Lee McCulloch backed to replace Dan Purdy at Rangers - here's why
Rangers find themselves in the familiar position of needing to fill a prominent backroom position.
It was confirmed on Friday that Dan Purdy is to leave his position as technical director at Ibrox.
Purdy lasted just 15 months in the role, having replaced Nils Koppens following his ill-fated spell with the Light Blues.
His departure comes on the back of a transfer window that saw 14 new players arrive to strengthen Derek McInnes' squad.
But there were a lot of criticisms levelled at Rangers' recruitment process, and it was largely expected that there would be a departure.
Consequently, Purdy is the man to leave and now former Rangers captain lee McCulloch has been backed to replace him.
Why Lee McCulloch has been backed to replace Dan Purdy at Rangers
Rangers' technical team has been through plenty of upheaval over the last 10 months.
Purdy's appointment at Ibrox followed the arrival of Kevin Thelwell as sporting director, with both having worked at Everton.
But Thelwell and chairman Patrick Stewart both left Ibrox in November following criticism of transfers and the dismal appointment of Russell Martin.
Purdy has now left too, and journalist Mark Guidi told to the Go Football Radio Show that ex-Gers captain McCulloch should be a name of their radar.
McCulloch works as a talent acquisition manager at Premier League outfit Brighton, a club whose recruitment and identification of high-potential players has been well documented.
Guidi said: "I said heads will roll, I said someone will pay the price for the transfer window and Dan Purdy has left the club.
"The way the statement's worded it's as though it's his decision, that may well be the case but I don't think there'll be too many people at Rangers disappointed to see the back of him.
"He's away, they'll obviously be looking to fill that role. Obviously you try and get the best person available for the job, it's a key role within any football club but especially Rangers.
"It'll be interesting to see who Andrew Cavenagh - who will be hands on - will go for, obviously Jim Gillespie as well the chief executive.
"One name for me that stands out, he's a former Rangers player, he has an excellent CV in this line of work, and that's Lee McCulloch, former captain of the club.
"He's been at Brighton for a number of years, he has identified some outstanding talent at Brighton. He has an excellent track record there, Brighton's a benchmark for all that kind of stuff.
"So, I don't know if he'll be on Rangers' radar but they should certainly be getting him involved, he's one of the best in the business."
Next appointment is crucial at Rangers
Rangers have been consistently chasing their tail, trying to get their ducks in a row with the technical team at Ibrox.
It felt inevitable Purdy would depart his role, and it was no real shock when the statement came out on Friday.
Bringing in McCulloch would certainly make sense from the standpoint of he knows the club inside and out, and knows the kind of talent required to succeed at Ibrox.
Moreover, he has proven he can identify talent at Brighton, so it would not just be a nostalgic appointment, he would get the role on merit.
Whatever, Rangers decide it is absolutely crucial they get this one right, they cannot simply keep upheaving technical staff and managers and hope things just turn around, it needs clear strategic thinking.