Now the fallout Derek would have been ideal fit
The circus it became..
You’d have expected the first two. Rangers v Kilmarnock at Ibrox in 1998, when Walter Smith’s side effectively lost out on 10-in-a-row.
England v Scotland at Wembley when Paul Gascoigne all but ended our Euro 96 hopes.
The third is more of a surprise. Yet, listening to McCall, it’s arguably the one that cuts deepest of all.
The 2015 Premiership play-off final between Gers and Motherwell when he was in temporary charge at Ibrox.
For Gers’ fans, the 6-1 aggregate defeat at the hands of the Steelmen – and keeper Cammy Bell’s howler – is now consigned to the Banter Years.
A microcosm of the shambolic state the club were in at that time.
And for the man himself, he believes it was the sliding doors moment for his managerial career.
Effectively, 20 minutes of football sealed his fate at Ibrox. But he was able to leave a club he loved with his head held high.
The door may have closed behind him but it never slammed shut.
And McCa l l has emerged as one of the new frontrunners for the Rangers post after they were dramatically rejected last week by Aberdeen gaffer Derek McInnes. And if McCall can be lured away from Bradford – another club he loves and where he is loved – it will maybe consign that play- of f heartbreak against Well to history once and for all. After all, getting Gers to that tie was an achievement in itself. In an exclusive interview with MailSport, he said: “I have no regrets about taking that Rangers job when I did. “It was one of the proudest things I’ve done. “You always reflect on things that shape your career. “There are only a few games in my whole career I wish I could play again. “The Kilmarnock match at Ibrox when we were going for 10-in-a-row and the England one at Wembley in Euro 96. “But as a manager the Motherwell play-off is right up there. If we’d got the first goal I believe we’d have gone through. And if we’d beaten Stuart McCall McInnes woul believes old team- d have instille mate Derek Ibrox d a new set of Last as Rangers standards at week McInnes gaffer. manager turned down as a return to the That has left replacement club as Bradford for Pedro Caixinha. Gers on a temporary gaffer McCall, and who was in charge he claims basis in 2015, choosing as one of the of of the problems an Ibrox old boy frontrunners He experienced would seep away said: “When by Caixinha and some in. It Warburton got Mark Warburton. was a blank canvas the job it was they were with the a great time to favourites new owners go to win the Championsh at a level where “Pedro good ip. Mark was came appointment across . a were coming as a good, honest wasn’t out after a month guy but so sure. and things Rangers all of a sudden second place should be out on I in the league. their own in he would have I know Derek been a good well and “He knew fit with the club. principles the values and at Rangers. He league unlike knew the Caixinha so he ticked a lot of boxes.” them, things could have been very different for me.”
Rangers were toiling badly when McCall stepped into the breach two years ago.
After Ally McCoist’s exit, there was turmoil in the board as they struggled to get out of the Championship.
McCall had to lift a club close to their lowest ebb and foster some hope among a disillusioned support.
He couldn’t sign players and relied on kids and stop-gap signings such as the infamous five Newcastle loanees.
Somehow, he got a tune out of them before it all fell apart against Well in the final two games.
But he still feels proud that with the club on its knees, he lifted them. And ultimately, that experience made him a better boss.
He said: “I remember going to face Hibs at Easter Road after we’d started with two draws at home. On the morning of the game I read Lee Wallace’s quotes in the paper where he said it was the lowest he’d ever felt in football.
“And I understood it. That spell at Rangers was the worst I ’ ve ever experienced in terms of morale at a club.
“The atmosphere and environment was so low.
“But we went to Hibs and won 2- 0 that day.
“And from then the togetherness started to build again.
“We couldn’t change the team and a lot of the lads were on their last legs.
“All we could change was morale and spirit.
“Hopefully we gave those staff and supporters a bit of pride back during that spell.
“If the season had stopped after the Hibs play-off victory, we’d have done an unbelievable job at Rangers. I was proud to get us as far as we got that season because I knew the state of the club when we took over. “The only regret I have is those 20 minutes at Ibrox. When I look back at the Motherwell games – well, people talk about little things that can change your career.
“That tie was like that for me.
“They scored with a deflection and during a 20 minute spell either side of half- time, my future at Rangers was decided. We lost 3-1 so had to win at Fir Park. But, again, we lost a disappointing goal when Cammy slipped.” McCall, now 53, is back at Bradford City as boss and – as usual – is succeeding against the odds.
His ambition is to get the Bantams to the Championship and says it will be his best achievement as a manager. And of course, having signed on at Valley Parade as a schoolkid, the club has a special place in his heart.
McCal l took over f rom Phi l Parkinson after Bradford had just lost out in the play-offs.
But he managed to take them to Wembley a year later – only to fall short against Millwall.
Now he’s got them on course for another top- six League One finish this term.
McCall said: “There’s an emotional attachment here but I came back for football reasons. And I came down a better manager because of the experience I had at Rangers.
“Taking Bradford into the Championship would be up there with anything I’ve achieved.
“It’s a backs-to-the-wall job with budgets and losing our best players.
“A bit of adversity is good because you come out fighting.
“It would be a dream for us to go up. But you’re better having a challenge in front of you, aren’t you?”