RANGERS chief executive James Bisgrove has indicated that new manager Philippe Clement will be given funds to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window if he believes he needs to make new signings and emphasised the Ibrox board view the Belgian as a long-term appointment.
However, he admitted that Clement will need to deliver success in the coming months if he is to survive longer in the high-pressure role than his predecessors Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale, who both lasted less than a year.
Bisgrove revealed the members of the Glasgow club’s board, who were assisted by former Rangers manager Graeme Souness, had all felt the Belgian, who has had spells in charge of Beveren, Genk and Club Brugge in his homeland and Monaco in France, was the best man for the job.
“We recognise that continuity and stability are going to be absolutely key to this football club,” he said. “We went through a process that was multi-layered, that took on a lot of due diligence and took a lot of time to get right.
“We had a very clear vision in terms of the characteristics we wanted the next Rangers manager to have and the board were unanimous that Philippe was the outstanding candidate in that process. Absolutely, this is a long term appointment. But Rangers is about winning.
“There is a lot of football to be played this season. I know that Philippe and the squad will be giving it everything they have got to make this a successful season. We are looking forward to working with Philippe in the short, medium and long-term.”
Bisgrove added: “When we had the conversation after the Aberdeen game, the board took the difficult decision to part company with Michael and his staff. We felt it was the right decision in the best interests of the club.
“We then discussed what the criteria would be for the next Rangers manager. We placed a strong emphasis on leadership, character, man-management, and we aligned that with the football criteria, the football methodology, the football identity.
“We wanted a manager that had a strong track record as a winner and experience in the game that can handle everything that comes with being the manager of this football club.
“We spent a lot of hours together in London and Brussels and then Philippe got a chance to talk to our investors in the US and Asia . It became more apparent for us and the board that Philippe was the standout candidate in terms of the criteria that we felt was really important.”
Beale spent around £15m bringing no fewer than nine new players in to Rangers this summer – but he was sacked after Premiership defeats to Kilmarnock, Celtic and Aberdeen and a heavy Champions League play-off loss at the hands of PSV Eindhoven.
Asked if Clement will be given money in January, Bisgrove said: “Philippe will make an assessment on the squad and on where he sees the strengths and weaknesses so we can identify how we increase performance and improve results and present it to the board.
“I believe the board and investors will be receptive to his feedback in terms of the improvements required. Clearly, there has been investment this summer, but the standard and the bar here is very high. We want to win silverware. Philippe is here for that, that’s why he’s picked Rangers over possibly other options.”
Bisgrove paid tribute to Scotland great Souness, who spent five years as Rangers manager between 1985 and 1991, for his help in identifying Beale’s successor.
“He added a lot of value,” he said. “He joined us in London when we met Philippe for the first time. When we talked about leadership, understanding the club and dealing with the pressures, Graeme was able to ask those questions from a real place of experience. He and Philippe had really good conversations.”
Meanwhile, Bisgrove has stressed that Rangers’ search for a new sporting director is ongoing and confirmed that Clement would be consulted before an appointment is made.
“Philippe will absolutely be a part of that process and we will make sure he meets whoever that is before we make that decision,” he said.
“That person will add additional value and expertise and leadership to the recruitment function. We currently have John Park at the top of that division. It is a decision the board will take on a long-term football strategy to make sure we have really robust processes around decisions we make right across the football department.”
