KEVIN THELWELL believes Rangers have ended the transfer window with a stronger squad than they started it with.
The Light Blues brought in 13 new players over the summer as Head Coach Russell Martin’s new-look squad took shape.
Now, in an exclusive, and wide-ranging interview with Rangers TV, Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell insists the men’s football department have been backed from the board as they look to produce a winning side that supporters can be ‘proud of’
He said: “Andrew Cavenagh and the ownership have been very supportive and we have seen that. I think it is circa of £20m net spend, which is a big number in our context.
“So, I think fans should see that in a very positive way, it sends a very clear message about what we want to do with the team.
“We want to build a better team, a stronger team, and the owners are committed to doing that and have done that from a financial perspective in this window.
“It is not all about buying players of course, and we can't expect the ownership to be spending year on year in that way, we have to play our part in that, so outgoings and trading has to be a significant part of anybody's trading model.
“Whilst we don't want to lose players, there is a necessity to trade and I think we have traded well in this period.
“I’m pleased with the business we have done, so if we take the incoming players, I think we have got a nice balance within the group.
“What I mean by that is we have some young and hungry players, players that can help us now, but also develop and stay with us for a longer period.
“Now the window is closed, we have brought in some senior players as well that should also help the group.
“You can't have all young players because they don't have the necessary experience and expertise.
“They are still growing and developing and neither can you have all senior players, because you need some of this hunger that young players bring and this fearlessness.
“Talking broadly, without question in my opinion, we have improved the group and the team. There is certainly more depth.
“I appreciate, if I am a fan watching this interview they will be saying ‘OK Kev, but we haven’t quite seen that in terms of what they have produced on the pitch’.
“I am very confident that now we are all in the building and we are all together that will improve going forward.
“Now it is about actually getting to work with this group of players and focusing on what we need to achieve, which is creating a winning team that Rangers fans and the club can be proud of.”
The arrival of Derek Cornelius on a loan with an option to buy, makes it five loan signings this summer - alongside the likes of Nasser Djiga, Jayden Meghoma, Max Aarons and Mikey Moore.
Thelwell believes the loan market, if used wisely, can be of huge benefit to the club, while he also explained why the English market has been used across this window.
He continued: “Loans are something I have used over the course of my career so I would probably say a couple of things on that strategy.
“When you are making so much change you can’t buy everyone as you will run out of money quickly.
“Number two, it is not a bad strategy to say ‘OK we are going to do a loan with an option’ as an example as effectively you are trying before you buy.
“That seems to be sensible, especially in an environment like this when you have to acclimatise quickly, and it is not an easy environment to play in.
“We have brought some [straight] loan players in, which isn’t my preferred way, but in reality it gives you an opportunity to access players you wouldn’t normally be able to.
“Ordinarily we couldn’t afford to buy those players, but they help us with performances and high-level performances over the season.
“I was appointed on June 1, so for me, clearly the role was about hitting the ground running with the men’s first-team in particular.
“In my perspective it made sense to say it is a market that Dan Purdy and I know better than any other - it seemed sensible to say there are good players in England.
“There are a lot of players which we have high level knowledge and experience of and it is less of a risk in signing them.
“Going forward we will see us looking at markets that are further afield and taking good opportunities in those markets.”
Watch the interview with Kevin Thelwell in full below.
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