RANGERS are today delighted to announce the appointment of Zeb Jacobs as the club's new Academy Director.
Belgian Jacobs was initially recruited to Rangers in 2021 to become Head of Academy Coaching, with current manager Michael Beale, then first-team coach, involved in attracting Zeb to Rangers.
Before joining Rangers, Zeb was Head of Development at Royal Antwerp FC, and helped produce several exciting young players, which contributed to them winning an unprecedented Belgian League and Cup double just last season.
He is also a leading' football expert' and consultant for Double Pass, the renowned organisation which assesses, advises and educates national associations, leagues, clubs and individuals on optimising their talent development.
Since joining Gers, Jacobs has been involved in developing the Academy strategy to create the most exciting talent in Scotland. This has seen the implementation of a unique player development environment with clear principles to nurture talent. At the same time, he has also developed and implemented a unique methodology to create players who have technical excellence, make creative decisions and are '1v1' dominant.
Upon his appointment, Jacobs commented: "I am excited about this new chapter as the Academy Director of Rangers Football Club. The opportunity to develop the best young talent in Scotland is incredibly exciting, and I am ready to make a lasting impact.
"My relationship with Michael Beale, our CEO and board is already very strong, and we will look to use that to maximise the pathway from the Academy to the first-team. I am grateful for this opportunity and truly excited for the bright future ahead."
Incoming CEO, James Bisgrove, continued: "I'd like to firstly congratulate Zeb on his appointment. Michael Beale and I, along with other key colleagues from the football department, led a thorough and diligent recruitment process to identify our next Academy Director, with Zeb the outstanding candidate.
"Zeb will bring constant innovation and a clear vision to the role, and his strong collaborative relationship with Michael Beale and the first team staff will ensure a direct link and pathway between the Academy and Men's first team that will flourish for many years.
"Our Academy is a truly elite environment, and the brilliant work of all Academy staff, past and present, has laid a strong foundation for Zeb and the wider Academy staff, including David McCallum [B Team Head Coach], to accelerate this progress and ensure that our youth football development programme is the unrivalled leader in the Scottish game."