Incoming Rangers Director of Recruitment Nils Koppen has swung the Ibrox axe in the direction of stuttering club scout John Park.
According to the Scottish Sun, the long-awaited arrival of the Belgian Director shone a spotlight on the role of John Park at Rangers.
Having joined the club in July 2022 during the Sporting Directorship of Ross Wilson, John Park has worked with Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale and now Philippe Clement.
The report claims that John Park “worked closely” with ill-fated ex-Ibrox manager Michael Beale in Rangers’ heavily scrutinised summer of recruitment.Rangers recruitment axe swings as £18.5m reality made position untenable
Following the release of this year’s annual accounts, Rangers chairman John Bennett revealed that the club spent £21m in the summer, with little return on that investment to date.
The Sun are reporting that with the spotlight shining on John Park’s record at Rangers, both parties have “reached an agreement” and now the scout will move on from the club.
John Park fails to replicate Celtic success at Ibrox
John Park is more famous for his time with Old Firm rivals Celtic and the signing of several high profile stars who went on to bank the Parkhead club a fortune.
These include the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Moussa Dembele, Victor Wanyama and Fraser Forster.
Joining Rangers in the summer of 2022, there were hopes that the former Motherwell, Hibs, Dundee United, Blackburn Rovers, Vancouver Whitecaps, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Legia Warsaw scout could replicate that at Ibrox.
But with Rangers chairman John Bennett reiterating the need for improved Player Trading in Govan, the writing certainly appeared to be on the wall for the scout.
It’s promising to see Rangers be proactive in this department with the club’s recent recruitment leaving a lot to be desired in almost every area.
Rangers have £18.5m of strikers not contributing
As Rangers said goodbye to several high profile figures from the club’s recent history, both John Park and Michael Beale were tasked with rebuilding an Ibrox squad in disarray.
But whilst there have been some success stories – Jack Butland and Abdallah Sima the obvious choices – the jury remains out on several of the club’s recent transfers.
With £6m Brazilian striker Danilo now out for an extended period of time with a knee injury, the ex-Feyenoord man beginning to go off the boil anyway, the club are now reliant on other players up top.
This includes namely perennially injured £4.5m striker Kemar Roofe, who was signed before John Park joined the club, and £4.5m Belgian-born Nigerian striker Cyriel Dessers & £3.5m Dutch counterpart Sam Lammers, who joined under Park’s watch this summer.
Dessers and Lammers have been abominable signings to date and there’s is scant belief they can step up in the middle of a horrific injury crisis at Ibrox.
In the shape of these four forwards, Rangers have a reported £18.5m of attacking talent which is not contributing anywhere near enough in terms of football’s greatest currency; goals.
For that amount to spent, the shocking returns and lack of availability are not good in any league never mind the cash-strapped Scottish Premiership.
The club’s inability to find players at a suitable price who can deliver in front of goal is an affront to the supporters.
With John Park failing to reverse the trend, Rangers fans will be asking the scout to make sure the door doesn’t hit him on the way out of Ibrox.
Be the first to comment