Rangers' new recruit Ceri Bowley's first-team role outlined by Giovanni van Bronckhorst ahead of St Johnstone clash

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has welcomed Dr Ceri Bowley to his staff at Rangers – and detailed the key role he will have in helping players reach their peak levels.

Dr. Bowley worked with the Dutchman at Manchester City and will now turn his expertise to improving Rangers’ players and helping make greater strides in their progress in a shorter time scale, according to the Ibrox manager.

"I have worked with Ceri already and have a good relationship with him. I’m happy he's joining my staff and helping me and helping the staff to improve our players. The players will work closely with him to make sure their developments go faster and we can identify all the areas we want to see improvements. I am really happy he has joined us.

"We came in with quite a new members of the staff in November. Ceri joins us but we are one team – everyone works in the department to get the best results on the pitch at the weekend so we just have to work together.

“The key is to have good communication, work together and the goal we all have is to bring success to the club.”

Van Bronckhorst initially brought former Bayern Munich striker Roy Makaay with him as assistant before quickly appointing Dave Vos from Ajax in another key backroom role.

The new first-team coach is already endearing himself to the clubs' fans with social media videos taken within Ibrox and the trophy room ahead of his first game at home to St Johnstone.

Rangers manager Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (centre), already has Dave Vos (left) and Roy MaKaay on his coaching staff an has now added Ceri Bowley. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Van Bronckhorst however was keeping his cards close to his chest in terms of team selection and availability, particularly with a crucial Champions League play-off clash with PSV Eindhoven on the horizon next Tuesday.

“We have a big squad to choose from and choose the starting XI. In the last training [of the week] we have we’ll look at who’s going to start and the best gameplan we need for playing St Johnstone.

"It's a home game and we saw last week against Kilmarnock a team defending in a low block without many spaces for us to play in.

“We approached the game well, with a lot of patience, and it's another league game where we want to win every one and maintain out 100 percent record.”