THE concerns raised by David Weir are familiar but, unlike those who have shared them before, he is in a position to finally rectify a situation that should have been seen to some time ago.

In the short-term, it is not top of the to-do list, but it is one of the most important matters that must be resolved sooner rather than later.

A couple of years after Ally McCoist first voiced his displeasure at the lack of a scouting department at Rangers, the club still continues to operate without a recognised, fully functioning system for identifying players. Of the plethora of signings made in recent seasons, few, especially those brought in from out with Scotland, have been a success at Ibrox. It is a trend that cannot continue if the football department at the club is to be rebuilt and Rangers are to be restored to a place at the top of our game.

With no team of talent spotters in situ, Mark Warburton, the Rangers manager, and assistant Weir will have to rely on their own knowledge of the market and trust the views of their contacts in the game as they attempt to strengthen a depleted squad this summer. Like in regards to the first team, fresh faces are required behind the scenes, but it is the quality and not the quantity that will be crucial for Rangers.

"Scouting is a fundamental part of any football club and it is a big thing Rangers have lacked," Weir said. "The scouting structure hasn't been as thorough as it needs to be and my experience is that the best clubs have the best scouting structures. It is something that over a period of time the club needs to put in place. It is definitely one thing we are working on but there has been no changes as of yet.

"Is that having an impact on attempts to rebuild the squad? Yeah, it makes it harder obviously. If you have got people and a structure in place that helps. But that takes time. It's important that with players we make the right decisions and it's the same staffing wise."

Of the three players Rangers have signed so far this summer, only Danny Wilson is familiar to the majority of fans, with Rob Kiernan and Wes Foderingham somewhat unknown quantities after arriving from Wigan Athletic and Swindon Town respectively. The same can be said for Reece Wabara, Andy Halliday and John Eustace, who all remain on the radar as possible recruits.

It is the English market that Warburton knows and used to impressive effect during his time at Brentford as he took his side from League One to the brink of the Premier League. He has come from a club where analysis, in terms of players' performance, personality and statistics, is paramount to one where he has a chance to implement his own ideas from the ground up after inheriting a blank canvas at Ibrox.

The recruitment process has been steady so far and will continue as Rangers prepare for a defining season, and one that starts in just over a fortnight against Hibernian.

"We know there has to be additions but we want good quality additions and players who will help Rangers for a long time," Weir said. "Part of the reason we've got the job is perhaps we know a different market from the one Rangers may have been used to.

"We've been working in the Championship and we know that league well. That's probably the market we are looking at but we're conscious of making good decisions and doing our homework with regard to new signings."