Kevin Thelwell’s Rangers position ‘untenable’ after Russell Martin sack
Russell Martin’s sacking on Sunday has left Kevin Thelwell facing increased scrutiny.
The sporting director has come under heavy pressure following Rangers’ terrible start to the season.
Alongside Patrick Stewart, Thelwell was confronted by Rangers fans following the 2-1 loss to Sturm Graz in the Europa League.
Thelwell has been told he must take accountability for his decisions over the summer, as the pressure begins to build on the 51-year-old.
Kevin Thelwell told he’s in danger of being sacked
With Andrew Cavanagh and Paraag Marathe releasing a club statement on Monday suggesting that they would have a more hands-on approach in the future, Thelwell’s position already feels under the microscope.
Thelwell supported Martin heavily in the transfer market, with Rangers having a net spend of over £20million.
Speaking on the Daily Record Hotline Live on 6 October, journalist Keith Jackson was scathing in his review of what Thelwell has done at Rangers.
He said: “Thelwell had tied his colours to the mast of Martin, and I don’t think he was budging.
“He was the guy who talked Cavenagh back off sacking Martin a few weeks ago, and now his position at Rangers is untenable.”
| Youssef Chermiti | £10m |
| Thelo Aasgaard | £3.5m |
| Emmanuel Fernandez | £3.5m |
| Oliver Antman | £3m |
| Bojan Miovski | £2.6m – could rise to £4.2m |
Thelwell’s decision to appoint his son Robbie as Rangers’ head of recruitment has gone down terribly with Bears fans, as the club faces a structural overhaul behind the scenes.
He is seemingly already facing a challenge to win over Rangers fans and prove has the capability to be in such an important role at Ibrox.
The Ibrox faithful will need to see Thelwell prove himself through his actions, and fans are praying that he can bring in top-quality players in January.
Kevin Thelwell’s summer recruitment was way off
Thelwell gambled £10m on Youssef Chermiti despite the Portuguese striker not scoring a goal in senior football for over two years.
Oscar Cortes was sent out on loan to Sporting Gijon despite being bought for £4.5m, while Emmanuel Fernandez was left out of match-day squads by Martin despite his £3.5m price tag.
Whilst the deal to sign Cortes was agreed in June 2024, the decision to loan him out lies with Thelwell.
To say the recruitment strategy has been a disaster is an understatement, with Djeidi Gassama and Bojan Miovski proving themselves to be the pick of the bunch.
While the priority will remain on finding a new manager to replace Martin, Thelwell’s every move will be watched from now on.
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