Le Guen is in frame if McLeish falters

Published on Sunday 11 December 2005 01:48

FORMER Lyons manager Paul Le Guen could still come to Ibrox in time for next season if Alex McLeish fails to revive the club's domestic fortunes. Although Le Guen has refused to comment publicly, Scotland on Sunday understands that the in-demand Frenchman turned down the Rangers job because he didn't want to join any club in mid-season, but that he has indicated to Rangers that he would be happy to reconsider at the end of the season if the club still want him.

One of the most coveted properties in European football, Le Guen has also been linked with both Real Madrid and Manchester United, but has told friends that he wants "a challenge". Despite deep misgivings over the strength of Rangers' squad, he was hugely impressed with Murray personally, and with the chairman's ambition and plans for the Govan club. Crucially, he is also convinced that Murray would allow him the autonomy and control he would demand but which he was denied at Lyons.

The Frenchman initially held face-to-face meetings with Murray and Rangers chief executive Martin Bain in France, but after a series of increasingly urgent phone calls from Murray over the past two weeks, Le Guen told Murray that he intended to honour his year-long deal with French television station Canal Plus, which expires at the end of the season.

Le Guen is a devotee of British football and has been learning English since resigning from Lyons. Although a dedicated student of every area of European football, he is particularly familiar with Scottish football because he works as a television pundit alongside former Hibernian player and manager Franck Sauzee.