Newly appointed Rangers manager Danny Rolle has dismissed suggestions he was not his first choice for the job after his approach to sign Steven Gerrard fell through, insisting the important thing is that he is now in charge. The search for Russell Martin’s replacement ended on Monday with the former Sheffield Wednesday manager appointed as head coach.
Glasgow Titans’ long search for a new manager began following the rejection of Ibrox legend Gerrard, who won the title in 2020-21, and Shanghai Port manager Kevin Muscat, who withdrew his bid to take over at the weekend. Despite being removed from contention for the role last week, the German manager insists talks with the Rangers board are not completely over. “I think the important thing is that I’m here,” Rohr said when asked about his earlier withdrawal from consideration during a press conference alongside US owner Andrew Cavenagh, CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell.
“Of course I understand this question. For me, it’s important that I’m here. I’ve had meetings with the board and we’ve never stopped communicating.”
When asked if it matters to him whether he’s the first choice or not, he said: “No, to be honest, you can be the first choice, second choice, third choice. The important thing is you have to win games and move on. I can’t say which choice I am, but all I can say is that I’m here.”
Now 36, Rohr – the youngest manager in the club’s history – faces the task of reviving Rangers’ campaign, which begins with the Europa League game against Brann.
The new manager did not rule out the prospect of the Light Blues winning silver in any tournament, despite currently sitting 13 points behind Premiership leaders Hearts and eight points behind second-placed Celtic.
He said: “We know where we are at the moment. We want to win and we need a win because we’re not satisfied with the position. That’s why I’m here.”
“As I said before, I’m looking for an ambitious club. I’m looking for a club that can win titles and this club has everything to make that happen.”
“The first step is a big step. We need to win consecutive games. That can create confidence and belief. On the pitch, I see a lot of potential. As a coach, it is very important for me to show our strengths on the pitch.”
“We are in a great situation with still four competitions left, which means we can win them all, but we have to understand that it is not just a wish. I am sure that with a win and a good start we can turn things around. I am very proud to be here.”
Sporting director Kevin Thelwell’s position has come under intense scrutiny, with Muscat and Gerrard both ruled out of the race to replace Martin following talks with former Everton executives.
However, Rohr expressed satisfaction with the cooperation agreement with the transfer chief, saying:
“It’s much easier to sign players. We go in one direction and talk to each other. If we can gather all our forces in one direction, we will be able to convince players to join this great club.”
