Moneyballcash ismorecrucialto GersthanSouey
RANGERS fans woke up to exciting news over the weekend as Graeme Souness spoke of his desire to return to Ibrox in the future.
The exclusive in our sister paper, the Sunday Mail, that the Light Blues hero is open to an advisory-type role got the punters talking.
And what’s not to like for Gers fans about the idea?
Next week marks the 36th anniversary of Souness walking up the marble staircase for his official unveiling as Rangers boss that sparked a revolution and proved a watershed in the Scottish game.
After five years in Govan the emotional pull of former club Liverpool proved too strong as he succeeded Kenny Dalglish at Anfield.
Still, despite his departure at a crucial time in the 1991 title race, Souness will always be remembered as a legendary figure in the eyes of Rangers fans. So it’s easy to see why they’d want him back.
Boss Steven Gerrard would probably like to have him around as well to lean on his experience and the club could do with such a big name on the board.
But is Souness what the club need right now? It was the mention of current Anfield incumbents in the same breath as Rangers that should have excited fans over the weekend.
John W Henry and Tom Werner might not have patrolled the midfield the way Souness did in his days as Reds skipper.
But the Merseyside club’s American owners would be of much more value to Rangers after Scottish businessman Jim McColl namechecked them during a podcast that surfaced at the weekend.
McColl then told Record Sport he could invest in the “medium term” but is persona non grata in the eyes of some fans who feel he let them down in their hour of need when trying to oust the despised old regime.
However, Rangers are hardly in a position to turn down the kind of business expertise of the 68-year-old Clyde Blowers chief.
Of more interest, during his interview with entrepreneur Rob Moore in his The Disruptive Entrepreneur podcast, was how talks with investors made McColl think again about getting involved in football.
McColl’s interest came from the data-driven Moneyball method first used by Oakland Athletics in baseball to transform them and topple giants such as
Fenway Sports Group’s Boston Red Sox.
Henry fell in love with the analytical approach to recruitment and it was behind his decision to appoint Jurgen Klopp.
But it is their cash that would be hugely invaluable to Rangers as they are worth £6billion according to American business magazine Forbes’ recent rich list.
Even a significant investment in the Ibrox club in Scottish football terms would be loose change for them.
And that’s why interim Ibrox chairman Douglas Park should be all over the mention of them and Rangers in partnership like a rash this morning to find out if he can get the Boston-based business group on board.
Anfield club’s American owners are of much more value to Rangers
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