AliousRangers Target Bold 4-3-3 Mastermind as Next Manager — Seen as a Smarter Bet Than Ancelotti
With pre-season just around the corner and Champions League qualifiers fast approaching, Rangers remain without a permanent manager nearly 100 days after parting ways with Philippe Clement. The urgency to appoint a new head coach is now critical, as this summer marks a pivotal moment in the club’s recent history.
While several names have been floated — including Danny Röhl, Marco Rose, and even a possible return for Steven Gerrard — attention has now turned to two clear front-runners: Davide Ancelotti and Francesco Farioli.
**Ancelotti’s Coaching Pedigree Under Scrutiny**
Davide Ancelotti, son of legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti, has reportedly held talks with the Rangers board. Though still relatively untested as a head coach, he brings elite-level experience, having served as his father’s assistant at global heavyweights like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Everton.
During his time at Madrid, he was credited with helping craft a flexible tactical system that brought two La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns between 2021 and 2024. Despite that, Davide has yet to prove himself as a number one — and Ibrox, with its intense expectations and unforgiving atmosphere, may not offer the ideal environment for a first-time manager to find his feet.
While he remains a compelling candidate due to his top-tier exposure and tactical intelligence, his lack of solo leadership raises serious questions, especially for a club entering a high-stakes season.
**Enter Francesco Farioli: The Tactical Innovator Rangers Might Need**
Meanwhile, former Ajax and Nice boss Francesco Farioli has emerged as a strong — and arguably more suitable — contender. According to journalist Stephen McGowan, Rangers have already initiated talks with the 36-year-old Italian, who recently left Ajax following a disagreement over long-term strategy with the Dutch club’s board.
Despite Ajax’s dramatic collapse in the final weeks of the 2023/24 campaign — surrendering a 9-point lead and missing out on the Eredivisie title — Farioli led the team to Champions League qualification and a remarkable turnaround from their disastrous previous season. Under his guidance, Ajax conceded 29 fewer goals than the year before and halved their league defeats, signaling tangible progress and renewed discipline.
Farioli’s attacking 4-3-3 system has been widely praised for its intensity and fluidity, yielding 115 goals in just 54 matches — over 2 goals per game. He also boasts an impressive 2.09 points-per-game average. For a Rangers side craving an identity and an attacking philosophy, his high-octane approach could breathe new life into a stagnant squad.
Respected voices like journalist Lars Jesse have hailed his impact, saying he restored structure and calm at a club mired in chaos. That kind of leadership and vision is exactly what Rangers need amid their ongoing cultural and competitive reset.
**The Bigger Gamble: Ancelotti or Farioli?**
While Davide Ancelotti’s pedigree and name carry weight, hiring him would be a significant risk due to his inexperience as a standalone head coach. In contrast, Farioli already has 167 senior games under his belt and has managed at the top level in both France and the Netherlands — proving he can handle pressure and deliver attacking football that fans and boards alike admire.
The decision facing Rangers is crucial. They can roll the dice on a prestigious assistant still finding his footing, or they can back a young but battle-tested tactician with a clear philosophy and experience leading major clubs. The stakes couldn’t be higher, but the answer seems increasingly obvious: if Farioli is available and interested, he might just be the man to bring Rangers back to the summit of Scottish and European football.
Alious
