Rangers, with the appointment of Tom Taylor as head of performance, look like they have found the right person so that Philippe Clement can finally get the robust and athletic squad he has been dreaming of.
The club took their time to replace Jordan Milsom when he left Ibrox to follow Steven Gerrard to Aston Villa with Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale bringing in their own fitness and conditioning specialists too.
It should be a position that is independent of the manager though and that performance is assessed on player fitness and muscle injury rates, something that Rangers will now be hoping that the appointment of Tom Taylor can provide.
Rangers appoint Tom Taylor to meet Philippe Clement goals
With a back ground in sport science (fitness testing, performance analysis etc), Taylor has joined from Brighton where he held a variety of roles.
Not only has he worked in sport science but also in the strength and conditioning department, rehabilitation and as a head of fitness at Hearts.
Rangers need someone who understands the demands of a footballer and Tom Taylor’s experience of Scottish football at Hearts and with Brighton is supplemented by having his UEFA A coaching license – they don’t hand those out with the papers.
Being the fittest squad in the country should be a bare minimum but we also need to be quicker.
Every aspect of our play has to be improved and fitness, across every aspect, is key to not only winning the league but retaining it too.
Aris Limassol caused us problems at Ibrox, not because they were the better team, but because they were quicker.
All over the pitch.
It wasn’t just speed of movement across the ground, it was how quickly the ball was moved, how indecisive our players were and the reaction to second balls.
All factors in the goal we conceded and why we didn’t score a second goal.
Philippe Clement has had to work with the Rangers squad that he has inherited but, with Tom Taylor on board, the target has to get us to the same level as one of the most athletic clubs in the Premier League.
The one he has just left.
