Wotte about me?

Former SFA performance director tells Rangers he’s willing to answer the call

MARK WOTTE has urged the Rangers board to think big and think European when it comes to their choice of director of football and said that the challenge of returning the club to the Champions League was one that he “wouldn’t walk away” from. The Dutchman, currently employed as Under-21s coach for the Moroccan Football Federation, had discussions with Ibrox director Paul Murray prior to the appointment of Mark Warburton back in 2015 but hasn’t been mentioned in an interview process thus far this time which has been thought to involve Southampton’s Ross Wilson, Tottenham Hotspur’s Paul Mitchell, Huddersfield’s Stuart Webber, Alex McLeish, John Park and current Brentford head of football operations Robert Rowan. Wotte, however, is aware of the Dutch connection at the Ibrox side and regards transforming their fortunes as “one of the ultimate challenges in football”.

“To get Rangers back to European level, that is one of the ultimate challenges in football, so I wouldn’t walk away from that challenge,” Wotte told Herald Sport. “There is a lot of potential there, a lot of history and they play now in the Scottish Premiership but they have to make one, two or three steps to get back into Europe. I would be delighted to get my hands on a job like that but I know there are a lot of names going on and former Rangers people who are

involved. So I am not sure they are waiting for a Mark Wotte. Maybe they have forgotten about me because I have been away now for two years.

“I spoke to Paul Murray two years ago and I know Andrew Dickson very well,” added the Dutchman, who had two years in a director of football role at Feyenoord. “He is a great guy, one of the stability factors there. I know that Douglas Park is involved as well and the owner is more remotely involved. They can call me any day and I am very positive about my opinions about it. I think they are still a sleeping giant at the moment so it is important to wake them up to rise to the occasion and get back into the Champions League. I am happy out in Morocco with a great project and a great job, but if anyone wants to contact me then I am always open minded.”

Whatever happens, Wotte reckons going with a director of football and a head coach is the correct strategy. He reckons taking their time to get the right man is more important than parachuting someone in to assist Graeme Murty before the Old Firm match on March 12.

“It is now or never for Rangers,” he added. “If they want to go back into Europe, they need to appoint someone who has a knowledge of European players as well. They need to think big and think European. Don’t sign an inexperienced director of football because it is the most important job at the club. They have always had a good tradition of signing European players, from Michael Mols to De Boer or Lorenzo Amoruso, Scandinavian players too. They have to think in a European style, not just a Scottish style. Because they are so much bigger than Scotland.

“I think they will be number two, three or four in the Scottish Premiership this year so I would focus on the new year, and just take my time before appointing the right people. Prepare very well for next season.”