Rumours of James Bisgrove’s departure had been doing the rounds for several weeks and once again, the smoke lead to fire. For him, it’s a magnificent opportunity which he will no doubt be highly rewarded for and you can’t begrudge anyone that opportunity kind of financial opportunity.
His legacy will be the rejuvenation of our commercial department, taking turnover to £10m from zero and then to £30m thereafter. That legacy continues as commercially, the club is thriving but what happens next and who comes in will be interesting.
It hasn’t always been plain sailing. Some will forever remember the Australia debacle as a major mistake and that’s understandable. James, is a businessman and a money man though. Bristol born, he isn't steeped in Rangers. It was for others to step in on that one.
The club say they are in no rush to appoint a successor but someone with experience and a knowledge of Rangers would be welcome. The club will look to be recompensed for his departure and I wish James the best of luck in the future.
Prior to his exit, the season ended for Rangers with relief a stronger feeling than any other. it was a crushing end.
I can’t be too harsh on the team because I thought they gave everything in the Scottish Cup final. As a collective, they lack quality so it's disingenuous to expect more. Ultimately it just came down to a lack of resources at Philippe Clement's fingertips. It's something we have all highlighted during the season.
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Cyriel Dessers, Fabio Silva, Todd Cantwell and Abdallah Sima all had opportunities on the day. We even had the ball in the net before VAR intervened. In the end a defining moment was needed but posted missing.
So what needs to change? Well, everything really.
Rangers have won a league, been to a European final, won a domestic cup or two, and received record-breaking player transfer sales since 2021. And yet our squad is in its worst condition since Steven Gerrard arrived six summers ago.
The club doesn’t have an issue raising money and commercially we are very strong. It's how we spend our money that is the issue.
Rangers have lacked structure to ensure the player trading model actually works. You need to think three of four windows ahead in the modern game. Any transfer activity should be seamless but, in reality, it has been muddled since the departure of Gerrard. There have been too many expensive mistakes.
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Rangers can’t afford to have an eye-watering wage bill with so little to show for. The days of paying £30k a week to players who are never fit or incapable of performing must to stop. We can’t afford for a high paid guy like Kemar Roofe not to be an effective first-team player for half his contract. High earners have to bring high rewards.
Rangers' current predicament needs bravery, strategy and cohesion. Injury-prone players in their late 20s with little or no sell-on value is simply not the route to explore anymore. Whilst any transfer window must bring a mixture of ages, any experienced campaigner we sign cannot arrive on a big contract. We have been stung too often and it's time Rangers changed their outlook. Of course, not every player can be a project but the balance must be right.
Nils Koppen and Philippe Clement must offer that structure this summer, identifying players windows in advance to fix a squad that is so broken. A proper pre-season should help alongside changes in the medical and sport science department to solve a perpetual injury crisis that's proved detrimental for far too long.
The reality is it could take a number of windows to reach long-term stability in the squad. Finding buyers for the likes of Connor Goldson, James Tavernier, Tom Lawrence, Kieran Dowell, Rabbi Matondo likely won't come overnight.
Rangers need a bold new strategy. Not only on the park but in the boardroom and throughout the club. There isn't a quick-fix solution. Fans will stick with it if we see sustained progress towards domestic success to get this team back to being successful on a regular basis.
I want this squad ripped up and only a handful to survive long-term. The summer has to be a catalyst and a line in the sand.
Rangers lost the league and the Scottish Cup because they lacked quality on the pitch. But unless change in practice comes off the pitch too then we'll simply be having a similar conversation in May of 2025.
That can’t happen. Rangers have to be brave and change the outlook. Fans need hope and evidence of a new direction. The time for change is now. Doing the same thing this summer will only need to the same results in the next.
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