Rangers’ Staff Shake-Up: Familiar Faces, Fresh Questions Over Recruitment at Ibrox

Rangers have announced a fresh round of appointments at Ibrox, including former Manchester United operations chief Jim Liggett, who is set to arrive next month as interim Chief Operating Officer. The 59-year-old, who previously worked alongside CEO Patrick Stewart at Old Trafford, is expected to remain in post until the end of the season while a permanent candidate is sought.

Questions Over Recruitment Process

On the surface, the club insists these moves come after an “extensive recruitment process.” But when you look closer, it’s hard not to notice the familiar names cropping up — and the growing sense that Rangers’ recent hires are being drawn from a very tight circle. In theory, a thorough recruitment process should bring new ideas and outside expertise into the club, helping to modernise structures and strengthen departments that have lagged behind Europe’s best. Yet many supporters feel this round of appointments has done the opposite, reinforcing existing relationships rather than broadening the club’s horizons.

Liggett’s arrival follows news that Robbie Thelwell, son of Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell, is to become the club’s new Head of Recruitment, joining from Norwich City. Add in Nathan Fisher, another Thelwell ally from Everton, who takes over as Head Scout, and you start to see a pattern that’s difficult to ignore. These aren’t minor roles — they shape how Rangers identify, evaluate, and sign players — and if those key positions are filled primarily through internal connections, it raises valid questions about transparency, competition, and the credibility of the hiring process itself.

Jobs for the Boys?

It’s not uncommon in football for trusted colleagues to reunite at new clubs — managers often turn to familiar figures they know they can trust, and staff with shared experience can help maintain continuity and culture. However, in Rangers’ case, it’s beginning to look like a full-blown reunion tour. Not only are several of the new appointees directly connected to senior figures already in place, but the pattern repeats itself across multiple departments, from recruitment to operations.

That raises legitimate concerns among supporters who expect the club to cast the net wide and attract the very best candidates available. Fans will rightly question how “extensive” the hiring process can be when so many key appointments have direct ties to the men already in charge, especially when results on the pitch are not convincing and the club desperately needs a sense of fresh perspective rather than a recycled hierarchy.

Pressure Mounting on Leadership

At a time when Rangers are struggling on the pitch and pressure continues to mount on Russell Martin, Thelwell, and Stewart, these moves raise bigger questions about the club’s long-term direction. The atmosphere around Ibrox has grown tense, with fans demanding not just results but a coherent plan that looks beyond the next few fixtures.

Every poor performance and every questionable decision seems to amplify the scrutiny on those in charge. There’s a growing sense that unless decisive progress is made soon, the leadership structure itself could come under review.

If leadership were to change again — and let’s be honest, it’s not unthinkable given recent form and fan frustration — Rangers could find themselves ripping up and rebuilding yet another football structure from scratch. That constant churn risks undoing the few areas of progress already made, while leaving players, staff, and supporters caught in a cycle of uncertainty that hampers any long-term planning.

The Risk of Another Rebuild

That kind of instability is exactly what this club can’t afford. The constant chopping and changing of leadership teams has already delayed Rangers’ ambitions time and again, with each new structure needing months — if not years — to settle.

Every time the rebuild restarts, the club loses valuable momentum, and rival sides capitalise on that hesitation. Supporters have seen too many “restarts” over the years, each one setting back the rebuild that’s supposed to take us closer to Celtic and back among Europe’s elite. Fans are growing increasingly impatient with the lack of continuity and want to see a long-term vision finally executed rather than endlessly redesigned.

Merit or Connections?

There’s no issue with hiring competent professionals with experience at top-level clubs like Manchester United, Everton, or Wolves — that pedigree can undoubtedly bring valuable insight into how a modern football operation should be run.

However, when the faces keep coming from the same small network, it starts to paint a picture of a closed shop, one where opportunity is limited to those already within a familiar circle. Supporters are entitled to ask whether this is truly about finding the best people or just the best-connected.

Fans want to see transparency and a clear demonstration that appointments are made on merit, skill, and vision — not just on personal connections or shared past experiences. The club needs to show that its recruitment extends beyond old allies and truly embraces fresh thinking that can move Rangers forward on every level.

Final Word

As the pressure rises at Ibrox, these appointments will be judged not by their résumés, but by their results. Rangers fans want to see clear progress — on the pitch, in recruitment, and in leadership. If that doesn’t come soon, familiar faces won’t buy much patience.

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