Rangers aren’t quite levelling everything and starting again, although it is clear that all aspects of the club are going through a period of change.
Patrick Stewart is to appoint a sporting director to oversee the football department which will allow Nils Koppen to focus more on recruitment across the club’s teams.
This has bought Philippe Clement some time as Rangers manager, however, there is another post that needs immediate attention in the shape of the head of performance.
Why Rangers fitness merry-go-round isn’t good for the players
Tom Taylor is joining Chelsea, and his departure causes a problem for Clement in more than one way.
The British Medical Journal of Open Sport and Exercise Medicine published an article by Jan Ekstrand, Wart van Zoest and Hakan Gauffin in which studies demonstrated the risk associated with changing fitness/performance coaches and the manager:
“Bringing their own fitness/performance coaches is common for managers entering a new elite male football club,” the study’s conclusion opened with.
“However, this paper has highlighted that this trend seems to lead to a three times increase in HI (hamstring injury) burden.
“Similarly, replacing the team doctor was also associated with increased HI burden.
“Instability among head staff members in male elite-level football teams seems associated with increased HI burden during the season.”
Rangers injury crisis over the last few seasons has three key elements to it.
- Having players in the squad who are injury prone.
- Changing manager and the head of performance every season.
- Luck.
Point three covers previously robust players like Danilo and Oscar Cortes who have had the last two seasons blighted by trauma and/or bizarre injuries.
The Rangers squad has seen players like Kemar Roofe, Filip Helander and Ryan Jack moved out, however, there are still a few individuals who maybe aren’t as robust as they could be.
How often have Rangers changed the head of performance?
Since 2021, Rangers have had four different heads of performance and four different managers.
Four different playing styles.
Four different types of training and training load/intensity.
Four different philosophies in terms of strength and conditioning.
| Coach | Duration at Rangers | Worked under |
| Jordan Milsom | 2018 to 2021 | Steven Gerrard |
| Arno Philipps | 2021 to 2022 | Giovanni van Bronckhorst |
| Jack Ade | 2022 to 2023 | Michael Beale |
| Tom Taylor | 2023 to 2025 | Philippe Clement |
No wonder the players are constantly getting injured.
With Taylor about to depart, Rangers need to fill the position on a long-term basis, outwith the manager.
A standard set by the club, by the sporting director or technical director, rather than by each manager who takes charge.
It won’t guarantee that there are no more injuries, but it would be a start, and would see the risk of hamstring injuries decrease by three times as well as other muscle complaints.
