Following several incomings and outgoings as well as the appointment of a new Head Coach, it has been all systems go over a hectic period which has now come to its conclusion following the recent closure of the transfer window.
Speaking to RangersTV exclusively to reflect on the last few months, he commented: “It has been a busy time, I think is probably the best way to describe it.
“Both from a positive and a negative perspective, a lot has gone on since the middle of July.
“We had the pre-season camp completed in Italy with two really competitive games against AC Milan and Inter Milan.
“We have had Leanne [Crichton] appointed as Head Coach, we have had three players out and had six come in, and the league has started, so it has been a busy time, no doubt.
“I didn't envisage as high a turnover as there was obviously, I think there were a number of factors that influenced that.
“I think the Head Coach not being in place at the start of the summer and then adjusting quite quickly was a factor in that.
“Your final league position obviously dictates it to a degree, not having Champions League football did affect us in some recruitment areas and then of course the Euros being on delays everything in the market a little bit further too.
“Seeing some of the players that moved on from the club coming up wasn't a plan but it certainly didn't derail us from what we were trying to achieve, but probably more caused a little delay in terms of where we wanted to get too, but we are in a good place now and were are excited that the ball is rolling and the pieces are in place.”
Rangers were able to bolster their ranks after the deadline by bringing in two further recruits as free agents, with Gillies explaining the reasoning of exploring the market, which has seen the team bring in players from elsewhere in Europe as well as Asia.
He added: “We have had players from some of those places before.
“Quinty [Sabajo] has come in from Holland, and we have got a great affection for Dutch players in the club as a whole, but from the women's department, Tess [Middag] was obviously a huge part of the identity of the club, and it feels good to continue that element.
“From the Asian perspective, we have seen the game really continue to lead the way in Asia for a long time.
“I think it is more about the club now being in a position to A - attract players from that market, B - meet their ambitions and C - have more coverage in terms of what does talent look like in there.
“The competitive nature of the Asian market right now is absolutely established.
“For us to be able to work with a network of people that allows us to identify and bring top players in will make us better.
“Add to the diverse nature of the team, and expose the supporters to a brand and style of playing that is exciting.
“As we have seen, even just from Shin Ji [Kim] coming in, so far that has definitely hit the ground running and has been a real positive move, and we are going to continue to look at that.
“I think the biggest thing that the club is doing is really from the players' perspective.
“They have used this word quite a lot in the last six weeks, this togetherness.
“They are such a strong group culturally, they look out for one another, they are very protective of one another, and they are proud of those who have gone on and taken a step away from Rangers.
“The new players are a priority for our player leadership to make sure that they are settling in well and they feel part of the group.
“I believe Nic [Docherty] took Shin Ji out for some South Korean food recently, and she said the impact was huge on her and any of the new players that are coming in.
“You can look at May Cruft and Fallon [Connolly-Jackson], some of the younger girls coming into an environment with some established professionals, and they have slotted in really well, and it is testimony to the leadership of the staff and the players of how they have gone about that.”
You can watch the interview with Donald Gillies in full below.
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