I haven't given up on McLeish: Pompey chief
Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric has confirmed his determination to speak to Rangers manager Alex McLeish, despite a refusal from the Glasgow club yesterday.
Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock is Mandaric’s favoured candidate to replace Alain Perrin, who was sacked last week, while Iain Dowie of Crystal Palace has also been touted as a possible successor.
Despite overseeing the worst series of results in the club’s history in the Bank of Scotland Premier League, McLeish has taken the Light Blues to the verge of becoming the first Scottish club to progress beyond the Champions League group stages next week.
A win over Group H winners Inter Milan will secure that feat, while even a defeat would see Gers through, if Artmedia Bratislava and Porto draw in the other match of the section.
Mandaric understands the Glasgow club do not want to upset preparations for the visit of the Serie A club but is not giving up on McLeish.
The Portsmouth chief told the Daily Record: “I’m very disappointed with Rangers’ response although I fully understand their prerogative.
“But we have not given up hope yet. I would love the opportunity to sit down with Alex McLeish so we will try one more time to speak with him.
“We will go back to Rangers, although, if they refuse us permission a second time, there is not much we can do, but we are very keen to speak with McLeish as we rate him highly. If we could get him here, it would be great.”
He added: “We just received verbal authorisation to speak with Neil Warnock and we have two other candidates we are considering.
“I want to speak with all the managers face to face. I want to find out which one of them is the right man to turn things around.
“I will judge who has the confidence, the capabilities and the desire. It will be impossible to have the new manager in place this Saturday, so we hope to have everything concluded before we play Tottenham the following weekend.”
