Rangers manager for next match 'revealed' as club legend says Celtic scenario was 'kidding fans on'

Clement was sacked by the Rangers board on Sunday evening in the wake of another damaging defeat by St Mirren at the weekend, ending a 497-day stint in charge at Ibrox.

While Rangers are yet to communicate officially their plans for the midweek trip to Rugby Park, it is being reported that Charai is working with the players ahead of the match and will be asked to step in on a caretaker basis.

Charai only arrived at Rangers last month as a No 2 to Clement. He previously worked at Strasbourg, Al-Faisaly, Beerschot, Sint-Truidense and OH Leuven, while also guiding Morocco Under-23s to Africa Cup of Nations glory.

Rangers are currently second in the league, 13 points adrift of current leaders and defending champions Celtic.

Steven Gerrard is the early bookmakers’ favourite to succeed Clement on a permanent basis at Rangers, although with the club in the midst of takeover talks with the American 49ers consortium and keen to bring in a sporting director, it may take some weeks for the club to identify the path they wish to go down.

An interim appointment until the end of the season is therefore a serious option, with former Rangers midfielder Barry Ferguson - whose last stint in the dugout was with Alloa Athletic three years ago - heavily touted as a potential caretaker.

Meanwhile, Rangerd legend Ally McCoist believes a “long-term fix” is required at Ibrox following the departure of Clement.

The club are on their way to a trophyless domestic season albeit they are in the last 16 of the Europa League, where they play Fenerbahce next month, while Old Firm rivals Celtic have another treble in their sights.

McCoist believes it will take time to catch up with their Old Firm rivals, telling talkSPORT: “I think there has been a weakness on and off the pitch to tell you the truth. So it is a combination of things.

“It is going to be a long-term fix because the difference now between the two clubs is as big as it has been in a long, long time.

“I know Rangers fans like myself can point to the 3-0 victory in the Old Firm derby (on January 2) but we are kidding ourselves on.”