Latest news with #Thelwell
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Acting Rangers academy chief to land job for keeps as Kevin Thelwell reckons he's the man to nurture talent
The long-serving coach has held the position on an interim basis since last year David McCallum is in line to be named as Rangers' new academy director on a permanent basis. New sporting director Kevin Thelwell has been impressed with the job McCallum has done in recent weeks. The long-serving coach has held the position on an interim basis since last year. He made the move from head of professional phase and B team coach. Thelwell believes he can help bring through a regular conveyor belt of talent that the club has lacked in recent seasons. Thelwell had, initially, been keen to bring in Gareth Prosser but he is still in a similar post at Everton and also has lucrative options in the Middle-east. McCallum has been at Rangers after he made the move from Queen's Park to become academy manager at Ibrox. He has also led the young Rangers teams into the Youth Champions League and has been in charge of the B team for the last four years. McCallum has also had a spell as Rangers caretaker manager after Steven Gerrard left in 2021. He was put in temporary charge along with Jermaine Defoe and Brian Gilmour before Giovanni van Bronckhorst was appointed boss back in 2021. Thelwell is looking to fill a number of key positions and has already brought in Dan Purdy to replace the out-going technical director Nils Koppen. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kevin Thelwell gets ruthless with Rangers stars as sporting director sees no limit to Ibrox exits
Kevin Thelwell says he won't shy away from making ruthless decisions on Rangers players' futures. The Ibrox club's new sporting director has already started work, along with new boss Russell Martin, on overhauling the squad. Advertisement And Thelwell insists they're ready to make big calls to make Rangers stronger - and ensure they hit the ground running ahead in the new campaign. READ MORE: The Rangers cull starts now as just four stars sealed off for Russell Martin and the rest face oblivion READ MORE: Rangers will never suffer Crystal Palace UEFA sweat as SFA chief makes dual ownership rules clear The pair have already targeted certain players, including the likes of Leicester City defender Conor Coady and Israeli striker Dor Turgeman. But there is still uncertainty over a number of current stars who under-performed at Ibrox last term. Advertisement Thelwell says they'll be decisive in rebuilding a squad so that it's capable of immediately challenging for trophies this season. When asked if there could be as many as 12 players leaving and the same amount coming in, he said: ' I probably wouldn't want to put a number on it at the moment. 'Clearly, there's been work being done behind the scenes already. 'We've been evaluating and reviewing the current group that we've got. 'There are some very good players here at Rangers. But with every football club, there's room for improvement, isn't there? 'We want to go into the transfer market and find opportunities that help the team be better and stronger. Advertisement 'Now that Russell is here as head coach, we've got a chance to sit down very quickly and talk more about what the group looks like and what we need to do going forward. 'We have to make some hard, fast decisions and then hopefully start to quickly build a team that helps us to win.' Nico Raskin has been tipped for the very top by his Rangers pal Rangers might have to field bids for some of their sellable assets this summer, with the likes of Nico Raskin, Mohamed Diomande and Hamza Igamane linked with moves away from Ibrox. Thelwell admits there will be changes to the squad but is adamant that he and Martin want to come out of the summer window with a stronger pool of players than they've got now. Advertisement The former Everton sporting director said: 'From my perspective, we want the strongest team possible. 'We all understand there's going to be some players coming in and others who will leave. 'That has to be part of any plan, effectively. But in reality, where we want to be is making sure that by the time the transfer window closes - the team looks stronger for the work we've done during that trading period. 'That's what we'll be working on.'
Daily Record
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Kevin Thelwell performing Rangers balancing act as sporting director crystal clear over what comes next
Thelwell is in no doubt as to his responsibilities now that Russell Martin is in place to pilot the plane that's still being built The two iconic stadiums were built by the architect Archibald Leitch. And both clubs have some of the most passionate fans in British football. But for Kevin Thelwell, when moving from Everton to Rangers this summer, there was one key difference. If he'd stayed at Goodison Park, success would probably have been surviving the dreaded drop from the Premier League. Whereas at Ibrox, his remit is to win. And the 51-year-old says that was a key attraction in him taking the job as Gers' new sporting director. Thelwell is highly thought of in England after stints at Wolves and Everton, as well as working for New York Red Bulls in the MLS. As the Toffees prepare to move into their new ground at Bramley Moore Dock, he could presumably have stayed on under boss David Moyes. But having visited Ibrox several times already in his career, Thelwell was keen to make the move to Glasgow. With Andrew Cavenagh and the San Francisco 49ers taking over at Rangers, it's the start of a new era. Thelwell's first task was to pick a new manager and he sat side-by-side with Russell Martin at his unveiling last week. The pair of them have been charged with restoring Rangers to the top of Scottish football. And it's that challenge of being at the top of the table - instead of around the bottom - which excites Thelwell most. He said: 'I've been lucky over the course of my career to visit Rangers many times. 'Clearly, it's a huge club with an unbelievable fan base. 'The atmosphere when things are going well here is like no other place. 'My memories of Rangers are of this club being such a force, at home and abroad. 'The way the team played, the way they're supported. Ibrox and those fans give Rangers something unique. 'It's something that's worth fighting for and I understand that. 'That's a huge pull for anyone who gets what Rangers is about - but also what Rangers can be, and should be in the future. 'I've been fortunate to experience a fantastic football club recently in Everton. 'Goodison Park is very special but so is Ibrox. 'And I'm working with good people here in Patrick Stewart and the 49ers group. 'The opportunity for us to achieve something here is very special. 'It's clear that this club has been in a low moment for a long period of time. 'But having the opportunity and ability to change that is appealing. 'In the Premier League, winning is seen as retaining your Premier League status. 'That's the case for the majority of clubs the majority of the time. 'But here, that's not the expectation. The expectation is to win something and achieve. 'We're all committed to that. We all understand what the job is - it's to win. 'And as Russell has said, we're going to be all in to make that happen.' Thelwell, along with Martin, have a huge job on their hands to restructure Rangers' squad ahead of the new campaign. And with a Champions League qualifier looming on July 22, time is against them. While he waited for his Everton contract to expire, the sporting director was already working away in the background. Because for Thelwell, as much as he knows Rangers have to win NOW, his job is also to ensure any quick triumph isn't just an Ibrox flash in the pan. That's why, as well as targeting promising young talent, the club is also eyeing up moves for the likes of experienced centre-back Conor Coady from Leicester City. He said: 'It's about balance. Let's be clear again about what the job is. 'It's to win today, isn't it? But for the sporting director, it's also about winning tomorrow. 'It's about sustaining success. Patrick said last week it's about flying the plane while still building it - and that HAS to be the route we go down. 'I fully understand the team has to be ready when the games come. We need to be strong. 'But it's not worth its weight in anything if - after one year - it falls apart and we're back in this same position. 'So it's about sustaining it. It's about investing in young players, developing them - but also ensuring we've got that balance in the team. 'We must have those experienced professionals who know what it is to win every week. 'They can support the rest of the group which is really important.' Thelwell has already said he won't sign a new player for Rangers without Martin's approval. But as well as improving the squad, his remit will include making sure everything else at Auchenhowie is running like clockwork - therefore giving Martin the best chance to succeed as gaffer. He said: 'The role of the head coach is most important. That's preparation, performance and, fundamentally, results. 'My job is making sure the support around that is as strong as it can be to give Rangers the best chance of winning. 'That includes, recruitment, analysis, sports science, medical services, everything. 'But obviously, in the first instance now that we've got a head coach in, it's about sitting with him and being very clear about what our recruitment looks like going forward. 'Because we need to find ways of strengthening the team if we can in this window. 'Then I'll look at the support services and see whether I can make some changes or additions to help us be stronger and better prepared moving forward.'
Scotsman
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
The man driving the Rangers revolution - 'make some hard and fast decisions'
Thelwell comes in from Everton with a clear remit at Ibrox Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Born in Autumn 1973, Kevin Thelwell is of a vintage that he vividly remembers when Rangers shocked the football world to appoint Graeme Souness as player-manager in 1986. Although growing up in the north-west of England in what he has described as an 'Evertonian household', it would have been hard to remain unaware of the Ibrox club's policy around the time of signing some of the best players from the top clubs in England. Indeed, a couple of them were playing for Everton. Gary Stevens and Trevor Steven were among those attracted to Ibrox by wages and the prospect of European football. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It is a different era now, of course. Thelwell has made the circuitous route to Ibrox, via Everton of all places as well as New York and Wolverhampton, having made his mark in the world of football strategy and operations rather than as a professional player, which was the dream. He came through the youth ranks at Crewe Alexandra but failed to make a competitive appearance either there or at Shrewsbury Town, the club he later joined. Kevin Thelwell is Rangers' new sporting director. | SNS Group As Sporting Director at Rangers, he is seeking to revolutionise the club in a quieter way than when Souness implemented his less than subtle strategy in the mid-to-late 1980s. Ideally, though, it will prove as effective in the long-term. The coming weeks will reveal a lot as Thelwell gets to work alongside Russell Martin, the manager who he had a significant say in choosing to take Rangers into a new era. They have already started sifting through the first team squad of 27 players, many of whom fans would suggest have overstayed their welcome. It's been speculated that as many as 12 might be exiting with another 12 brought in to replace them. Players such as Conor Coady, from Leicester City, and Maccabi Tel Aviv striker Dor Turgeman have already been strongly linked. 'I probably wouldn't want to put a number on it in this moment,' said Thelwell, when asked about the extent of the squad overhaul. 'I think clearly there's been some work being done behind the scenes. We've been evaluating and reviewing the current group that we've got. There's some very, very good players in that group. But then also, as at every football club, there's room for improvement, isn't there? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Rangers' 'real opportunity' 'Now that Russell is in as the head coach, we've got a real opportunity now to sit down very, very quickly and talk more about what that group looks like currently and what we need to do going forward. Make some hard and fast decisions and then start to hopefully build a team very, very quickly that helps us to win.' There are clearly players Rangers would rather keep because of what they can do on the pitch, although the new strategic model is hinged on a more sensible approach to selling players at the right time to accumulate the maximum profit possible. Nico Raskin, who has shone for Belgium in recent days, falls into the category of a young player attracting admiring glances and who would attract a decent fee. 'From my perspective, we want the strongest team possible, don't we?' said Thelwell. 'Of course, I think we all understand there's going to be some players that come and also there will be some players that leave. That has to be part of any plan, effectively. But in reality, where we want to be is we want to make sure that by the time that transfer window closes the team looks stronger for the work that we've done during that trading window. And that's what we'll be working on.' Swapping Goodison Park for Ibrox means changing one iconic venue for another. Stadium architect Archibald Leitch's criss-cross balcony motif, as conspicuous at Ibrox as it is at Everton's ground, will make him feel at home. There are some crucial differences, however – principally the pressure to win trophies. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I've been very lucky over the course of my career to visit Rangers and Ibrox many, many times,' said Thelwell. 'Clearly, it's a huge club with an unbelievable fan base. The atmosphere when things are going well here is like no other place. I'm very lucky that I've experienced an unbelievable football club most recently in Everton. Goodison is very, very special, but Ibrox is very, very special as well.
Daily Record
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Kevin Thelwell gets ruthless with Rangers stars as sporting director sees no limit to Ibrox exits
The club's sporting director admits i;ts inevitable more players will leave but won't put an exact number on departures Kevin Thelwell says he won't shy away from making ruthless decisions on Rangers players' futures. The Ibrox club's new sporting director has already started work, along with new boss Russell Martin, on overhauling the squad. And Thelwell insists they're ready to make big calls to make Rangers stronger - and ensure they hit the ground running ahead in the new campaign. The pair have already targeted certain players, including the likes of Leicester City defender Conor Coady and Israeli striker Dor Turgeman. But there is still uncertainty over a number of current stars who under-performed at Ibrox last term. Thelwell says they'll be decisive in rebuilding a squad so that it's capable of immediately challenging for trophies this season. When asked if there could be as many as 12 players leaving and the same amount coming in, he said: ' I probably wouldn't want to put a number on it at the moment. 'Clearly, there's been work being done behind the scenes already. 'We've been evaluating and reviewing the current group that we've got. 'There are some very good players here at Rangers. But with every football club, there's room for improvement, isn't there? 'We want to go into the transfer market and find opportunities that help the team be better and stronger. 'Now that Russell is here as head coach, we've got a chance to sit down very quickly and talk more about what the group looks like and what we need to do going forward. 'We have to make some hard, fast decisions and then hopefully start to quickly build a team that helps us to win.' Rangers might have to field bids for some of their sellable assets this summer, with the likes of Nico Raskin, Mohamed Diomande and Hamza Igamane linked with moves away from Ibrox. Thelwell admits there will be changes to the squad but is adamant that he and Martin want to come out of the summer window with a stronger pool of players than they've got now. The former Everton sporting director said: 'From my perspective, we want the strongest team possible. 'We all understand there's going to be some players coming in and others who will leave. 'That has to be part of any plan, effectively. But in reality, where we want to be is making sure that by the time the transfer window closes - the team looks stronger for the work we've done during that trading period. 'That's what we'll be working on.'
