AliousSean Dyche has hinted at his openness to returning to football management, with speculation swirling around a potential move to Rangers as he weighs his next career step.
The seasoned manager, previously at the helm of Everton and Burnley, has been unattached since his departure from Goodison Park, where the Toffees sacked him amid a relegation battle, languishing just one point above the drop zone.
Now, with whispers growing louder about the Ibrox vacancy, Dyche’s name has surfaced as a contender for the role, reigniting comments he made in 2022 when he left the door ajar for a switch to the Glasgow giants.
Back then, before taking the Everton job, Dyche spoke candidly about his career window in the Premier League and his curiosity about experiencing the famed Old Firm derby, even name-dropping Rangers’ then-director Ross Wilson, with whom he’d worked at Watford.
“If he’d like to invite me to the Old Firm derby – I’ve never been – then he should,” Dyche said at the time, hinting at an intrigue that could now come full circle.
With Wilson no longer at Rangers, the decision rests with American businessman Andrew Cavenagh, the key figure in the club’s takeover, and 49ers Enterprises as they plan their managerial appointment for the summer.
Currently, Barry Ferguson holds the reins on an interim basis and has bolstered his case for the permanent gig with impressive feats, including a Europa League quarter-final run—highlighted by a victory over Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce—and a triumph against Celtic at Parkhead.
Yet, Dyche remains in the mix alongside other notable names like Steven Gerrard, Russell Martin, and Rafa Benitez, as the new ownership ponders its options.
Speaking recently on The Rest is Football with Gary Lineker, Dyche addressed rumors of a return to management, possibly in the Scottish Premiership.
“Yeah, I think so. I don’t think immediately,” he mused, signaling he’s in no rush. For now, he’s savoring a break from the dugout—watching his son play for Northampton, cheering his daughter’s marathon triumph in Rome, and planning a casual round of golf.
“I’m catching up with a few life things and enjoying a bit of down time,” he added, noting he’s not glued to football but keeping an eye on the game casually.
Dyche also revealed he’s fielding media offers, including potential work with talkSPORT, and isn’t set on managing indefinitely. “I don’t want to do it forever, I have got other things that I am interested in,” he admitted, suggesting a measured approach to his next move.
“Football-wise, I will wait and see what comes round the corner. If it’s not right, it’s not right. If it is right, then we will see where it goes.”
Could that “right” opportunity lie at Ibrox? His 2022 comments about broadening his horizons beyond the Premier League—and his lingering fascination with the Old Firm clash—suggest Rangers could tempt him north.
For now, though, it’s a waiting game. The new Rangers hierarchy has a pivotal call ahead, and while Ferguson’s interim success complicates the picture, Dyche’s experience and hinted interest might just see him finally step into the Glasgow derby spotlight he’s long dreamed of tasting.
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