Rangers

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl believes Youssef Chermiti is ready to answer his critics after a heart-to-heart talk with the striker. (Record), external

Winger Rabbi Matondo is back in training with Rangers following injury. (Glasgow Times), external

Billy Davies, now in interim charge of Greenock Morton, feels slighted that Kevin Thelwell, sacked this week as Rangers' sporting director, did not respond to his offer of advice about Scottish football when he arrived at Ibrox after giving the Englishman his big break at Preston North End. (Record), external

Hamilton Academical manager Jon Rankin's 15-year-old son, Luca Rankin, has been training with Rangers' first team. (Sun), external

Club Brugge winger Carlos Forbs has revealed he knocked back an approach from Rangers in the summer while with Ajax before moving to the Belgian club and helping thrash the Glasgow side 9-1 on aggregate in Champions League qualifying. (Record), external

Rangers, Celtic and Aberdeen face crunch time on Thursday for Scotland's ailing coefficient. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

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Dujon Sterling has been added to Rangers' Europa League squad after Derek Cornelius was ruled out for at least two months.

Versatile Sterling, who hasn't played since April because of an Achilles injury, is nearing full fitness and played for Rangers Under-19s on Monday.

His return will give Danny Rohl much-needed options at centre-back in the absence of injured pairing John Souttar and Cornelius.

As Rangers prepare for the Europa League visit of Braga on Thursday, head coach Rohl revealed Canada defender Cornelius has undergone surgery on a muscle injury sustained during the recent international break.

"Derek has the surgery in the morning today, that means he will for sure be longer out. Minimum, the end of January, if not longer," said Rohl.

"We put Dujon now on the [European] list. But still, for him, after the first game minutes on Monday, this is a process.

"If you are out six months, it's not easy to be ready straight after one week. But it was a decision also for the next European games to cover this position, then hopefully in the next games."

After four defeats from four, Rangers are bottom of the Europa League table at the halfway stage and seeking their first points against a Braga side who won 2-1 at Celtic Park last month.

"They are well organised, they are very aggressive in how they play football against the ball, they have solutions with the ball, I think they will also come with confidence in this competition," said Rohl.

"But for us as well, it's the next challenge. We know we need points in this competition as well, this is always our goal.

"I want to see tomorrow a next step forward compared to the last two European games. It's important to play without mistakes, to play on the front foot, bring the crowd behind you, try something instead of being passive and just waiting, that's what I want to see from my team tomorrow.

"We have to deliver a proper fight and try to get points."

Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin discusses his "difficult" start to the season where he feared for his Ibrox future amid a fallout with former boss Russell Martin.

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has been speaking to the media before the Europa League home fixture against Sporting Braga.

Here are the key points:

• On the dismissal of chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell: "It's always not nice when some people around you get sacked. I had a good relationship with Kevin, with Patrick as well. They were also involved in the process when I arrived here. Now it's about moving forward."

• On the upcoming January transfer window Rohl adds: "There are also still good people around me. They support me. I think this is crucial. I cannot do this alone or can't make decisions alone. I think it's important to understand we have a good structure in the club."

• On whether his assessment of the squad may have played a part in the sackings: "I give my information to the board, to the club, what I think, how I see the situation, how I see the squad at the minute, which parts we have to improve. I think there's no secret."

• He adds: "I think if you have a sporting director, then you have always a link to the board. Now the link is a little bit closer, because you go straight to some situations with Andrew [Cavenagh], but I think he was very clear in this interview during the week, what he expects, what he demands."

• On how January recruitment might work and whether he would now have a bigger say in decisions, the German says: "It's always a decision together. You have to give your honest opinion about players, then there is the financial part, and then you look to other parts as well, and then in the best case you bring all the information on one table, and then in the end you make a decision together and you go in the direction that makes the most sense."

• On the test Rangers face against a Braga side who lie fifth in the Europa League having already beaten Celtic in Glasgow in this campaign, Rohl says: "They are well organised, they are very aggressive, they have solutions with the ball. I think they will also come with confidence, but it's for us as well, a new challenge. We know we need points in this competition."

• Rangers wants a "step forward" from his side, who are are yet to earn a point after four defeats. The German is looking to engage the Ibrox crowd who've been left flat so far in this campaign.

• He adds: "On this level every mistake could be a big mistake. Play without mistakes, but play on the front foot, bring the crowd behind you, try something instead of being passive and just waiting."

• Derek Cornelius had surgery this morning and is expected to be out until at least the end of January.

• John Souttar and Mikey Moore remain sidelined and Dujon Sterling is added back to the European squad but more likely to feature in upcoming games given the length of his absence.

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

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Braga come to Glasgow with the chance to become the first team ever to beat Celtic and Rangers away from home in the same European campaign.

So how have they fared since their last trip to Scotland? Pretty well is the answer, though they were somewhat surprisingly beaten on their last Europa League outing, losing 4-3 at home to Genk.

Those were their first dropped points in the competition, though, having added the scalp of Red Star to those of Celtic and Feyenoord, so they're still very handily placed.

Despite only one other defeat since the win at Celtic Park - a far-from-disgraceful 2-1 loss away to Portuguese league leaders Porto - Carlos Vicens' side are rather languishing in seventh place, below lesser-known clubs Gil Vicente, Familicao and Moreirense.

But as witnessed at Celtic Park, they are a useful outfit, with Rodrigo Zalazar, who came on as a substitute in that game, in particularly impressive form, now on 10 goals for the season.

So Rangers will have to up their game to inflict another Ibrox defeat on the Portuguese.

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

The sackings of Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart should have taken no one by surprise and yet the timing of their departures seemed to take most people aback.

Would it have been better to act during the international break? Maybe not, but having backed both chief executive and sporting director so vehemently just a month ago, Andrew Cavenagh has finally accepted neither man was carrying out their duties to the standards demanded of them, not least by the club's supporters.

Their shortcomings have been widely discussed and few will quibble with the ultimate decision, but it reintroduces a flux at Ibrox the club could well do without.

It may not have as dramatic an effect on the playing side as a change of manager does, at least in the short term, but what Rangers badly need is stability and although this decision has been taken for the right reasons, there will now need to be yet another period of bedding in new personnel and new ideas.

There are also suggestions these two staff changes will not be the last, while reports of some of Thelwell's summer signings being made available for transfer in January abound as well.

Yet again Rangers find themselves in a position where they will very probably have to take a hit on fees paid for players in order to get them out the door.

Meanwhile, Danny Rohl continues to get results in the league, though the manner of the victory over Livingston was some way short of convincing.

Injuries are also now going to have an impact as he tries to claw back Hearts' and Celtic's advantages, or at least ensure they don't get any bigger before he gets a chance to do some work in the January transfer window.

His immediate focus, though, is trying to get some points on the board in Europe against Braga, who comfortably beat Celtic earlier in the season, before another must-win league encounter against Falkirk at the weekend. Don't expect either of those games to be plain sailing.

Former captain and interim manager Barry Ferguson has not ruled out a return to Rangers as sporting director. (Go Radio Football Show Record, external)

Rangers will explore the feasibility of expanding Ibrox Stadium. (Glasgow Times), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

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Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh showed a "ruthless streak" by sacking chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell but faces "huge pressure" to get the appointment of replacements right, according to Rangers Review editor Joshua Barrie.

The journalist told BBC Scotland's Scottish Football Podcast there is "not much they have got right" since the "hope and optimism" around the summer takeover by Cavenagh's US-based consortium.

"Although Andrew Cavenagh doesn't want to make a habit of fronting up to mistakes, it is a positive that he is fronting up to mistakes and owning them instead of getting someone else to do it and staying over the pond in America," Barrie said. "What comes next will define their legacy."

Stewart had been in post since December while Thelwell was lined up several months before his arrival in the summer and the appointment of Russell Martin as head coach.

Of Stewart, Barrie said: "When he arrived, he was seen as this experienced figurehead who should bring to a close an era of off-field drama dominating at Ibrox and I would say it is very arguable that that has only increased."

Martin became so unpopular before his sacking he required a police escort from a match while Stewart and Thelwell were confronted by fans at hotels and were subjected to supporter protests.

"The managerial search shredded any credibility," Barrie said.

"Rangers needed to do two things right this summer - they needed to strengthen the squad and build a new spine to the squad that lacked leadership.

"They spent a lot of money not doing that and got their head coach appointment so dramatically wrong. Ultimately, there needed to be a fall guy for that."

Rangers had missed the opportunity to take advantage of "the weakest Celtic team in some time".

And, although Martin's replacement Danny Rohl "has lifted the mood somewhat", the German had merely done well to get four domestic wins out of players who struggled to beat bottom club Livingston at home at the weekend.

We asked for your views after Rangers sacked chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

Here's what some of you said:

Marc: Should have happened when Russell Martin was sacked. They've wasted millions on substandard players and £8m of that on a player whose record was suspect.

Steven: Most welcome announcement, but if I'm going to be 'that guy' it smacks a little of the Martin debacle for me. Far too late in making the big decisions that needed to be made. I hope the guys at the top started their due diligence before making this decision - January is fast approaching and Danny Rohl will need support in moving on the flotsam and jetsam that he arrived to and maybe getting some of his own players in.

Andy: Best news since Martin leaving. These two brought nothing but poor quality and weak minds to Rangers. Hopefully their replacements will have a clue and not be another pair of chancers. Hopefully something can be salvaged from a horrible season.

Alain: Christmas come early for Rangers fans! The two of them only succeeded in taking the club backwards with their ridiculous appointments and signings - good riddance!

Alex: This has been inevitable and has taken too long to actually happen. Both appointments have been an absolute disaster for the club and unfortunately their negative impact will be felt for some time.

John: Better late than never, these people have cost the club a lot of money and goodwill of supporters. Let's move on and build a Rangers team to be proud of again.

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

I thought I was only going to have the 2-1 victory over Livingston to talk about. However, the removal of Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell was very welcome.

Stewart was never impressive and did not improve during his tenure as chief executive. He was just there. That's how I saw him.

Thelwell's deficiencies were glaring. There was the hiring of Russell Martin, the shambolic squad building and player recruitment over the summer. And then the appointment of his son and Dan Purdy to recruitment roles.

I'm really pleased he will no longer be overseeing the January window. But, and it's a big but, the owners now have to get the correct people in the correct positions.

I said it when the takeover happened and they obviously didn't - that's why we are where we are. Now the focus is on them to get it right.

Back to the football; it wasn't great against Livingston by any stretch, but it was three points and a fourth league win on the bounce.

All we can do now is go into Thursday hoping we turn up in Europe for once, and then continue the little run we are on in the Premiership against a stuffy Falkirk side.

It's one step at a time. We can't be kidding ourselves about possibly getting into title contention at this point. We need to get through to January winning as much as we can and take it from there.

David Weir is the favourite with some bookmakers to become Rangers' new sporting director despite the former Ibrox defender only recently taking up a similar role with Strasbourg. (Glasgow Times), external

Former Rangers striker Steven Naismith is happy to have stayed on as part of Scotland's coaching team heading to the World Cup having been asked to become part of Russell Martin's Ibrox coaching team before his sacking as head coach. (The Warm-Up podcast), external

Livingston assistant manager Marvin Bartley believes his side were denied a blatant penalty for hand ball in their defeat by Rangers but says he was told that VAR John Beaton decided centre-half Emmanuel Fernandez "was in close proximity to the ball when it was struck" and "there was nothing to be reviewed". (Daily Record), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Rangers have dispensed with Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell because they think "different executives" can do a better job, chairman Andrew Cavenagh has indicated.

Chief executive Stewart and sporting director Thelwell were appointed before Cavenagh's US-based consortium took control this summer and they are now looking to bring in their own recruits.

In a Sky Sports interview, Cavenagh was asked to clarify what he meant in his official statement, in which he said the Scottish Premiership club needed something "different" than either man could offer.

"I don't think it is appropriate to compare and contrast in what they did and didn't do right and what we're looking for in the future, so I will keep it simple to say, as we look forward, we want different executives to lead the transformation of the club," he replied.

"They were always in alignement with the strategy that we were trying to execute, but we think there are different executives that can help move the strategy forward differently."

Cavenagh wanted "to be really careful not to throw dirt on either of them" and praised their professionalism and hard work for Rangers.

Asked if fan protests against both men had a bearing on the club's decision, Cavenagh insisted that, while he valued fan input: "We have come to this decision based on our own data, our own review, our own analysis."

Rangers appointed Danny Rohl as head coach last month after dispensing with Russell Martin after a disappointing 17 games in charge, but now Cavenagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe have turned their attention to other parts of the club.

"Our focus in the first part of our ownership period has been on the sporting side and that's where all of our attention went for obvious reasons," Cavenagh added.

"With Danny coming in, he has started to improve the on-pitch performance and that has created a space to allow Paraag and I to look at other parts of the club with new eyes and assess what we need going forward and that's what's led to this change.

"I think it is very much us being hands on. I think responsible change has to be measured - I don't think you can come in and tear something apart all at once, or you're likely to get something wrong.

"We have taken six months to make these changes and think they are the right changes for the club."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Rangers picked up another important three points at home to Livingston, and they've got one player in my team of the week.

An assist for Rangers' opening goal from captain James Tavernier who continues to show his worth to the team.

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

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Although Rangers supporters have been hollering for change at the top of the club pretty much all season, the move on Monday will have come as a shock.

It was only late last month when Andrew Cavenagh voiced his backing for Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell.

"They do retain my full support," he said at the time. Cavenagh accepted that mistakes had been made at the club, but there was no hint of the drama to come. "It's Patrick, it's Kevin, it's myself, it's Paraag," he said, Paraag Marathe being the Rangers vice-chairman.

Stewart and Thelwell were deeply unpopular among the Rangers support, both of them being confronted by angry supporters on recent away trips in Europe while also being the subject of mass and noisy protest at games.

Thelwell, as sporting director, has spent a relative fortune on players since the owners took over, north of £30m according to club sources. Many of those players - most especially the £8m striker, Youssaf Chermiti - have not performed as yet.

The recruitment has been lavish and unsuccessful and the blame for that is at Thelwell's door.

Spending £8m on an unproven Chermiti from Everton is still a source of mystification. The reported £4m forked out for Oliver Antman and the £3.5m spent on Thelo Aasgaard does not look like smart business so far either.

Rangers' domestic results are improving under new head coach Danny Rohl, but the quality of the football is still turgid.

Cavenagh has said he is hopeful that these players will come good but did not elaborate on what has changed since he gave his backing to Stewart and Thelwell last month. Nor has he explained why he now thinks that they are not aligned with the vision of the club.

This, it is clear, is a double dismissal, not a resignation by mutual consent. It is understood that, while Cavenagh is fully aware of the views of the supporters - how could he not be? - the decision to remove Stewart and Thelwell is not based on what he saw and heard from fans.

There is no explanation on precisely why this decision has been reached, beyond vague references to alignment and Cavenagh made a point of saying that he would not throw dirt in the direction of the now ex-Rangers men.

As it stands, there will be no further exits from Ibrox, so Thelwell's son, Robbie, remains as head of recruitment. Dan Purdy stays on as technical director and Nathan Fisher is being kept on as chief scout.

The process of appointing a new chief executive and a new sporting director will be led by Cavenagh and Marathe.

At Rangers, it's a relentless churn. Another new chief executive and another sporting director/director of football are being sought.

Stability off the field is proving just as elusive as success on the field.

Rangers have removed chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell from their posts with immediate effect.

Rangers fans, we want to know what you make of the news.

Are you happy to see the pair gone? What have you made of their time at Rangers?

Let us know your thoughts

Watch the Sportscene panel analyse Emmanuel Fernandez's goal for Rangers against Livingston in the Scottish Premiership.

Kilmarnock are prepared to listen to offers in January for David Watson, who is of interest to Rangers, as they see it as their last chance to raise important funds from the sale of the 20-year-old midfielder who is out of contract next summer. (Football Insider), external

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl says Nedim Bajrami could still have a future at Ibrox after the attacking midfielder made his first appearance under the German as a substitute in Saturday's 2-1 win over Livingston. (Scottish Sun), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Watch all the highlights from Rangers' 2-1 victory over Livingston in the Scottish Premiership.

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