Rangers announce new technical director as Ibrox club unveil new structure behind the scenes

RANGERS have made a major announcement as they reshape their front office after a raft of recent departures.

And it all means that Nils Koppen is acquiring a raft of new responsibilities.

3 Nils Koppen has been handed major responsibilities Credit: Willie Vass

3 Koppen chats to doctor Mark Waller Credit: Willie Vass

The Belgian, who arrived as director of football recruitment back in December 2023, has been appointed the club's technical director.

All in all, it's closer to the remit which Ross Wilson had during his time as sporting director at Ibrox.

In addition to overseeing the club's transfer strategy, Koppen will also take on overall responsiblity for the club’s men’s Academy, medical, football operations, performance and analysis departments.

Manager Philippe Clement and Women’s Football Managing Director, Donald Gillies, will join Koppen in reporting to the new CEO when he is appointed.

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Koppen will remain on the club’s executive management team, alongside Chief Commercial Officer, Karim Virani, and Chief Financial Officer, James Taylor.

The Gers say: "Since arriving at the beginning of the year, Koppen has led on the significant task of implementing a new recruitment model, with Rangers striving to build a new, modern, and sustainable structure for the football club."

Koppen said: “I am both honoured and delighted to take up the role of Technical Director here at Rangers.

“Winning is all that matters at this club, and it is my job to ensure that everything that supports our men’s first team, from recruitment, to the Academy, medical, performance, operations, analysis, and everything in-between, is at as high a level as possible.

“I look forward to the challenge ahead, and to supporting the wider team as we work night and day to ensure this club is challenging for trophies on every front.”

Interim Chairman John Gilligan said: “We are delighted to have appointed Nils to the role of Technical Director here at Rangers.

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“Nils has impressed throughout the club with his leadership skills. He’s built excellent relationships across both the football and non-football sides of the club, and his knowledge, experience, and vision to drive improvement make him extremely well suited to lead the football department.

“We wish Nils every success in his new role.”

Koppen insists he "cannot be satisfied" with the general output of the academy - but said the Gers will continue to try to sign the best talent in Scotland and maintain the players they have who they feel are already in this category.

He said: "I think there's a lot of good work to be done already in the last years within the academy but we cannot be satisfied with the general output of the academy.

"We have to keep on creating room for our own academy players to make the step to the first team and we can do that by a better squad build up for the first team to roster them into the first team to give them the opportunity to step up and be a part of that.

"I think one of the objectives still will be to sign the best talents of Scotland to maintain our best talents because I'm sure we've got a lot of good talents already in the building.

"We're facing a challenge with the B Team where there's not an ideal platform so it's on us to try to get the best challenges and opportunities for the boys in our club.

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"What we want to do is decrease age to make a step to the first team to make their breakthrough. We want to do that by strategic partnerships with other clubs by changing our own philosophy, by bringing the players on a younger age expose them to the first team training environment to give them the opportunity to show themselves and make the right steps at the right moment."

And to help him, one of the key goals for Koppen with the academy is bringing in former players who understand to work with youngsters in the academy.

The club already have Steven Smith as Under-18 manager while the likes of Brian Gilmour and Alex Rae are former players on the first team staff but Koppen hopes to recruit more - particularly high up in the academy.

He said: "It is about continuing the work towards the January window, which is quite an important one for the football team.

"It's about ensuring the stability in the football department. And a very important one - making key decisions within the academy to get the right structure in place.

"This is a unique place so by bringing people back, people with a Rangers background, I think that is quite crucial thing moving forward."

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