Rangers Sporting Director Calls for Refereeing Improvements
Sporting director Kevin Thelwell has expressed Rangers' desire for "greater consistency, quality, and standards in refereeing."
Thelwell reiterated the club's intention to engage in discussions with the Scottish FA regarding the officiating of Rangers' recent Premier Sports Cup semi-final loss to Celtic.
In that match, Celtic defender Auston Trusty received a yellow card after seemingly striking Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland in the head with his foot.
The SFA's match incident panel indicated a two-to-one vote in favor of a red card for Trusty; however, head of refereeing Willie Collum supported the decision of the match officials to issue only a yellow card.
"We want to have another conversation with the SFA," Thelwell stated in an interview with RangersTV.
"We have been conducting our own analysis over a broader timeframe and wish to discuss some of those details with them for one primary reason: we seek greater consistency and improved quality in officiating, and we want the emphasis to be on the football rather than the decisions made by referees.
"It is well-known that we were disappointed with certain inconsistencies in officiating during that match. We have engaged in strong discussions with the SFA regarding these inconsistencies and decisions. While we concur with some points raised during these conversations, we fundamentally disagree with others, particularly concerning the incident involving Auston Trusty. From our perspective, it is clearly a red card.
"We all believe that allowing a player to strike someone on the head without consequence sets a dangerous precedent."
More Appointments on the Horizon
Thelwell expressed satisfaction with head coach Danny Rohl's early impact, noting that the team has won its first three Scottish Premiership matches under his leadership. However, Rangers have yet to secure a point in the Europa League, suffering two defeats during Rohl's tenure.
The sporting director indicated that Rangers "expect to be quite active" in the upcoming January transfer window, with Rohl having the final say on new signings.
"I believe he has done exceptionally well," Thelwell remarked. "We have made a promising start, although we have not performed as well as we would have liked in Europe thus far. Our league form has improved.
"I remain very confident. There is a noticeable difference in our performance at present. First and foremost, we all understand the necessity of winning matches."
Jonathan Hunter-Barrett is set to begin his role as academy director in early 2026, and Thelwell also commented on the appointment of Jaymes Monte and other anticipated recruits.
"This is likely our first appointment in the data analytics space," Thelwell noted regarding Monte, who hails from Dundee. "This will provide us with valuable insights and expertise related to data, not only for recruitment but also for analyzing our opponents, our own gameplay, and even in medical and sports science and coaching aspects.
"We are also considering making another appointment for a director of football operations role. This position will focus on our day-to-day operations at the training facility, managing transfer windows, and ensuring governance, processes, and strategies are in place for optimal organization and efficiency.
"We would like to add further coaching support, possibly someone with a deeper understanding of the Scottish football landscape than Danny Rohl and ourselves. We may also seek additional specialists. Stay tuned for updates."