New sporting director vows to help take Rangers to the next level
● Wilson promises to support Gerrard’s efforts to create ‘winning culture’ at Ibrox
New sporting director Ross Wilson has vowed to continue to build “a winning Rangers” after swapping Southampton for Ibrox.
The 36-year-old has spent four-and-a-half years with the Premier League club, having previously been at Watford, Huddersfield and Falkirk during his 15-year career in football.
He returns to Scotland to fill the void left by the departure of Rangers director of football Mark Allen, and will start in November.
Wilson described the role as one he felt he “had to take” and said he is looking forward to developing his working relationship with boss Steven Gerrard, who has steered Rangers to the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership table.
“Having worked in football leadership for the last 15 years and for almost a decade in England, now is a good time for me to return to Glasgow and be a part of this famous club,” Wilson told Rangers’ official website.
“The vision and passion shared collectively by the board and by Steven in terms of the plans to continue to build the club are exciting. Equally it was important that both the club and I shared the same understanding of what this role is and what the football model and culture inside the club needs to look like going forward.
“The board have been resolute in all of our discussions, both now and when we spoke in the past about what the club needs to look like, and I am proud that they believe that I can help build the club upon standards that we all agree are right for Rangers. I am excited to start next month.”
Wilson left the Bairns for the all-encompassing football business director role at Watford where he oversaw such aspects as player recruitment, contract negotiation and academy and football development. In 2012 he became Huddersfield Town’s executive director and head of football operations.
He added: “Steven and his coaching team are doing a great job with things on the pitch, along with the players of course. I know some of the squad already and the others I will get to know quickly in the coming weeks. Steven and I are in regular contact and I am looking forward to working with him and developing our relationship further.
“This role is of course about continuing the development and growth of the club’s football operations and football infrastructure across the whole club. In that regard I am looking forward to working in and developing all areas of our football departments and none more so than the academy with Craig Mulholland and his team.
“I have chosen to leave a fantastic job and people who I am really close to. Southampton isn’t an easy place to leave and it had to be a really interesting opportunity to consider leaving behind what I had there.
“This job, at this stage in my career, was one I felt I had to take and I am both excited and determined to ensure that in working together with the board, Steven and all of our staff we can continue to build an excellent, modern football infrastructure and a winning Rangers.”
Stewart Robertson, the club’s managing director, hailed the appointment.
He said: “We have been aware of the capabilities and expertise of Ross for a long time and when we found we had to move for someone to fill the role left vacant by the departure of Mark Allen, we had no hesitation in looking again to Ross, who is highly regarded within the game.
“He has a terrific track record and he shares our view of what is required to restore Rangers as the dominant force in Scottish football. Ross also shares our vision, and that of our manager Steven Gerrard, of where we want to position this club in the years ahead.
“We are delighted Ross has chosen to join us to guide and add greater momentum to the progress already made and I look forward to working with him.”
“I am both excited and determined to ensure that in working together with the board, Steven and all of our staff we can continue to build an excellent, modern football infrastructure and a winning Rangers”
ROSS WILSON