Danny Rohl behind seismic Rangers exits as Ibrox priority emerge
Peter Grant and Barry Ferguson have shared that Danny Rohl may have played a part in the double sacking of Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart.
Thelwell and Stewart were dismissed by Rangers on 24 November after contributing to the toxic atmosphere that had plagued G51 during the first few months of the campaign.
Thelwell’s decision to appoint his son Robbie as Rangers’ head of recruitment went down terribly with Bears fans, as the club underwent a structural overhaul at the start of October.
However, the news came as a shock, and Thelwell’s role in the disastrous summer transfer window contributed to a terrible start to the season.
With the January window fast approaching, Grant and Ferguson have urged the Bears to focus on defensive additions, while also claiming that Rohl was pivotal in getting rid of Thelwell and Stewart.
Danny Rohl plays part in Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart sackings
Rohl has been warmly welcomed by Rangers fans, and there is a great understanding of the fact that he has to get the best out of players that he didn’t sign.
Speaking on The Go Radio Football Show on 5 December, ex-Celtic player Grant shared his thoughts on Thelwell and Stewart‘s departure.
He said: “I think part of the reason Thelwell and Stewart were sacked was because Rohl told them that these players are simply not good enough.
“I also think central defence has been a problem for years at Rangers.”
| Player | Appearances |
| John Souttar | 23 |
| Nasser Djiga | 21 |
| Derek Cornelius | 12 |
| Emmanuel Fernandez | 7 |
Ferguson added that the new priority at Ibrox has to be bringing in players to strengthen the core of the side.
“The first thing you have to do is get the spine of the team right. But the recruitment in recent years has been far from good enough,” he said.
“Rohl is playing it clever, but deep down he knows the right way to drive this squad forward.”
With Thelwell and Stewart not in charge anymore, supporters will be greatly optimistic that the defensive situation can be addressed by Andrew Cavenagh with urgency.
Under both Rohl and Russell Martin, this Rangers squad has been severely prone to defensive lapses.
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Rangers have an alarming lack of depth at centre-back.
Nasser Djiga has been woeful at times, while Emmanuel Fernandez still looks nervy alongside him.
Injuries to Derek Cornelius and John Souttar haven’t helped Rohl, and the lack of quality in depth is certainly something they must address.
It’s entirely plausible that Rohl went to Cavenagh and told him that his defenders weren’t good enough, triggering the sackings of Thelwell and Stewart.
What’s clear is that the recruitment cannot fail in January, and if a centre-back isn’t signed, then their hopes of challenging for the title will fade away.
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