Rangers held their Annual General Meeting today in Glasgow at the Clyde Auditorium.
Here is the full transcript from the question and answer session as shareholders put their points across to the Ibrox board...
Why no Dutch signings during Gio spell?
Ross Wilson: “The way we work our recruitment here is that the Rangers manager, whether that’s Michael or Giovanni or Steven, they have the final say on every player that is signed here.
“Our previous manager Gio had the final say on every player who came in.
“There was one Dutch player who we agreed terms with over the summer who then agreed to join another club.
“So that was the only Dutch player that the manager brought forward as one he’d like to bring in over the summer.”
Five-year plan for the club?
Douglas Park: “The plan for the next five years is to win as many trophies as we can, to build a team that can win as many games as we can and to reinvest in the club as much as we possibly can.
“Can I just add personally and on behalf of the board that we have absolutely no problem having Club 1872…
“The problem between the board and Club 1872 is quite the problem(????).
“I would like to see it resolved as soon as we can. But until the reluctance to sign an NDA, the same as every other individual does, creates a problem.
“But Club 1872 are welcome any time.
“We need supporters. It’s not my intention to fall out with anyone. I’m speaking on behalf of myself but I believe the board would agree with that."
Current injury situation?
Ross Wilson: “The injury situation has been a concern to Gio, to myself, to our medical team.
“It was widely predicted before this season and it was something managers up and down the Premier League were discussing at every single press conference, particularly clubs who play in Europe and with players involved in international football.
“It was predicted that before this World Cup there would be more injuries than ever before. There’s no doubt we’ve experienced that here at Rangers with a mixture of injuries that have happened during the season and long-term injuries, like Ianis Hagi’s which happened last season.
“But we are really pleased that in the last week since Michael took over that we’ve seen players return. The group is getting stronger on a daily basis with people coming back.
“But it’s important to say that we don’t take injuries lightly and are constantly evaluating our processes and structures to make sure at every area we can have the strongest possible Rangers."
Michael Beale: “It’s been pleasing over the last week or so to hear that players are coming back quickly, which is important.
“It’s important we don’t rush them because we want them back to play consistently.
“Some of the players that are missing certainly make us a stronger Rangers team.
“In the last 12 months the team have gone from training a certain way to a different way with a lot of changes of staff, which is never helps the players having a consistency in their training base, which can cause some discomfort.
“It’s important moving forward we get that consistency back."
Bennett/Wolhardt loans?
John Bennett: “The outstanding loan on the seven-year facility - which now has six years to run - is £8m.
“It’s the same rate as last year, which is six percent.
“Can I put that in a wee bit of context just on my own personal commitment to the club.
“Some of my loan has been converted to equity, £500,000.
“I’ve since then bought shares, so I’ve gone to 5.1 percent of the equity.
“I’ve also in recent weeks given the club a £10m overdraft facility at five percent. So my commitment is now £23m."
Both loans?
John Bennett: “Yes they’ve been partly repaid over the seven-year facility on the greed terms.
“The repayment of loans has to be seen in the context of this increased commitment to the equity by myself but also the new facility. I think that’s valid context."
Enough return from players signed this summer?
Ross Wilson: "I think when you sit second in the league at Rangers you are always going to be disappointed with the return from the whole squad, rather than focusing on the seven players who came in the summer.
"Whether it’s me as sporting director, Michael in the seat he sits in, you are always going to be disappointed in the return we’ve got. There’s no question about that.
"However, we have a lot of belief in this squad and Michael touched on that earlier on.
"He also used a word that is really important to us – identity – and making sure we have a team on the pitch that represents our shareholders and supporters proudly on the pitch every single week.
"At this moment in time, of course we’re not happy with the return. That goes without saying.
"I noticed that you pulled some of the players that have done well out of the statistics you said.
"We definitely feel some of those players have made a fantastic return for us and others haven’t made a strong enough return yet. That goes without saying.
"It’s up to all of us inside the club, led by Michael on the pitch every day, to get the best out this squad that we possibly can. And we certainly believe there is more to come from them."
Can you give us a figure on how much squad is worth?
Ross Wilson: “That number was a notional number given by Mr King at that time.
“There wasn’t any science behind that at all so I wouldn’t be prepared to answer that because I would be picking a figure out of the air and I don’t think that’s the right thing to do with shareholders.”
Thought process behind CL match package/Jimmy Bell Hall of Fame?
Stewart Robertson: “Jimmy was a huge character throughout the club and he’s missed by everyone at the club.
“Everyone of us knew Jimmy well and I take your point. Jimmy epitomised so much about the club. He was Rangers through and through.
“Taking your point about prices, I get the point you are making.
“A lot of debate went out surrounding prices and what we decided those prices should be.
“We landed on the numbers we landed on. Each game was sold out, I’m not saying that makes it right or wrong.
“You have seen with the numbers we have presented today we are trying to reach a level playing field with our competitors.
“We try and maximise it, but I get it was the high end of the scale.”
Does the board firmly believe Ross Wilson is the man for recruitment?
Stewart Robertson: “The short answer is yes. There is a lot of work that goes on, I think you underestimate the work that goes on within the football department and at this football club.
“The progress we have made since Ross Wilson joined has been incredible on the football side of it.
“It’s an individual opinion, and that’s far enough.
“In terms of where we are as a football club compared to where we were three years ago before Ross joined, we are miles forward.”
“You have to look long term from where the club was. We got to a European final.
“We won the Scottish Cup.
“We will have ups and downs, there will be different opinions.
“I get that.
“But you need to appreciate the amount of work that has gone on behind the scenes.
“We’re miles away from where we were just a few years ago.”
Ross Wilson: “Without being too direct, none of your figures are correct.
“I don’t like to talk about individual players because in terms of sales the manager and scouting department are all involved in that process.
“The first thing I will say is that Ross Wilson doesn’t sign football players.
“I don’t like to talk about individual players, but I will talk about the two individuals you have named there because to stand at a microphone and say Rangers bought Juninho Bacuna for £2million is absolute nonsense.
“Juninho Bacuna was a free transfer who was brought forward by the coaching staff who were here at the time.
“We all bought into it, he was a free and we actually made a profit on him.
“That doesn’t make him a good signing, I’m not saying that.
“Secondly, we all went into the John Souttar signing with our eyes wide open. We know he is a big talent but we also know the injury track record makes it difficult for us.
“We believe we can deal with that. We might be wrong with that and we always have to have the humility to say that we will get things wrong.
“But we believe we can sort that out and we believe that John can be a strong signing for Rangers.
“Every player that we sign doesn’t need to play over 60 games in the way that Connor Goldson has for us over a number of years.
“We will have players who will be part of the squad and we need to make sure we have Scottish players in our squad to meet European rules.
“All that needs consideration.”
Robertson said we have had huge success on the park but when we were humiliated by Celtic in September we started the game with five players that were signed during Mark Allen’s or Frank Mcparland’s time. We finished the game with six. That is not forward thinking or success.
Stewart Robertson: "You have to look over the long term and where the club was to where we are. We got to a European final last season. We will have ups and downs.
"We will have short-term situations where we have injuries as well. Listen, everyone views it differently and everyone will have an opinion on it. I get it. That is us as a football club and everyone has their own opinions on it.
"You see the amount of work and the foundations that we have – the systems, the structures and process we have in place behind the scenes – and it is miles away from a few years ago. It gives me the confidence that we are moving forward in the right direction."
When will disabled facilities start?
Andrew Dickson: "There is still a lot of work to be done on the investigation of it. The hope is that it will start in the summer of 2023. That is the current timescales."
Why have three key players been allowed to run their contracts down?
Ross Wilson: "They are not being allowed to run their contracts down. We would absolutely, and Michael said it in the press conference, like those two players you have mentioned to commit their futures to Rangers.
"You saw during Kenny’s presentation that there is a clear willingness from the board to invest in the squad. However, for a player to sign a contract and stay here, there needs to be certainly two parties willing to commit – the football club and the player.
"You also need the agent, you sometimes need the wife, you sometimes need the mum and dad and everyone involved. The two players involved – Ryan and Alfredo – are two very different situations.
"I don’t think it is fair to go into why they are different but they are different situations. There is definitely a willingness from the club for the boys to stay. There is definitely a willingness from the manager for the two boys to be part of Rangers moving forward.
"Time will tell if we can get there. Certainly from the club’s point of view, we want the players to be with us."
Why not try to move them on in the summer?
Ross Wilson: "Again, you would need two things to happen there. You need a buyer and a buyer to commit to a level of finance that we think would be reflective and good for Rangers at that moment in time.
"With both players in the past, we have rejected one offer from both players. It was significant on the basis that the money for the player was good but we thought they brought more value to our squad at that time and we went on to become league champions in that same season.
"In our minds, that justified our decision to be the right one. We would certainly like those two players to continue with us if we can reach an agreement in the coming weeks and months."
Douglas Park: "Can I just add, that the board have tried to negotiate with those players. There comes a stage, like in any negotiation, where you try to settle.
"If the terms that maybe people are looking for are unattainable, you sometimes have to accept that you have done your best."
