Image source, SNSNew Norwich City manager Philippe Clement reveals he once tried to sign the Canaries' Scotland midfielder Kenny McLean for Rangers. (The Herald - subscription required), external
Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart earned £246,000 in the year to June, while director Fraser Thornton was paid £69,000. (Glasgow Times), external
Calum MacDonald
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSConnor Barron is determined to drive Rangers forward this season and earn a place in Scotland's World Cup squad.
The midfielder and clubmates John Souttar and Liam Kelly were part of Steve Clarke's squad as they qualified for next summer's finals with a dramatic 4-2 victory over Denmark on Tuesday.
Barron, a late call-up by Clarke, was an unused substitute in the final two qualifiers but savoured an "unforgettable night" and knows his participation at the World Cup rests on his club performance over the next six months.
The 23-year-old, who has featured in five of Danny Rohl's six matches in charge, said: "A real proud moment for me, an honour to be part of the group, it's one I'll never forget, all to look forward to in the summer and the World Cup.
"The way the game went was spectacular, it's great to see so many smiles on people's faces across the country.
"The plan, first and foremost, is to fix myself into the [Rangers] team, play well and hopefully that comes.
"It's something that's in the back of your head for now. It's down to me doing the work here and performing well to get to the World Cup.
"All I can do is perform well, it's up to the gaffer to pick a squad, it's down to my performances make sure I'm there."
Rangers currently sit fourth in the Scottish Premiership but Barron's experience with the national team gives him belief.
"You can never write football, anything can happen," the 23-year-old said.
"It's important you've got to keep believing, you take every new experience in football and share it with the boys and we're all positive.
"You change your thinking straight back on to club football. We're fully focused on the game and making it four wins from four."
Image source, SNSRangers' John Souttar, Derek Cornelius and Mikey Moore could be out for the rest of the year with muscle injuries.
Youngster Bailey Rice has undergone surgery, while Youssef Chermiti and Liam Kelly are doubts.
Findlay Curtis is back after a small injury. Rabbi Matondo (knee), Dujon Sterling (Achilles) and Kieran Dowell (foot) are closing in on comebacks.
Livingston are without Joshua Brenet following his World Cup exploits with Curacao.
Connor McLennan and Scott Pittman are both back in contention, while Ryan McGowan, Cammy Kerr (ankle) and Adam Montgomery (calf) are also edging closer to a return. Aidan Denholm and Shane Blaney (both hamstring) are still out.
Image source, SNSDanny Rohl is "very happy" to have set-piece coach Scott Fry join his coaching staff at Rangers and is hoping he can inspire players who "don't like" to work on that aspect of their game.
Fry joined from Lincoln City this week having helped the League One outfit score 30 goals from set-pieces last term, the most of any team in the English third tier.
Having worked with dedicated set-piece coaches at Sheffield Wednesday and the Germany national team, Rohl was keen to do the same at Ibrox.
"I had good experience at Sheffield Wednesday with the set-piece coach, I had a good experience in the national team," he said.
"For us it was very clear when I arrived here how our set-up for the coaching team should be. I think for set-pieces you need a specialist.
"Scott has a lot of passion for this part of the game. This is crucial because sometimes I notice the players don't like to train too much on this part. But in the end it's about 30% of goals are from set-pieces."
Rohl suggested his coaching set-up is not yet complete and is eyeing an ex-Rangers player to add to the staff.
"I'm always a coach to have different profiles in my coaching team," the German added.
"At the moment I'm very happy with my set-up.
"When I arrived I spoke about having a former player in my coaching stuff. But I must say, Stevie [Smith] stepped really up in this role from the academy.
"The good thing is with him, he knows the academy well. He knows the players. It gives us a good link to the academy and how he acts in the group at the moment is fantastic.
"It's also the reason why I'm very convinced that we should go with this set-up. It means not that the door is closed for someone else, this is still part of our job.
"We are looking at the market and for what makes sense. But at the moment we have great profiles in my coaching group and I enjoy the work with my staff."
Image source, SNSDanny Rohl has been speaking to the media before Rangers return to Premiership action against Livingston this weekend.
Here are the key points from the Ibrox boss:
John Souttar, Mikey Moore and Derek Cornelius have muscle injuries and will miss Saturday's match. Souttar and Moore are unlikely to play again in 2025, while Cornelius needs to see a specialist about his injury.
Youssef Chermiti and Liam Kelly are both unlikely to feature against Livingston having returned from international duty with knocks. Bailey Rice has undergone surgery.
In better news, Dujon Sterling - who has been out since April with an Achilles injury - is close to a first-team return.
Injuries mean other players have to "step up" and Rohl had "good conversations" with those who were not away on international duty.
On the appointment of set-piece coach Scott Fry: "It's a fantastic decision for the club and an easy process. I am delighted to have him here."
Rohl says it's crucial to build on good league form and close the gap at the top of the table.
The international break has allowed time to focus on areas where Rangers need to improve.
Rohl adds: "We are improving, but it's all about winning games. I really enjoy work, the city, the fans, and I hope we have a long future together."
He and his staff watched the Scotland game together on Tuesday night and he is happy to be coaching in a country with such passion for football.
Image source, SNSFormer Rangers striker Kemar Roofe has revealed the strong influence Steven Gerrard had in convincing him to join the club.
Together, the pair helped won Rangers win their 55th title, going unbeaten in the 2020-21 league campaign to ruin Celtic's bid for 10 in a row.
The current Walsall forward joined Rangers from Belgian side Anderlecht back in 2020, where he formerly played under current Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany.
"I spoke with Steven Gerrard on the phone and made up my mind then," Roofe, 32, told the BBC's Sacked in the Morning Podcast.
"It was the same moving to Anderlecht, when these sorts of players I've grown up watching and I've got so much respect for, Vincent Kompany, Steven Gerrard.
"When they're calling you and they're saying they want you, it feels special. And it's like, you can't turn this down cause of the respect that you have for these people.
"So as soon as he said I want you to come in, be my number nine, and we need to win this league, I said, 'Okay, let's do this.'
"Unfortunately when I signed it was Covid season. So there was no fans allowed.
"It was disappointing. But you turn up to the training ground, you've got the big Rangers gates at the training ground. It's impressive.
"You go to the stadium, very impressive. Huge. And you just know this is a proper football club. This is serious. And then we was able to have a fantastic season and be unbeaten and and win the league."
In the league-winning season Roofe scored 14 Premiership goals - 18 overall - and is proud of his contribution to what remain's the club's last title.
"Without sounding arrogant or whatever, I genuinely feel I was able to contribute a lot," he added.
"I had a different playing style to anyone else in the squad and team. And I spoke to Gerrard when I left Rangers and he said I was a massive part.
"It was an achievement to do that [winning the title]. The fans definitely made it clear how important it was to them to win the 55."
Rangers have started negotiations with Kazakhstan winger Galymzhan Kenzhebek, whose contract with Yelimay Semey ends next month, but clubs from eight countries are interested in the 22-year-old and the only concrete offer has come from Dundee United. (AS News), external
Reports from Kazakhstan linking Rangers with Yelimay Semey winger Galymzhan Kenzhebek are wide of the mark. (Daily Record), external
Former Rangers head coach Russell Martin is "open" to a return to Swansea City but has not been approached by the Championship club, who are seeking a replacement for Alan Sheehan. (Wales Online), external
Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSRangers have a new set-piece coach - but why do they need one and what will he bring?
Many aspects of modern football are met with eye-rolls from fans and pundits. Perhaps the idea of having a designated coach for set-plays is one of them.
But with margins becoming ever finer and the prominence of data in today's game, clubs are always looking to improve in every detail.
Set-pieces have taken a grip of the game again south of the border, with Premier League leaders Arsenal in particular benefiting from huge success.
It is from England where Rangers plucked Scott Fry, who left third-tier Lincoln City to make the move to Danny Rohl's Rangers set-up.
Jez George, the League One side's director of football, hailed Fry's influence at the club, highlighting his use of AI to improve their set-plays, which resulted in "outstanding outcomes".
Lincoln finished in the top half of League One last term, scoring 64 goals. A league-high 30 of them came from set-plays, meaning 47% of their goals came from set-piece situations.
Meanwhile, only four clubs in the 24-team division conceded fewer goals from set-plays.
This season, their set-piece record stands at five scored and four conceded from overall goals for and against tallies of 20 and 15 respectively.
Rangers, therefore, clearly believe Fry can improve their output from dead-ball situations.
The Ibrox side's expected goals (xG) rating from set-pieces this term is the seventh best in the league, yet they have managed four goals from corners - only Hearts have more - and six goals in total from set-pieces, which is joint fourth highest.
Rangers have created the second-most chances (22) in the Premiership from set-plays, but rank fourth lowest in shots (7) from such situations.
At the other end, their four goals conceded from set-pieces is the joint lowest along with Hibs.
Following Fry's arrival, how those underlying numbers adjust over the campaign is certainly something to look out for.
Image source, SNSRangers have never lost in 25 home games against Livingston in all competitions (W22 D3); it's the most they have faced a side at home without ever losing.
Livingston have lost 20 of their past 22 meetings with Rangers in all competitions (D2) since a 1-0 league victory in September 2018.
Rangers are unbeaten in 30 Scottish Premiership games against newly-promoted opponents (W26 D4), although their last defeat was to Livingston in September 2018 (1-0). At home, the Ibrox side have won 13 of their past 15 league games against promoted sides (D2) since a 2-1 defeat to Hibernian in February 2018.
Rangers boss Danny Rohl has won his first three Premiership matches in charge. Of Rangers' past four permanent managers, (Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale, Philippe Clement and Russell Martin) only Rohl's predecessor Martin failed to win all of his first four league matches.
Livingston have won just one of their 12 league matches this season (D5 L6), the fewest of any team in the top flight and their second-fewest victories at this stage of a top-flight season in their history, ahead of only 2005-06 (0).
Rangers head coach Danny Rohl says he has brought in set-piece specialist Scott Fry from Lincoln City because of the amount of goals that are scored in modern football from dead ball situations. (The National), external
Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSRangers are in "a good way" insists head coach Danny Rohl, although the German says there is still work to be done to eradicate "old habits".
The 36-year-old has won three of his six matches since replacing Russell Martin.
His 100% record in the Scottish Premiership has lifted Rangers level on points with third-placed Hibernian, with home games to come against promoted pair Livingston and Falkirk.
In between, Braga visit Ibrox in the Europa League, with Rohl having suffered sobering defeats to Bergen and Roma in the competition.
"We are in a good way but in some minutes of the game, you see old habits and we have to work on that," he told RangersTV, while revealing a frank exchange of views after his debut in Norway.
"In three weeks, we had six games, but we showed in the league that we are going in the right direction.
"You can't do less, you have to be on the front foot and do more because we want to win more games in the future.
"The reaction after the game in Bergen was crucial for us. We were honest with each other in the meeting room and we spoke about the basics and it's getting better and better.
"Of course, in all the phases of our games there's still space for improvements and that is important.
"We have increased the levels and intensity but of course we want to do more."
Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator
Amid the joyous scenes at Hampden on Tuesday night, John Souttar joined in the on-pitch celebrations with his Scotland team-mates, but his withdrawal from the starting line-up moments before kick-off will have caused concern for his new club manager Danny Rohl.
Souttar is not a faultless defender but in a troubled team he has been one of the most reliable performers and Rohl will hope his absence is not an extended one as he seeks to get Rangers back on track.
They return with three home games - Livingston and Falkirk in the league with Braga visiting in the Europa League in between.
The European campaign is as good as dead and Rohl has to put everything into rescuing a league title tilt, with Celtic still not firing on all cylinders and Hearts' ability to maintain a wonderful start unknown.
Clearly six points from the two league games against the promoted sides are an absolute must but few supporters will see them as a given, particularly as Rangers needed an injury-time Max Aarons winner to beat Livi earlier in the season while the draw with Falkirk was the final nail in Russell Martin's coffin.
But there were positive signs just before the international break as Rangers swept Dundee aside at Dens Park and you imagine Rohl will have been using the last couple of weeks on the training ground with those players not involved with their countries to instill his ideas a little more firmly.
The Rangers support will be looking forward to seeing how that translates on to the pitch on Saturday.
Rangers are actively exploring the possibility of signing 20-year-old Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson as early as the January transfer window. (TeamTalk), external
Egyptian club Al Ahly have targeted 21-year-old former Rangers striker Robbie Ure, who had an impressive debut season in Sweden with Sirius, finishing as the sixth top scorer in the Allsvenskan with 11 goals, according to reports in Egypt. (Glasgow Times), external
Dynamo Dresden, who recently climbed back into Bundesliga 2 after a spell in the fourth tier, hope Rangers will accept their invitation to play a pre-season friendly as the Ibrox club's new new head coach, Danny Rohl, was born in the area. (Glasgow Times), external
Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSPhilippe Clement is "really excited by this story and opportunity" after returning to management with Norwich City nine months on from his Rangers sacking.
The Belgian was dismissed at Ibrox in February when Rangers trailed Premiership leaders Celtic by 13 points having been knocked out of the Scottish Cup by second-tier Queen's Park.
Clement, 51, has now signed a three-and-a-half year deal to replace Liam Manning at Norwich, who are second bottom of the English Championship with nine points from 15 games.
"I've known of this club for a long time and, while we are not in a good moment at this time, we are excited to work together with the players and staff to turn things around," Clement said.
Read more: Norwich name Clement as head coach
Image source, GettyRangers have bolstered Danny Rohl's backroom staff with the appointment of Scott Fry as the club's set-piece coach.
Fry, 47, joins from Lincoln City, who scored 30 goals from set-pieces last season - the most in English League One.
Rangers say head coach Rohl was heavily involved in a "detailed recruitment process that analysed teams across the UK and Europe who consistently outperformed in their set-plays".
Englishman Fry joined Lincoln from Wolves in summer 2022, initially as goalkeeping coach before overseeing set-pieces from the start of last term.
Lincoln say they will receive compensation from Rangers for releasing Fry from his contract.
Director of football Jez George said: "Scott leaves with our absolute best wishes. We went on a journey together in terms of our use of AI to improve our processes and design of set-plays, which resulted in outstanding outcomes and inevitably attracted the attention of other clubs.
"Scott made it clear that it would take a life-changing offer for him to leave and, while we have managed to rebuff a number of approaches, we respect that Rangers have provided him with an opportunity that he can't turn down."
Former Rangers head coach Russell Martin could be in line for a return to management at former club Swansea City, who dismissed Alan Sheehan last week. (Daily Record), external
Former Rangers player Alex Rae does not believe sporting director Kevin Thelwell is pandering to supporters in taking the Scottish FA to task over recent controversies. (Daily Record)
Read all of Tuesday's Scottish Gossip
Image source, SNSRangers head coach Danny Rohl would be reluctant to cash in on midfielder Nicolas Raskin in January, with Tottenham Hotspur one of the clubs interested in signing the Belgium 24-year-old. (Football Insider), external
Rangers should make captain James Tavernier an offer to stay at Ibrox beyond the end of his current deal which expires at the end of the season, says former Ibrox winger David Templeton. (Daily Record), external
Former Rangers forward Nacho Novo believes the club's recruitment chiefs are to blame for the pressure on forward Youssef Chermiti. (Record), external
Nicolas Raskin's father, Thierry, reveals the Belgium midfielder, 24, has no immediate plans to leave Rangers. (dhnet - in French), external
Former Rangers player Jon Daly is a candidate for the Waterford manager's job. (Irish Independent - subscription required), external
Image source, SNSRangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell said he is "very pleased" with head coach Danny Rohl's initial impact after winning his opening three Scottish Premiership fixtures.
The Ibrox side are yet to pick up a point in the Europa League, however, with two defeats on Rohl's watch.
And the sporting director said Rangers "do expect to be fairly active" in the January transfer window with "Danny having the final say" on signings.
"I thought he's done really, really well," said Thelwell.
"We've made a good start, albeit we've not done as well as we would've liked in Europe so far. League form's improved.
"I still feel very confident. There's a clear difference in the way in which we're playing at the moment. Number one, we all understand that we have to win football matches."
Robbie Thelwell, son of Kevin, recently joined as head of recruitment, Jonathan Hunter-Barrett will start as academy director in early 2026 and Thelwell senior also commented on the appointment of Jaymes Monte, and other expected recruits.
"It's probably our first ever appointment in this data space," he said of Dundee native Monte.
"It's going to provide us with a lot of insight and a lot of specialism in relation to data, not only from a recruitment perspective but also from analysis of opposition perspective, analysis of our own game and then also medical and sport science and coaching.
"We're talking about making another appointment in a director of football operations role. That very much is focused on the way in which we operate on a day-to-day basis at the training facility. It's about the way in which we administer the transfer windows and it's about governance and process and strategy to make sure we're as organised as we possibly can be and as efficient as we possibly can be.
"We'd like to add some additional [coaching] support, perhaps someone who knows the Scottish landscape much stronger than [Danny Rohl] does and much stronger than we do. And then perhaps some additional specialism. Let's watch this space."
Out-of-favour Rangers midfielder Nedim Bajrami, 26, insists he is not thinking about leaving Ibrox in January - despite claims from Albania head coach Sylvinho. (Record), external
Meanwhile, Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is considering hiring a set-piece specialist to help combat his side's long-term failings from dead balls. (Record), external
