Portsmouth offer Mcliesh Manager's job

[M.O.B.E]

Daily Record 29 November 2005

POMPEY TO MAKE MOVE FOR ECK TODAY

Exclusive By Colin Duncan

PORTSMOUTH will today present Alex McLeish with an escape route from Ibrox by offering him their vacant manager's job.

The struggling Premiership outfit have turned to the Rangers gaffer after failing to land their top targets, Sheffield United's Neil Warnock and former Hearts boss George Burley.

McLeish has just presided over the worst run of results in Rangers' 133-year history.

But Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric still believes McLeish, whose days are numbered in Glasgow, is the ideal candidate to replace Alain Perrin.

Mandaric last night told Record Sport he will contact Rangers within the next 24 hours to ask for permission to speak with McLeish. He said: "I will direct my chief executive to make an approach to Rangers and we will probably do that tomorrow.

"I rate Alex McLeish very highly. He is a tough football man and in our current position he is exactly what we require.

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"If he is interested we would like to speak with him but we must go through the proper channels with Rangers.He is still their manager and we have to respect that."

Mandaric is anxious to have the new man in place before Saturday's trip to Old Trafford.

Portsmouth are third from bottom of the Premiership but Mandaric reckons McLeish can make the same impact at Fratton Park as he did when he took over from Dick Advocaat at Ibrox.

McLeish led Rangers to a League Cup and Scottish Cup double before securing the Treble in his first full season in charge. The Rangers manager has always harbouredambitionsto test himselfin the Premiership.

And the timing of Portsmouth's approach would enable him to jump before he is pushed by Ibrox chairman David Murray.

Mandaric added: "I know all about Alex McLeish and what he can do. He has the qualities we are looking for at Portsmouth.

"We are near the bottom of the league and it is urgent we have a new manager in place as soon as possible.' As Portsmouth stepped up their efforts to tempt McLeish away from Glasgow, Murray insisted he was sticking with his under-fire manager for now despite Rangers' weekend loss at Easter Road.

The defeat left them 11 points adrift of the SPL's third-placed team Hibs.

Murray still plans to review McLeish's position after the final Champions League group match at home to Inter Milan on December 6.

Murray said: "I'll stand by what I said about giving Alex a chance."

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[M.O.B.E]

David Murray wants to make him sweat. Any manager can take over a winning team but not any manager can keep his team winning. Ek' is still better than Dick Advocaat though