Journalist Stuart Hodge has backed Ally McCoist's calls for Dean Smith to be appointed as Rangers' new boss if Steven Gerrard leaves Ibrox for Aston Villa.
BirminghamLive reporter Ashley Preece has revealed Gerrard is likely to be confirmed as Villa's manager within the next 48 hours.
What's the latest news involving Gerrard and Smith?
The Aston Villa job became available after Smith was sacked by the Premier League club on Sunday.
Smith was shown the door after an alarming downturn in form had seen the Midlands club suffer five defeats on the bounce, resulting in them falling to within two points of the relegation zone.
Gerrard, who grabbed his first piece of managerial silverware by guiding Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title last season, quickly emerged as a contender to succeed Smith.
The 41-year-old's Ibrox contract does not expire until the summer of 2024, but that has not stopped Villa making him their first choice target.
Speaking on talkSPORT, via Ibrox News, McCoist praised Smith and claimed he would be satisfied with the former Villa head coach moving into the Rangers hotseat if Gerrard's tenure were to come to an end.
What has Stuart Hodge said about Rangers' managerial situation?
McCoist won 10 Scottish Premiership titles during his playing career with Rangers and went on to also manage the Gers.
Hodge agrees with the club legend's suggestion of Smith being named as Gerrard's successor if the current Rangers boss heads south of the border.
He told GIVEMESPORT: "I think Ally's quite right to say he would take Dean Smith. He would be a brilliant appointment for Rangers.
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"Dean Smith would be a great appointment for them."
Why would Smith be a good appointment for Rangers?
With him being out of work following his exit from Aston Villa, Rangers would not have to stump up a compensation fee to acquire Smith's services.
The 50-year-old boasts bags of experience having also managed Walsall and Brentford before heading to Villa Park, meaning he has been in the dugout 541 times and come out on the winning side on 198 occasions.
Rangers are currently four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership and Smith would be confident of leading the Gers to glory having also won silverware with his previous employers by leading Villa back into the Premier League via the Championship play-offs two years ago.
Despite it being a matter of days since Smith's departure from the dugout, he is already a wanted man and is understood to be on the three-man shortlist for the Norwich City job.