RODGERS: I KNEW WE WOULD BOUNCE BACK
Robertson addresses Ibrox club’s recruitment
STEWART ROBERTSON believes Graeme Murty has been given a once in a lifetime opportunity after being appointed as Rangers manager until the end of the season.
The 43-year-old has been rewarded for his efforts as interim boss and named as Pedro Caixinha’s successor after six wins from nine matches.
Murty has repeatedly played down his chances of taking the job on a full-time basis but Managing Director Robertson is
IT was perhaps fitting and in keeping with Graeme Murty’s tenure as interim manager that his unveiling as Rangers boss was a somewhat lowkey affair. He didn’t climb the Marble Staircase, answer questions in the Blue Room or get his picture taken in a club suit and tie.
Instead, he was flanked by Managing Director Stewart Robertson and Director of Football Mark Allen at the Rangers Football Centre on Friday afternoon.
Here, Robertson addresses the recruitment process, the failure to land Derek McInnes from Aberdeen and the role of Allen as the Light Blues get set to begin another new era at Kilmarnock this afternoon.
AFTER DEREK MCINNES SAID NO, DID YOU APPROACHANYBODYELSEOR WERE YOU APPROACHED BY ANYBODY ELSE?
Stewart Robertson: There was a wide range of candidates we were looking at – and still were, post Derek – but we weren’t overlooking the j ob that Graeme had done and is doing in the last couple of months and also in his previous stint.
As time went on we were confident that he had the capability to take us forward. It wasn’t about one result; you’re looking at the body of work and the body of evidence over a period of time.
That made us confident that, while Graeme is inexperienced in management, a lot of the characteristics we were looking for were sitting right in front of us.
ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT THE PERCEPTION WILL BE THAT YOU CAN’T FIND A PERMANENT MANAGER?
SR: People will think what they think – that’s the reality of it. We’re not the first club to be in this situation and we won’t be the last.
It’s more about the characteristics of the individual and Graeme has come across really well.
This is the best audition he could have for the job. He’s the man in position and the man in possession – he’s in pole position and, if he does well, we’ll assess that between now and the end of the season as to how things are evolving.
HAS GRAEME BEEN GIVEN TARGETS AND WHAT ARE THE TARGETS HE HAS TO WORK TOWARDS?
SR: It’s just the same as it was at the start of the season; to be as competitive as we can be and to see a progression in the squad and in our performances.
That will be a big positive for him and we also have the Scottish Cup to come as well but there are no absolute goals for him – it’s just about improving the team and continuing to improve it to make it better.
WERE YOU SURPRISED AT DEREK MCINNES’ DECISION?
SR: Derek has decided to stay at Aberdeen and we wish him all the best up there. We just draw a line under it and move on from that.
YOU APPOINTED A DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. WHATWOULDYOUSAYTO THOSE THAT SAY IT APPEARS HE IS FAILING ON THE JOB IF HE HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A MANAGER THAT THE CLUB CAN GO AND SECURE FOR THE LONG-TERM? IS THAT HARSH?
SR: I think that is harsh. Nobody knows the vast amount of work that went into looking, the search, and looking at different candidates. You have to look at the individuals characteristics and how they can deal with being at Rangers. It is not an easy job, it is not a job for everyone. I think that is harsh.
IN THAT REGARD, WHAT LESSONS WERE LEARNED FROM THE PEDRO ERA?
SR: Everybody is different and his relationship with you guys was an interesting one, if I can put it like that. It just didn’t work for Pedro and sometimes the world spins the wrong way. We just have to move on and look forward and we have got a much more robust football department than when Pedro came in. That wasn’t Pedro’s fault, that was where the club was with its development.
That infrastructure that is there now is a massive help to Graeme and anyone coming in. It gives them so much more re- source than Pedro had available to him.
DID THE DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL COME TO YOU AND SAY ‘HERE ARE GUYS I THINK CAN DO THE JOB’ AND THEY JUST WEREN’T AVAILABLE OR DIDN’T FANCY IT?
SR: There were lots of candidates we looked at. I don’t have the number handy but it was into the 10s. You do your diligence and there are all sorts of components that come into it in terms of an individuals make-up, their financial aspirations or their own career aspirations and where they want to be managing.
Do they want to be in Scotland can quite often be one of
the stumbling blocks for people. There are a whole host of different reasons why people didn’t want to come.
DID THE PROCESS TO APPOINT PEDRO’S SUCCESSOR START WHEN HE WAS SACKED OR WERE YOU LOOKING AHEAD IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT AT SOME STAGE YOU WOULD HAVE TO LOOK FOR A MANAGER?
SR: You are always looking at who is available and timing is a big part of it as well because people go out of job or come into jobs. Even in the last six weeks in the Premier League, guys have moved in or moved out. So much of it is timing. They might be available prior to taking a decision, but then two weeks later they are gone. A lot of it is down to timing.
THERE WILL BE A PERCEPTION THAT GRAEME IS THE CHEAP OPTION. IS THAT UNFAIR?
SR: That is unfair. Just because someone is here doesn’t mean they are the cheapest option. It is more about the characteristics of the individual than the amount of money that you have to pay in a salary or compensation because that will be what it is for the right individual. The money is not a factor in the right appointment.
WILL THE MONEY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PAID TO ABERDEEN BE AVAIL-
ABLE IN JANUARY TO STRENGTHEN THE SQUAD?
SR: By definition there is more money there to look at that and we have got several targets that the guys have been looking at and Graeme has signed off on. Hopefully we can go and bring them in over January. By definition that money is still there and it gives us more to play with.
THIS WILL BE PERCEIVED THAT THE BOARD HAS PERHAPS LOST THEIR NERVE AFTER BEING BURNED BY PEDRO AND THAT THIS IS THE PARALYSIS OPTION, IF YOU LIKE, IN THE SENSE THAT YOU ARE NOT REALLY DO-
ING ANYTHING BUT YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING.
SR: I disagree with the paralysis analogy. You get criticised if you do, you get criticised if you don’t, that is the reality of it. What we have had is a chance to look at Graeme’s characteristics and his ability to do the job and he has done it very well so far. We have a much better understanding of how Graeme can do the job than someone new coming in.
And that is a key part of what you are trying to analyse when you are looking at someone coming in, how can they cope with all aspects of the job? There are lots of them, there are many different aspects that go with being the manager of Rangers.