goal, he could score a barrel load.

If you look at Daizen Maeda, he was very pacy and he struggled at first in terms of his finishing, but that's got much better over the previous seasons. Just look at the numbers that he's putting up, I think Werner's somebody with those sorts of attributes that could go in and really score a number of goals for a club like Rangers.

Life After Taverner Looms

James Tavernier has been an incredible servant for the club. I mean, his numbers are there for all to see are quite incredible, but I think he's 33 and 34 at the end of the year.

It happens to us all. You may lose a little bit of your pace and it's just part of getting older, unfortunately. I think he's still got a lot to give in terms of his leadership qualities. He's been the captain for a number of years now. I think a lot of the players look up to him.

In terms of moving forward, I think he's a good personality and is a good person to have there in the building, but they have to look to the future at some point. Dujon Sterling's there. He's been unable to stay fit, which is a problem. So you have to look and say, right, well, can we strengthen in these areas? And it's something Rangers are going to have to do.

Consistency Key For Kuhn’s Premier League Dreams

Is Nicholas Kuhn getting ahead of himself with Premier League and Germany talk? Yeah, possibly a little bit. I think he's had a really good season in terms of these numbers. I thought he started off really, really well, creating opportunities, scoring goals, and he was really on fire. But he's had a dip recently.

I know he scored two against Dundee United at the weekend but it's about being consistent. I think when you play for a team like Celtic, there's a lot of opportunities there to go and show your qualities in the attacking third because you have a lot of possession.

I think it is about being consistent for him, especially when you go down south, you have to play at a level. The expectancy is there, week in, week out and you're playing against better players week in, week out as well. So you have to raise your level.

He is at a good age. And I think if it was to happen, it would have to happen soon. I think he's 25. But I still have a question mark there, whether he's able to play at that level, or regularly at a high level.  We'll see. Time will tell. But I think overall, his season has been decent in terms of numbers.

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