FORMER RANGERS COACH APPLAUDS SACKING OF KEVIN THELWELL AND PATRICK STEWART AND NAMES FOUR FIGURES WHO COULD HELP TRANSFORM THE CLUB IF HIRED.
In the midst of another seismic week at Ibrox, a former Rangers first-team coach has publicly applauded the club’s decision to sack Director of Football Kevin Thelwell and Chief Executive Patrick Stewart, describing the move as “a necessary reset that should have happened long ago”.
Rangers confirmed the departures on Monday morning following a bruising period of internal review, prolonged supporter frustration, and growing scrutiny over the strategic direction of the club. While the mood among the fanbase has ranged from cautious optimism to outright relief, the former coach believes the shake-up marks “the first genuinely decisive moment of the season”.
Speaking exclusively to Scottish broadcasters, the ex-coach who worked under two previous managers and retains strong ties inside the club said the Ibrox hierarchy had “finally shown backbone” by acting swiftly.
> “Rangers have been drifting. What happened today wasn’t brave it was overdue,” he said.
“Thelwell and Stewart were good people, but football runs on results, clarity and leadership. The club didn’t have enough of any of those. This reset gives the current manager a fighting chance.”
A Club Searching for Stability
The departures arrive at a time when Rangers are already attempting to navigate a challenging campaign marked by inconsistency on the pitch and a fractured connection between supporters and the board.
With pressure growing from multiple fronts disappointing domestic results, an uncertain recruitment strategy, and concerns over long-term planning the club needed a firm response. According to the former coach, the board’s decision signals that they are finally willing to support the current manager with a structure that aligns with winning.
> “Whoever leads Rangers must understand the fabric of the club,” he said.
“The demands. The expectation. The standards. You don’t get time here you get pressure. And you must embrace that pressure.”
He argues that the manager’s job has been made significantly harder due to a lack of cohesive planning in recent windows and a recruitment blueprint that shifted too often.
Four Figures Who Could “Change the Club Overnight”
While applauding the sackings, the former coach believes the next steps are even more important. He outlined four individuals he believes would dramatically strengthen the football department if hired, either in consultancy, leadership or structural roles.
1. Graeme Souness “The cultural architect Rangers need”
According to the coach, Souness remains the ultimate standard-bearer for discipline, identity and mentality.
> “If you want someone who understands the heartbeat of this club, you can’t do better. Even in an advisory capacity, his presence demands excellence.”
2. Walter Smith’s Former Lieutenant Archie Knox
“Experience modern Rangers desperately lacks”
Knox, now retired but still a respected figure in Scottish football, is viewed as someone with invaluable insight.
> “Bring him in part-time, bring him in as a consultant, bring him in for mindset sessions anything. His influence on culture would be enormous.”
3. Michael Beale (in a technical consultancy role)
The former coach suggests Beale’s tactical insight, not his managerial position, is what Rangers are currently lacking.
> “He sees details others miss. In a background role, helping with structure and game analysis, he would be a real asset without the pressure of being the main man.”
4. Neil McCann “The perfect bridge between old-school values and modern thinking”
McCann, a former Rangers winger and respected pundit, is seen as someone whose football intelligence and communication skills would support both the coaching staff and player development.
“Neil knows the club, understands modern analysis, and speaks the football language players respond to. He would lift standards from day one.”
Manager Needs “Better Tools, Not More Pressure”
With the pressure building around the current manager, the former coach believes the narrative has been unfair.
“You can only coach what you’re given,” he said.
“The recruitment side has let the manager down. Fix that, and you’ll see a very different team quickly.”
He insists that Rangers’ long-term success cannot depend solely on a manager forced to firefight without structure.
A Turning Point or Another False Dawn?
The departures of Thelwell and Stewart have sparked intense discussion among supporters and pundits about what comes next. The former coach believes the moment could mark a genuine turning point but only if Rangers act quickly.
“Sacking people doesn’t fix everything. But identifying the right people to support the manager can change the club’s direction overnight.”
He urges the board to move decisively, re-build trust with supporters, and surround the manager with football people “who understand Rangers”.
Supporters Watching Closely
For now, the Ibrox faithful are watching with a mixture of hope and apprehension. They have seen structural resets before; some have worked, others have not. What feels different this time, according to the former coach, is that the club has finally acknowledged what wasn’t working.
“This is Rangers. The standards are sky-high. If today is the start of building those standards back up, then it’s a step in the right direction.”
As the club enters a critical phase of the season, the spotlight will remain firmly fixed on the board and its next moves. What is certain is that the pressure is immense and the expectations even higher.
