The Rangers-Hierarchy involves a thin line between zeal and Dilly-Dally about hunting for new manager, writes Calum Crowe

Before taking full control over Leeds A few years ago united in July 2023, the 49ers companies were heavily involved in recruiting a new manager.

The acquisition bubbled away in the background and the Americans took the best part of a month to capture the manager they wanted.

It was announced on June 2, 2023, that Sam Allardyce would go further, earlier Daniel Farke was eventually announced as the man to advance the club on July 4.

It is a story – and a timeline – that will certainly call a few calls Rangers Fans at the moment while the club continues with a search for a new manager.

Speaking with people who were in Leeds at the time, as well as sources close to the Americans, what is happening at Ibrox is not uncommon.

Senior figures at the 49ers companies have made it clear that they are not hurried to anything, whether it is the completion of the acquisition or the appointment of a new manager.

They are nothing, if not thorough and diligent, an approach that extends over all areas of their things.

But at what time does Due Diligence become indecisive? It seems to be asking a fair question in view of the lack of urgency around all this.

We are not entirely in the stage where this has become a Saga, but we are not far away. The Rangers-Hierarchy involves a thin line between dedication and Dilly-Dallying.

Some people will point out the fact that Philippe Clement was completely reduced on February 23, a time when the Americans were already negotiating with the club.

But it is not true to suggest that the hunt for a new manager started as soon as Clement was shown the door.

The Americans made it clear that if the acquisition went on, they wanted to restructure the club and appoint a sports director.

As Mail Sport revealed exclusively last month, Kevin Thelwell was the man for the job and he would have the task of leading the recruitment process to find a new manager.

Gretar Steinsson of the 49ers companies has also had a level of input, but in the end the new manager becomes the appointment of Thelwell.

Since Thelwell was appointed at the end of April, it has only been really the last four weeks that the search for a new manager has really collected pace.

But the fact that Thelwell was still employed by Everton was another complicating factor, in which his time in Goodison Park was only closed after the Premier League season ended last weekend.

If you take into account the acquisition that is still rumbling in the background, it is clear that there are now many moving parts to consider in Rangers.

When they finished their season at Hibs and it was announced that Barry Ferguson would continue, Mail Sport reported that Steven Gerrard was the leader.

It was our information that contact was made with Gerrard, he was highly regarded and that further conversations were planned by the end of last week.

But that path has cooled down in recent days and it now seems as if it is Davide Ancelotti who is again in pole position to land the track.

When his father, Carlo, was unveiled a few days ago as the new manager of Brazil, Ancelotti SNR announced that his son spoke with a European club and, as things are, would not come to him.

No prices to guess who that European club could be. If the Americans decide that they want something fresh, it is understandable why the sound around Ancelotti has grown.

But, as just a few weeks ago on these pages, his name arose for the first time, it would be a huge gamble for Rangers to take the risk of appointing a Rookie as a manager.

The name of Russell Martin refuses to leave, but it still seems more likely that he will be the next manager of Leicester City.

What is clear is that Rangers cannot afford to dawn around for much longer. It is about to make a decision to give the new manager the best chance to reach the land next season.

The Rangers players are back for the preseason on June 23. At the beginning of July they go to St George’s Park, the home of the English national team, for a training camp.

They will then be confronted with two friendly matches at Ibrox against Club Brugge and Middlesbrough while preparing for Champions League qualifications that start on 22 or 23 July.

Given the scale of the expected revolution, and the size of the task, there is an argument that directness is not necessarily the most important aspect in the search for a new manager.

Instead of being hurried in an appointment, it is more important that Rangers take their time and ensure that they get the right man.

That is true, but not to the point where the process may float and drag. To give the new manager the opportunity to run the land, Rangers must complete this.

Some people have pointed to the fact that Ange Postecoglou was unveiled fairly late in the day by Celtic in the summer of 2021.

It was June 10 when Postecoglou was formally appointed. We are still a few weeks away from Rangers who are on that kind of territory.

It is therefore by no means a crisis or a disaster that the new man is not yet presented in the Blue Room.

But we come to a stage in which, whether it is Ancelotti, Gerrard or Martin, the new manager behind the eight-ball can start if this continues for much longer.

Top flight is richer with men like Martindale

A compliment for Livingston and David Martindale for their promotion back to the Premiership on the first time of questions.

Backing back immediately after relegation is not always easy to do, as many other clubs would testify.

Martindale and Livi are a welcome addition back to the top flight. Because all people can hit their plastic pitch, they are a club that brings value to the table.

In Martindale they have one of the most charismatic and quotable managers in the competition. They have a very clear identity as a club and will undoubtedly cause a few shocks next season.

Martindale is a character. He speaks his opinion and calls a kick a kick. He also spoke very frankly about issues that are much more serious than football. He has shown the willingness to learn from his earlier mistakes in life and to try to teach the younger generation on pitfalls away from football.

In this world of PR Gubff where so many players and managers in media have been trained to say nothing of the square root of nothing, he is a relief.

Honeymoon in Ferrari is over for Hamilton

When Lewis Hamilton announced that he came to Ferrari for the new Formula 1 season, it was invoiced as the perfect marriage.

The most successful driver of all time would be with the most iconic team of the sport. Seduced by the romance of the Prancing Horse, Hamilton was undoubtedly for winning an eighth world title in those famous red overalls.

But the prospect that he wins another world championship now looks further away than ever. His move to Ferrari turns into a disaster.

In the Monaco Grand Prix last weekend, Hamilton finished in a distant fifth place, just over 50 seconds behind the victorious Lando Norris.

Hamilton, who had crashed from the third practice session on Saturday, was also miles behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, who was second behind McLaren’s Norris.

And there were more tense and tetchy exchanges between Hamilton and his team on the radio, in which the seven-time world champion asked his racing engineer at one point: “Are you angry with me?”

This will be a recurring theme. During the Miami GP earlier this month, Hamilton had again expressed frustration about his team on the radio about a observed lack of urgency around the team strategy.

“Have a tea break while you’re busy, come on!” Hamilton said. It is not particularly new to hear him that he has an anger on the radio.

During his time at Mercedes it was common for Hamilton to have a doll with his old racing engineer Pete ‘Bono’ Bonnington.

The difference was then that Hamilton still regularly won races. He was in the best car on the grid, Supreme Machinery that led him to six of his seven world titles between 2014-2020.

His only taste of success this season came in at the beginning of April in the Sprintrace in China. But that seems to be a deviation. In normal Grands Prix, he still has to finish on stage in eight starts.

Hamilton was robbed of an eighth world title in 2021 and lost to Max Verstappen in controversial circumstances in Abu Dhabi. The prospect that he will ever be back in a position to challenge again feels remote.

The romance around his move to Ferrari is blurred. It is a love story that probably seems to end in tears as poor results and fiery exchanges on the radio continue for much longer.