Rangers fail to hire Carlos Bocanegra after behind-the-scenes interview development
Rangers will not be appointing Carlos Bocanegra as their new sporting director despite interviewing the American, Jonny McFarlane reports.
The Athletic reported the interview of the former Light Blues captain on Saturday (17 June), with the club using a headhunting agency to find a replacement for Ross Wilson.
The former Ibrox figure left for Nottingham Forest two months ago [Sky Sports, 14 April] and the post has been vacant since, with Michael Beale assuming some of the duties which he admitted had left him the “busiest” he had ever been towards the end of the season when combining recruitment with match management.
However, the Atlanta United vice president has now been ruled out of the running, McFarlane reports for Rangers Review, with many individuals having already been spoken too by the agency.
The role is expected to change from the one Wilson left, with Beale “very keen” to be more involved than predecessor Giovanni van Brocnkhorst.
Movement
Bocanegra’s familiarity with the club, having skippered Rangers under Ally McCoist’s management, would have made him an attractive hire.
But it seems that is not happening so the club will simply move on to other candidates, as they look to make a hire to pull together the different departments of the Gers.
In terms of the transfer window it may not be the most pressing engagement, with Beale thought to largely be on top of things after work was done ahead of time.
Multiple signings have already been confirmed and more are expected to come, but clearly there is activity behind the scenes to fill the gaps created by the extensive movement at senior positions over recent months.
Rangers would surely like to get somebody in before the start of the new campaign, not least to have the operation fully up and running to take advantage of any potential growing pains for Celtic’s new manager.
Bocanegra was at the club during the financial mayhem of a decade ago as part of a playing career that saw him make over 100 international appearances for the USMNT, and has been at Atlanta United in a non-playing capacity since 2015.
In other Rangers news, an established first team ace is expected to now definitely leave amid a “he’s away” verdict.