Alex Rae in pole position to join Rangers backroom staff at Ibrox
Alex Rae is in pole position to secure a backroom role at Rangers under Philippe Clement, according to the Scottish Mail.
The newspaper reported in their print edition (29 October, pg 95) that Clement has “opened the door” to the Rangers TV pundit after his continued involvement with the club after Michael Beale’s departure.
Rae is close to Rangers’ players and, as Clement admitted, could be key for the new boss to develop relationships with the players.
Familiarity
The Scottish Mail claims that Rae has made a big impact on Clement since his arrival at the club, so having someone clearly familiar with the club will be a huge boost for the new boss. Wins are needed, but entering an environment as volatile as the post-Michael Beale Rangers is no easy task even for the best of managers.
Retaining Rangers’ identity is, of course, hugely important to the club and Clement will need people close to the club to help guide him through his initial weeks as boss.
Rae assisted interim manager Steven Davis in between Beale’s sack and Clement’s appointment but has clearly made an impression in that time to be earmarked for a permanent role. Clement is seemingly keen on keeping Rae in and around the club and this influence will be reassuring to the Ibrox faithful.
The fact that Clement is eager for this appointment should be more than enough for Rangers to agree on the deal. The new boss needs all the help he can get if he wants to get the club back to where they should be.
While Clement’s debut game was an emphatic 4-0 win over Hibs, the Belgian is still in the early stages of his Ibrox tenure, soo having a man like Rae to ask advice from could prove crucial.
In other Rangers news, a former Hibs pundit admitted he “got it completely wrong” about Clement’s start at Ibrox.