PLUS Magath move is mystifying to McGhee
McGhee insists former team-mate does not fit bill for ‘technical’ role
THE Three Bears consortium seeking boardroom change at Rangers were last night no closer to discovering what agreement — if any — might be struck with the current regime in a deal for acceptance of their £6.5million funding rescue package.
As wealthy Rangers-minded businessmen Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor wait and hope for a resolution in the coming days amid gravely uncertain times for the club, there remains mystery, too, concerning the involvement of the football man linked to their push for change.
Felix Magath, the former Bayern Munich and Fulham manager, was in Glasgow over a week ago for discussions with a representative of the group and it has been revealed that the 61-year-old is keen to adopt a technical director-style role.
One friend and former colleague is convinced that a man of Magath’s stature, talent and knowledge would be a brilliant asset to Rangers.
Nevertheless, he is baffled by the development that the German would consider turning his back on management to seek such a role at a Scottish club where finances are tight and entirely unpredictable.
Mark McGhee was a team-mate of Magath at Hamburg in the 1980s and their relationship has continued throughout their coaching careers nearly 30 years on.
McGhee has recruited players on the recommendation of the German, most recently at Bristol Rovers, and the pair met up again to talk football when Scotland played a friendly against Nigeria at Fulham’s Craven Cottage stadium last summer.
The Scotland assistant manager was linked with a role at Fulham during Magath’s brief reign in charge but that never came off and his first stint in Britain ended with the sack in September.
In the wake of his dismissal, Magath (below) maintained his methods would be suitable for the English game and stressed that his next job would be in the UK.
McGhee, however, does not view a rebuilding job of Rangers from top to bottom as an obvious attraction for his friend.
McGhee said: ‘If Felix is up for trying to turn Rangers around as a club on the football side, then they will have a great asset because he is a top man.
‘He is studious, intelligent and bright. He is also very single-minded, always with a very clear picture of what he wants from players and people around him.
‘He does not compromise much on that. He has a fairly established model of how he thinks it should be done and what he wants to do.
‘He has a great work ethic and requires that of his players. So Rangers would certainly get their money’s worth with him.
‘But if it’s a director of football role or technical director, then I can’t imagine what he will do if there is no money to spend on players.
‘From what I know of him, he would be frustrated. I find it a bit mysterious. If he is finished as a manager, then that’s a surprise to me. To give up now? That’s a bit of a mystery.’
Magath was unveiled last week as having a one-per-cent stake in Rangers, an investment of £200,000.
His interest is understood to extend to wishing to overhaul Murray Park where the Rangers development and scouting areas have been stripped to the bare bones over years of mismanagement and disregard by the hierarchy.
McGhee added: ‘To be fair, Felix is a gambler, a punter. He doesn’t mind speculating. So it could be there’s a bit of that going on which he finds attractive.
‘I’d have thought, though, someone of his Champions League credentials would still have commanded a bigmoney post.
‘One of the things Felix requires is control, so I can’t imagine him going anywhere and staying long where he will have to kowtow to anyone. If he’s given autonomy, then the move (to Rangers) could work.’
Magath will be waiting in the wings to see if the Three Bears can seize control at Ibrox.
Some hurdles were cleared during last week’s talks but there remain others to be addressed with the main stumbling blocks being the make-up of any new Rangers board.
It is believed the Rangers-friendly consortium are cautiously optimistic of striking a deal early in the week. Both parties should be keen to reach a resolution without the costly and lengthy resort of an EGM but that would be the most likely step if the proposal is not accepted by the current regime. Phoenix Suns basketball owner Robert Sarver’s camp have yet to learn of the Rangers board’s response, either, to his improved offer of £20m, including a short-term £6.5m loan. Sarver was told his earlier £18m bid was thrown out because it undervalued the club. His push is unlikely to succeed as he requires 75-percent support but the Park/Letham/ Taylor alliance plus Dave King control 33 per cent of votes.