At the unveiling of new head coach Danny Röhl, Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell found himself facing questions that had nothing to do with tactics or transfers. Instead, all eyes were on his decision to appoint his son, Robbie Thelwell, as the club’s new Head of Recruitment.
Thelwell senior tried to front up to the controversy, insisting Robbie “doesn’t need my help in football” and that the move was actually driven by technical director Dan Purdy. According to Thelwell, Purdy had previously wanted to take Robbie to Everton, but he personally blocked that move, believing his son wasn’t ready at the time.
Fast-forward to Ibrox, and Purdy apparently made the same push again — this time successfully. “It was difficult to say no,” admitted Thelwell.
A case of poor timing and poor optics
Let’s be honest, this one feels like a classic case of failing to read the room. Even if Robbie is genuinely talented, appointing your son into a senior role at a time when Rangers had yet to win a league game and were breaking unwanted records for one of the worst starts in club history is, at best, naïve.
In the middle of fan frustration and questions over leadership, it’s the kind of move that was always going to look like nepotism. Whether fair or not, perception matters – and this one was never going to land well.
Connections over competence?
There’s no denying Robbie Thelwell’s CV has some solid entries – Aston Villa, Norwich City, and roles in scouting and player development. But let’s be real, few Rangers fans believe he’d be walking into Ibrox right now if his surname wasn’t Thelwell.
Kevin can say it was Dan Purdy’s idea all he wants, and the club can talk about “rigorous recruitment processes,” but when the person doing the hiring reports directly to the father of the hire, that argument loses a lot of weight.
Fans have been asking for transparency and professionalism from this new structure, and instead, they’ve been handed a situation that screams conflict of interest.
“25/8” – the quote that summed it up
Perhaps the most awkward moment came when Thelwell tried to show his son’s commitment, saying Robbie “works 25/8”. It was meant to be a compliment, but it landed somewhere between cringe and caricature. After a run of bad results and growing fan unrest, that kind of soundbite just made the whole situation harder to take seriously.
Trust has to be earned
At a time when the club is crying out for clarity, competence, and unity, this appointment felt like another unnecessary own goal. Maybe Robbie Thelwell will prove everyone wrong – and every Rangers fan would welcome that. But until then, it’s up to the people running the club to start understanding that optics matter.
When you’re sitting eighth in the table and asking fans for patience, hiring family isn’t a great look – no matter how hard anyone claims to be working “25/8”.
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