Rangers lose out on ‘enormous profits’ as Ibrox board told to strip Kevin Thelwell of responsibilities
Graeme Souness believes Rangers will be taking a huge gamble if Kevin Thelwell oversees their business in the upcoming winter transfer window.
Thelwell has faced increased pressure at Ibrox after a difficult start to the season.
While the Gers have performed better in the Scottish Premiership since Danny Rohl arrived at Ibrox, their UEFA Europa League form highlights the gaps still left in the squad.
As a result, Rangers fans will be hoping to see several reinforcements in January, but it remains to be seen whether Thelwell will be the man leading the line.
Graeme Souness doubts Kevin Thelwell to deliver success transfer window
Thelwell has become the latest target at Rangers after Russell Martin departed Ibrox earlier this season.
Fans have criticised his decision to appoint his son Robbie to a key scouting position, as well as sanctioning Youssef Chermiti’s £8million arrival at Ibrox.
- Chermiti has stared one out of his seven Premiership appearances
- He has netted one goal and has provided one assist
Asked if Thelwell should be permitted to oversee Rangers’ winter transfer window, Souness told Sky Bet [via The Daily Record] on 13 November:
“I don’t think so. Unless there is something in these players he’s brought in that I’m not seeing. Some of them are just not good enough.
“All boards of directors look to find young players, pay little money for them, coach them up and make them better and then sell them on for enormous profits – that would appear to be the Rangers business model.
“But I don’t see that happening with the players they’ve signed.
“Would you trust Kevin Thelwell with another chunk of money? I don’t know if Rangers have another chunk of money to go again in the new year.”
Rangers’ chairman Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe appointed Rohl in the hope of cleaning up Martin and Thelwell’s mess.
But with an incomplete squad and several stars yet to show their best form at Ibrox, it remains to be seen whether success is possible.
Graeme Souness can’t see Rangers competing this season
Rangers were recently told that the Premiership title race was as good as over, given that Hearts are currently seven points clear of Celtic and 12 points ahead of the Gers on the table.
That, coupled with the Gers’ poor summer recruitment, has led Souness to conclude that Rangers doesn’t have a squad good enough to compete.
He said: “But they’ve been disappointing and their recruitment has been disappointing. For me, the most important thing at any football club is not having the best coach, it’s about having the best players.
“It seems to be a correlation, or a hell of a coincidence, that all the best coaches have the best players – it doesn’t happen by accident.
“If you’ve not got a great bunch of players, you’re not going to do very well even if you are a top coach.
“Right now, Rangers don’t have the squad that’s going to make them dominant. Neither Celtic nor Rangers are particularly strong right now and the recruitment, so far, has not shown that it’s not been a good transfer window.”
However, Rangers’ latest 3-0 away win over Dundee earned Rohl three consecutive wins in the Premiership.
The former Championship coach turned Sheffield Wednesday’s season around, ensuring they avoided relegation back during the 2023/24 season.
Thellwell’s recruitment will no doubt make it difficult for Rohl, but the 36-year-old seems to have a tendency to shine when backed into a corner.
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