Cathro: All clubs should have a director of football … including Rangers
IAN CATHRO has backed Rangers’ plans to appoint a director of football, insisting he would not have joined Hearts as head coach without the role in place at Tynecastle.
And he has ridiculed those who still harbour suspicions over the post, claiming they are akin to people fearing evil spirits.
Rangers have revealed their intention to introduce a director of football following the departure of Mark Warburton as manager last week and Cathro is adamant there should be no hullabaloo about such a move.
The Jambos boss works in conjunction with director of football Craig Levein in Gorgie and maintains it is a structure that should be in place at every club.
And the former Rio Ave, Valencia and Newcastle United No.2 believes doubters are really just confused about what really goes on.
The 30-year-old said: “Why is it so interesting? Seriously, it’s hardly revolutionary. It’s completely normal.
“It’s something that has confusion around it … a variety of different opinions … and definitely a lack of understanding around it.
“We get very, very sensitive about it. And I just don’t see why. Rio Ave? Structure. Valencia? Structure. Porto? Structure. It’s just normal.
“I think we’re obsessed with this idea that the director of football sits in an office that is more grand than the manager’s, a level above the manager, he looks down on him – and threatens him with evil spirits!
“That’s not how it works. Not yet, anyway!
“I truly just don’t understand why we have this Scottish issue with it. Maybe it’s just not the norm here.
“But in England, certainly in the Premier League, whether or not they have the title, there are people at all the big clubs doing that job. Because it would be impossible to run the operation without it. Impossible.
“I had a variety of things in my mind about what would be important for me and the structure that existed here was one of those things. It’s how I see work being strongest, most efficient.”
And, speaking ahead of this afternoon’s home clash with Inverness Caley Thistle, he insisted it should not just be young coaches who should be ready to work with a director of football.
He commented: “That’s just not understanding what it is, and having the fear of, I don’t know what, crazy evil spirits manipulating you in the night?”