David Weir return to Rangers as new sporting director mooted as Ross Wilson exits
Rangers legend David Weir would be the “fans’ choice” to succeed Ross Wilson as the club’s sporting director, according to the Daily Record’s Ross Pilcher.
Having joined the Gers in October 2019, Wilson has now accepted an offer to become Nottingham Forest’s chief football officer.
And former Rangers defender and assistant manager Weir is reportedly one of several potential candidates to take over from Wilson.
“Weir is an Ibrox legend after his time as a player, but was sacked when Mark Warburton’s reign in Govan was ended, having been the Englishman’s No 2,” Pilcher wrote for the Daily Record.
“Previously loans manager at Brighton, Weir has since stepped up to the role of technical director at the Amex after Newcastle poached recruitment star Dan Ashworth to lead their Saudi-funded transfer drive.
“Weir would appear to tick a lot of the boxes for Rangers. However, currently in a high ranking but perhaps less pressurised role at an English Premier League club, it could prove difficult to tempt him back to Glasgow, especially having previously been sacked by the club. Appears to be the fans’ choice.”
Shake-up begins
Rangers were perhaps expecting to be allowed to wait until the end of the season to begin their much-needed shake-up, but that has been brought forward with the departure of Wilson to the Premier League.
He won’t be particularly missed by many supporters, but he will be missed by the board, who will need to find a suitable replacement as soon as possible with the summer transfer window rapidly approaching.
Many current senior players will also be asking questions about their future, with contracts needing to be either updated or torn up ahead of what is expected to be a busy transfer window for both incomings and outgoings.
Weir is undoubtedly a legend for Rangers and indeed the Scotland national team, but it seems unlikely that he will be willing to return to the country given how well his current club Brighton are doing in England.
There are a handful of candidates reportedly being eyed, but Weir will perhaps not want the stress that comes with any background role at Rangers.
In other Rangers news, Hearts chief Andrew McKinlay has bemoaned the club’s failure to “lay a glove on” the Gers, after sacking manager Robbie Neilson.