Sean Dyche believes Rangers must find more leaders capable of handling the pressure and expectation of Ibrox, while backing Derek McInnes to be given more time to shape his squad.
The former Everton and Burnley manager was discussing the challenges facing managers in the modern game while on Talk Sport when Rangers became a focus of the conversation.
Dyche believes one of the biggest difficulties across football is finding genuine leaders, something he feels is particularly important at a club of Rangers' size.
“That's the hardest thing in football now,” Dyche said.
“Managers across the board. I know managers from lower leagues as well, in England, that is and they'll tell you, the hardest thing now is getting leaders.”
Dyche highlights Rangers leadership demand
Dyche believes the traditional type of leader has become less common, meaning managers increasingly have to identify different forms of leadership within their squads.
“We're trying to get different forms of leaders now because the old-school leaders, which we'd all be able to say, I don't know, the leader by their presence and their voice and getting around the players, that's not so prevalent now,” he said.
“What kind of leaders are you looking at? Yeah, trying to mould these people into being leaders is part of the job now.”
That is particularly relevant to Rangers given the demands placed upon players at Ibrox.
Dyche admitted he does not know McInnes' squad well enough to make a definitive assessment of the individuals currently available to the Rangers boss but believes the need for strong personalities is obvious.
“I don't know the squad there well enough, but you do need leaders, particularly at a club with the demand of Rangers and any big club,” he said.
“But Rangers are a massive concern.”
He added: “You do need leaders who can stand up to the feel and the expectation of Rangers and the crowd there.”
Dyche backs McInnes despite Rangers concerns
Despite describing Rangers as a concern, Dyche stressed that he remains supportive of McInnes.
The Rangers manager has endured a difficult start to his tenure, with the club suffering European disappointment and a poor pair of domestic results while he attempts to reshape a squad that has undergone significant turnover.
Dyche believes McInnes deserves time to work through those problems.
“I'm bound to support managers, I always do,” he admitted.
However, the former Premier League boss acknowledged that managers ultimately face a time element at major clubs.
“But, there's a time element as well,” Dyche added.
The Rangers manager has already had time to work with his players during pre-season, but Dyche believes the true assessment comes once competitive football begins.
“Now, I know, don't get me wrong, I'm going to go back to pre-season,” he said.
“He's had some time, the manager and his staff, to get the players doing what they want them to do.”
But Dyche stressed that competitive matches create a completely different test.
“When the real stuff starts, we were just talking about that actually, me and Majestic on the show, about, you know, when the real stuff starts, that's when the real questions get asked and answered, if you like.”
‘Give him a bit more time’
Ultimately, Dyche believes Rangers should resist the temptation to make another immediate change and allow McInnes the opportunity to alter his squad and establish his team.
“I would hope they give him a bit more time to, you know, shuffle the pack,” he said.
Rangers have already undergone substantial squad turnover, while the manager is still attempting to establish the identity and leadership structure of his team.
Dyche's comments echo a point Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh has also made about the club's recruitment priorities.
Cavenagh recently said Rangers' focus would be less on “raw talent” and more on qualities including “chemistry and leadership, steel, and footballing IQ.”
Dyche's assessment suggests those qualities could be just as important as technical ability if McInnes is to succeed at Ibrox.
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