Dave King plans changes to football structure at Rangers

Rangers chairman Dave King will recruit a Director of Football and may appoint an interim manager. Picture: John Devlin

And it is understood the Ibrox club are planning to install a director of football in a structure preferred by directors prior to Warburton’s arrival in June 2015.

The appointment of Warburton at what King described in a statement released over the weekend as “short-term notice” meant those plans were shelved. The new manager was unwilling to work with a director of football on top of trusted assistant David Weir and head of recruitment Frank McParland, another ally from Brentford. All three left their posts last week in contentious circumstances. But now Rangers want to push ahead with a structure reflecting the club’s declared football philosophy, which spans from the academy to the first-team.

One of what King described as “corrective measures” to remedy recent problems involves appointing a director of football, which the chairman believes is one of the hallmarks of a “robust and modern football structure”.

While Alex McLeish and  Billy Davies top the list of candidates for the post of interim manager there was no confirmation yesterday whether both or indeed either of them have already had discussions with Ibrox officials.

McLeish was at Ibrox for Sunday’s 2-1 win over Morton in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup and admitted that the Rangers vacancy was a “hard job to turn down”. However, it’s not certain the 58 year-old would agree to a short-term role and he could be a candidate for the director of football post.

King, who released a long statement on Saturday attempting to explain the club’s position, prepared another shorter one yesterday, for a commercial radio station. Ibrox directors were continuing to sift through names of those who have registered their interest in the position of interim as well as permanent manager.

King conceded a short-term appointment was now under consideration as Rangers seek to try and overhaul Aberdeen and fend off Hearts in the  race for second place in the Premiership.

“We have already put in place a process to ensure that the best long-term solution is implemented for the club but, due to obvious time  constraints, we may have to consider an interim solution,” said King.

“Supporters will be further updated once we have something definite to communicate.”

After McLeish failed to hide his enthusiasm on Sunday when asked if he was willing to return to Ibrox, Tommy Wright, the current St Johnstone manager, is the latest to describe the link to Ibrox as a “compliment”.

However, he also added it was “pure speculation”.

Wright has maintained St Johnstone’s position as a top six side while also lifting the Scottish Cup in 2014, the Perth club’s first major trophy.

“I take it as a compliment to be linked with a club of that size and that history,” Wright said yesterday. “I also take it as a compliment that journalists and the media in Scotland  recognise the job that I’ve done over the last three or four seasons.”

There has, however, been no contact from Rangers, he maintained. “I’m humbled by it a bit but it is pure speculation and there’s nothing concrete in anything,” said Wright.

“(Aberdeen manager) Derek McInnes will tell you the same thing – managers can do nothing about  speculation.

“It’s nice to be mentioned as a possible manager of Rangers but I’m totally focused on trying to get three points and doing the best I can for St Johnstone.

“I was shocked on Friday night when somebody texted me with the news (about Warburton’s departure).

“I always got on well with him and Davie Weir when we played against each other so it’s disappointing to see a manager losing  his job.”

Meanwhile, Warburton, Weir and McParland are still consulting with their lawyers.

All remain adamant they have not resigned their posts at Ibrox, as was claimed last week by the club.