Purdy replaces Koppen as technical director

[Rousseau 12,088]

Purdy replaces Koppen as Ibrox technical director

 

Rangers' new American owners are continuing their restructuring of the club by appointing Everton's former head of recruitment Dan Purdy as technical director to replace Nils Koppen.

 

Last week, a US-based consortium, including the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, completed a multi-million pound takeover of Rangers.

 

New sporting director Kevin Thelwell officially begins his role on Monday, and the club have moved to bring in Purdy to work alongside him, as they did at Everton.

 

Koppen, previously head of scouting for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, originally joined Rangers as director of football recruitment in January 2024 before the Belgian stepped up to become technical director 10 months later.

 

Now the club's new owners have decided to move in a different direction, though Koppen will assist Thelwell with the transition into his new role.

 

The Ibrox club are expected to appoint a new head coach soon, with Davide Ancelotti and Russell Martin believed to be the two main candidates.

 

Andrew Cavenagh will be confirmed as the club's new chairman at an annual meeting at the end of June. His vice-chair will be the current chairman of Leeds United, Paraag Marathe. Patrick Stewart will continue as chief executive.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cj3j2ndd4x7o

[JohnMc 3,265]

I'm always a little wary of some of the opinions passed off as facts on some podcasts. Much of it feels like it was briefed and you have to ask whose agenda that fulfils. 

 

Everton are shopping in very different market to Rangers. The much quoted £20 million would just about cover the fee Everton paid for Ndiaye, they paid a similar amount for an Irish right back who I've literally never heard of. Let's see what they know about the players Rangers can afford to sign. 

 

Koppen at least understood the market Rangers need to operate in. I felt Koppen was an easy scapegoat for a lot of last season. He was told to reduce the wage bill by a significant amount. He did that without making the side significantly worse than it was the season before. It wasn't better but I'm not sure that was ever realistic. The club had so much going on behind the scenes in the last 12 months that you wonder how any of them were able to work successfully. 

Perhaps a period of stability is upon us and the new team will benefit from that. I hope so. 

[L72 462]

1 hour ago, JohnMc said:

I'm always a little wary of some of the opinions passed off as facts on some podcasts. Much of it feels like it was briefed and you have to ask whose agenda that fulfils. 

 

Everton are shopping in very different market to Rangers. The much quoted £20 million would just about cover the fee Everton paid for Ndiaye, they paid a similar amount for an Irish right back who I've literally never heard of. Let's see what they know about the players Rangers can afford to sign. 

 

Koppen at least understood the market Rangers need to operate in. I felt Koppen was an easy scapegoat for a lot of last season. He was told to reduce the wage bill by a significant amount. He did that without making the side significantly worse than it was the season before. It wasn't better but I'm not sure that was ever realistic. The club had so much going on behind the scenes in the last 12 months that you wonder how any of them were able to work successfully. 

Perhaps a period of stability is upon us and the new team will benefit from that. I hope so. 

While Koppen cut the wage bill by five million, we still then spent £12m on players that made the team worse, and yes we performed worse this season than last, significantly so.

 

He overseen the selling of decent assets that we told we'd received £5m for overall, but was really £800k.

 

So between what the spent, what he lost, contributed to the £17m loss we're operating at.

 

He was careless and not very effective.

 

Was right to be moved on if didn't fit with new plan.

[Sutton_blows_goats 6,464]

30 minutes ago, L72 said:

He overseen the selling of decent assets that we told we'd received £5m for overall, but was really £800k.

I'm not entirely sure that's 100% on him. I'd wager the board told him to move many of these guys on at a loss to lower the wage bill, and make the club a more attractive proposition to any future investors by reducing operating costs. He didn't give Goldson a ridiculous 38k per week contract, or sign Lammers.  I doubt he is responsible for the misleading communications either.

 

32 minutes ago, L72 said:

So between what the spent, what he lost, contributed to the £17m loss we're operating at.

You could also argue 3 of our biggest 4 assets were recruited under his tenure and that £17 million loss could turn into a big profit if Diomande, Igamane and Jefte are moved on this summer or next. (with Raskin being the other, recruited by Beale)

 

We also don't know what his remit or KPI's were. Is it possible he was told by the board to focus on recruiting younger talent with a big up side, rather than win now players.

 

There is a bit of criticism aimed at him around the Cortes signing, and while I think its valid. Mainly because we shouldn't be gambling 5 million on potential. if we spend 5 million it should be for a nailed on mainstay of the team, a guy that plays every game unless injured. Cortes is 21 and can still turn into a good player for us. Look at Raskin as an example. It took him 2 years to get fit and finally turn up.

 

 

[Graeme 1,168]

23 hours ago, CammyF said:

Poor form. Reminds me of MB sitting watching GVB

[L72 462]

5 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

I'm not entirely sure that's 100% on him. I'd wager the board told him to move many of these guys on at a loss to lower the wage bill, and make the club a more attractive proposition to any future investors by reducing operating costs. He didn't give Goldson a ridiculous 38k per week contract, or sign Lammers.  I doubt he is responsible for the misleading communications either.

 

You could also argue 3 of our biggest 4 assets were recruited under his tenure and that £17 million loss could turn into a big profit if Diomande, Igamane and Jefte are moved on this summer or next. (with Raskin being the other, recruited by Beale)

 

We also don't know what his remit or KPI's were. Is it possible he was told by the board to focus on recruiting younger talent with a big up side, rather than win now players.

 

There is a bit of criticism aimed at him around the Cortes signing, and while I think its valid. Mainly because we shouldn't be gambling 5 million on potential. if we spend 5 million it should be for a nailed on mainstay of the team, a guy that plays every game unless injured. Cortes is 21 and can still turn into a good player for us. Look at Raskin as an example. It took him 2 years to get fit and finally turn up.

 

 

You say there we shouldn't be gambling 5m on potential.

 

Diomande cost us £4.5m, Bajrami £3.5m.

 

The only value was Igamane at £1.5m and Jefte at £800k

[West London Bear 66]

5 hours ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Yes, I heard the same H&H podcast and the points you made were a good argument against Koppen, or rather, his ability to do the role. They also said his negotiating skills were, with hindsight not very strong.

 

I think both can be true, with regards the old pals act BD. If it works its the first option. If it fails, its the old pals act and will be expensive to remove them all. 

The most H&H statement ever 😄