Kevin Thelwell holds Barry Ferguson talks amid fresh Rangers twist
Barry Ferguson faces an uncertain future at Rangers once his interim stint ends at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Kevin Thelwell is set to join as the sporting director once his deal at Everton runs out this summer.
He managed to steady the ship at Goodison Park during rocky times and will now be tasked to do the same at Ibrox.
Thelwell holds long meeting with Ferguson amid his uncertain future
Ahead of the Celtic clash on Sunday, Ferguson sat down with the media and was quizzed on a number of things, including his future.
He admitted that he’s held a long meeting with Thelwell and that he was impressed by him.
This was the first time that the duo have sat down for a talk since it was confirmed that he would be joining as the sporting director.
Ferguson, obviously, would not want to divulge details of the conversation and labelled their talks as “private”.
| Name | Job role |
| Denise DeBartolo York | 49ers Co-Chairman |
| John York | 49ers Co-Chairman |
| Jed York | 49ers CEO |
| Paraag Marathe | 49ers Enterprises President |
| Collin Meador | 49ers Enterprises Vice President |
While not being committal about his future, the Gers interim boss backs Thelwell to be a success in Glasgow.
He said: “I had a long meeting with Kev. It was good. it’s the first time I’ve sat down with him, I was impressed by him.
“Obviously, what was said will remain private, you know I’m going to say that. It was great to bang heads together. He got my feelings, he totally understood them. Very impressive and it’s something that I think will work really well for the club.
“Are plans starting to take shape? They need to. We are a couple of weeks away from the season finishing and before you know it, you’re back in pre-season. Before you know it, you’ve got Champions League qualifiers and then the league starts.
“It’s clear that Rangers as a club need to start moving because, as I mentioned there, the season’s just around the corner.
“But listen, what was said in the room will remain private. I came out of the meeting feeling good about it and I’m hopeful Kevin did as well.”
Rangers need to be run like a professional club
Thelwell faces a monumental task to revitalise the Ibrox outfit as 49ers Enterprises near their takeover.
His primary responsibility is to oversee all football operations, including men’s, women’s and academy teams, ensuring a cohesive strategy to restore Rangers’ competitiveness against Celtic and in Europe.
Thelwell must spearhead the appointment of a permanent manager, as interim boss Ferguson’s tenure is likely to end, with Gretar Steinsson already engaging European candidates to align with the club’s long-term vision.
He needs to address the squad’s inconsistencies by orchestrating a transfer window that balances high-impact signings, such as a commanding centre-back and dynamic midfielder, with youth prospects to fit a player-trading model.
Thelwell’s experience at Wolves and Everton equips him to implement data-driven recruitment, but he must navigate a tight timeline with Champions League qualifiers looming.
Additionally, he must modernise the academy to produce first-team talent, drawing on the 49ers’ success at Leeds, and enhance medical and performance setups.