MARK Allen is the director of football at Rangers but knows he is not the boss.
Steven Gerrard might be new at this management lark but it is hard to see such a strong character being told what to do, or who to buy.
The structure at Ibrox demands the two work closely together, and one of their first tasks is to strengthen a squad that badly needs it. So, how is it going to work?
“This is a question that goes on and on – I think it’s the 157,000th time I have answered it,” said Allen. “Part of my job as director of football is recruitment but it’s not all of it. There are other facets such as science, medicine and operations.
“My job is to sit down with Steven and say this where we’re at and this is where we’re going. We’ll work on that together. Through the recruitment department we will identify targets. We sit down and we evaluate them, “Steven might say I like three of the five, four of the five or all of them. We rank them and then my job is go and make it happen. I have said this many times, the decision on the player whether he comes to Rangers or not will be the manager’s and it will always be like that in my tenure.”
Apparently Gerrard’s name was always one spoken about at Rangers whenever the subject of a manager came up. So why did they not go for him when Pedro Caixinha was ushered off the premises?
“I think I have been quite open Steven Gerrard has always been on my radar and it was a question of when,” said Allen. “I’m not saying we were thinking of him around that time but as director of football I have to have a plan. The opportunity presented itself through Liverpool, we went for it and I’m delighted that we get that opportunity.”
The two men don’t only know each other, but they have a genuine friendship. That should help.
“I knew Mark previously in his Manchester City days when we’ve competed against each other and we’ve had many a football chat,” Gerrard said. “I know Mark the person as well. I think it’s important when you go into an opportunity like this, a journey like this, you’ve got people that you trust. You want people who have got our back, support you and help you become a success.
“I have every confidence in Mark and [head of scouting] Andy [Scoulding] to give me that backing and even although I have just met the board it’s the same for them. I’m really excited with the staff I’m going to be bringing in with me.”
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