'He's a great man' - Italy boss Gennaro Gattuso told to make shock Rangers move

While neither Gattuso nor Rohl look set to leave their managerial posts at present, a future opportunity for the iconic former defensive midfielder to take over at Ibrox might arrive in the future. This was claimed by Kyle Lafferty, who played under Gattuso at Palermo and was previously his team-mate at FC Sion.

Lafferty has called for the “great man” to take over at Rangers in the future, as reported by Sport Witness in citing an interview with I Love Palermo Calcio in Italy.

Gattuso has made his first foray into international management, following spells with nine club sides, including, most notably, AC Milan and Napoli.

He previously played for the Gers for a single season as a 19-year-old in 1997/98.   

Gattuso has had a solid start to his time in charge of Italy thus far, winning five matches from six, but this was not enough to topple the imperious, Erling Haaland-inspired Norway in their group as they fell to a disappointing 4-1 defeat to the Norwegians in their decisive encounter. Italy will face Northern Ireland in their play-off semi-final on 26 March 2026, ahead of a final against one of Wales or Bosnia & Herzegovina if they get through.

The former midfielder will no doubt see his managerial stocks rise if he can guide Italy to the finals, a tournament in which they have not competed since crashing out of the group stage at Brazil 2014. In fact, the Azzurri have not made the knock-out stages since they won the tournament with Gattuso in the side back in 2006.

Should a return to club football be in the offing in the future, Ibrox could be a possible destination for Gattuso, following previous links when the job was vacant in the past. 

“I’m very happy he’s leading the Italian national team because I have great respect for him,” former Northern Irish international Lafferty said.

“He’s a great professional as well as a great man. Given his past at Glasgow Rangers, I hope to see him lead them one day. I’m convinced the relationship between him and the Scottish club would be excellent.” 

Gattuso expressed his strong desire to lead Italy back to the World Cup finals after he replaced former boss Luciano Spalletti in the summer.

“This is a dream come true. I hope I’m up to the task,” Gattuso told his press conference. “I know it’s not going to be easy, but that’s often the case in life. My staff and I are aware that a lot of work lies ahead, but we are confident that we can achieve something truly great.

“There’s work to be done. Meeting players, talking to them, getting into their heads. I’ve been hearing for years that there’s no talent, but I believe the players are there. We need to put them in the right conditions to perform at their best. The goal is to go back to the World Cup. It’s fundamental for us and Italian football. 

“We need to rediscover enthusiasm and stop thinking negatively. When players come to Coverciano, they should do so with excitement.

“Creating a family is the most important thing. Beyond tactics and technique, we need to rebuild that group spirit that has defined us for so many years. We have important players; four or five in this group are among the top ten in the world in their roles.

“I’ll repeat it. It’s about the team, not individuals. I’m convinced this squad has values and can achieve its goal. When [Gianluigi] Buffon and [Gabriele] Gravina called me, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I believe we have what it takes to succeed.  

“Missing two editions of the World Cup in a row isn’t easy to swallow. That’s why we must rediscover enthusiasm; fear leads nowhere.”