WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The board’s mammoth rebuilding job has to start now
THE sound of the final whistle at Fir Park was not merely the signal for Bilel Mohsni to indulge in hay makerswinging mayhem. It also marked the end of a honeymoon period for the new boardroom regime at Rangers.
Being condemned to another season outwith the Premiership has underlined just how drastic a rebuilding job is required if the Ibrox club is to be restored to its former prominence. Supporters are now watching intently to see what chairman Dave King and his colleagues will deliver.
A whole new footballing structure has to be put in place over the summer, while vital commercial issues also have to be addressed.
It creates a packed agenda, but the directors do not have the luxury of time on their side. To hit the ground running for next season’s vital promotion push, key appointments will have to be made sooner rather than later.
Below, Sportsmail analyses some of the major items on the Rangers ‘to-do’ list as a new direction is sought for the club.
APPOINT A MANAGER
The most important decision of all. And one the board simply has to get right.
Clearly, it is not an appointment to be rushed. By now, though, the potential candidates should have been narrowed towards the point of decision-making.
The old board was ousted almost three months ago. Even before then, the incoming regime was sure it would succeed at the extraordinary general meeting.
They gave Stuart McCall the task of trying to revive the promotion push via a shortterm appointment — only for that hope to come crashing down against his former club Motherwell.
McCall still believes he can make a strong case as manager to drive Rangers forward.
It is, however, former Brentford boss Mark Warburton — who achieved excellent results in tandem with former Rangers captain Ibrox favourite David Weir — who remains the bookmaker’s favourite.
Warburton has a track record of overachieving while producing fluent, attractive football, but could be an expensive option. Sportsmail understands Aberdeen’s Derek McInnes is also on the wish list.
Director Paul Murray has been studying various other European clubs to consider whether an entirely new management structure should be installed, with a director of football working alongside a head coach. While that set-up currently appears less likely, it would be more suitable to a figure such as Ian Cathro. The current Valencia assistant coach has long been linked with interest from Ibrox.
Whoever is selected will have to rapidly set about confirming pre-season plans ahead of the new Championship campaign.
CREATE A NEW SQUAD
The number of Rangers players out of contract this summer runs into double figures. It would be no surprise if all were told to find new clubs.
Clearly, a manager will be required to determine precisely who he wants in a revamped squad.
But, in the interim, the directors have been attempting to keep a check on who may or may not be available this summer.
Building a new team and installing new coaching ideas is not usually a rapid process.
Witness Ronny Deila’s early woes at Celtic or the grim start Hibs made under Alan Stubbs.
The Easter Road club went on to finish ahead of Rangers in the Championship before losing to them in the Play-Offs.
Asked if there was one area that might have made a difference to their season, Stubbs pointed to a lack of time to prepare with his players last summer. It is a warning the Ibrox outfit should heed.
REBUILD A SCOUTING
NETWORK
Clearly, this is linked to the above topic. Given the time scale, much of this summer’s recruitment may come from the manager working his contacts.
But a proper scouting system is essential for the future.
It was an area disgracefully neglected under the previous boardroom regime. It almost defies belief that a club of Rangers’ size doesn’t have a chief scout.
Appointing someone to head up that department — with the knowhow to build networks at home and abroad to identify potential — will be a very significant step on the road to recovery.
FIND A CHIEF EXECUTIVE
This key off-field position is now vacant after the contract of Mike Ashley associate Derek Llambias was terminated last month.
Charles Green, Craig Mather and Graham Wallace had all previously held the post since 2012.
Rangers now need someone capable of driving a revamped club forward, who can deliver effectively in the myriad of areas requiring attention. Knowledge of the complexities of footballing politics would surely be an advantage.
CONFIRM FINANCIAL
PLANS
King has loaned £1.5 million to help with cash flow, but wider plans on investment to restore Rangers are still awaited.
The South Af ri c a n - b a s e d businessman has been reluctant to place a figure on exactly what is required, arguing that it will be influenced by circumstance, but a sum in excess of £20m has been widely accepted as a ballpark amount.
That is not all expected to arrive in year one, but offering clarity on what will come from King — and other investors, including the Three Bears consortium of Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor — would offer reassurance to fans ahead of a season-ticket launch that will have to take place early this month.
Rangers sold 24,000 season tickets last year, but that was on the back of a campaign urging fans not to renew to help drive out the old board. The current directors will hope for a substantially improved uptake to aid their plans. Having investment plans and a manager in place would be an enticement.
DEAL WITH MIKE ASHLEY
A general meeting will take place at Ibrox on Friday week, when Ashley will ask shareholders to vote for the repayment of his £5m loan.
The Rangers board have tabled a counter-motion asking for the backing of shareholders to renegotiate the relationship between the club and Sports Direct.
They also plan to reveal as much as they can about how little the club earns from their current retail deals with Ashley’s firm.
King is adamant that Ashley is not a threat to their plans going forward. Yet this remains a key area of commercial conflict.