Rangers next manager search latest on Lampard, Clement and Parker as Muscat issued wild backroom team pitch

Rangers players were booed off again after a turgid Europa League defeat to Aris Limassol – but chief executive James Bisgrove skipped the trip to the Mediterranean as he ramped up his bid to find a new manager.

A few potential candidates may have been alarmed by the miserable display in Cyprus but the potential successors to Michael Beale appear to be lining up with the international break fast approaching. The Light Blues face St Mirren on Sunday in Paisley and then the Scottish Premiership will go into cold storage – giving the Ibrox board a chance to make a decision on who will hold the hotseat long-term.

Interim boss Steven Davis was joined by Alex Rae in the dugout for the defeat to Aris – which will have not have helped his case for stepping into the post permanently any favours. However, the furious response from the Rangers fans at full-time appeared reserved for the players with the 38-year-old thrown in at the deep end.

But after defeat in Cyprus, who will take over at Rangers? Record Sport has the latest on the shortlist.

Record Sport revealed Yokohama F Marinos head coach Kevin Muscat held talks over a video call with the Ibrox board after returning to Japan following an Asian Champions League win over Shandong Taishan in China. And former Ibrox star Ian Ferguson told altindex.com that he could look to keep Steven Davis and Alex Rae in his backroom team if he returns to Scotland.

He said: "I don’t see why Muscat wouldn’t do a good job with the right people at his side. He might not know Scottish football at this time. They could be in at Ibrox at the moment with that knowledge to point him in the right direction. Then I’m sure it wouldn’t take him long.

“Steven is in charge at the moment and Rangers