Rangers think 'different executives' can 'transform' club

Rangers have dispensed with Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell because they think "different executives" can do a better job, chairman Andrew Cavenagh has indicated.

Chief executive Stewart and sporting director Thelwell were appointed before Cavenagh's US-based consortium took control this summer and they are now looking to bring in their own recruits.

In a Sky Sports interview, Cavenagh was asked to clarify what he meant in his official statement, in which he said the Scottish Premiership club needed something "different" than either man could offer.

"I don't think it is appropriate to compare and contrast in what they did and didn't do right and what we're looking for in the future, so I will keep it simple to say, as we look forward, we want different executives to lead the transformation of the club," he replied.

"They were always in alignement with the strategy that we were trying to execute, but we think there are different executives that can help move the strategy forward differently."

Cavenagh wanted "to be really careful not to throw dirt on either of them" and praised their professionalism and hard work for Rangers.

Asked if fan protests against both men had a bearing on the club's decision, Cavenagh insisted that, while he valued fan input: "We have come to this decision based on our own data, our own review, our own analysis."

Rangers appointed Danny Rohl as head coach last month after dispensing with Russell Martin after a disappointing 17 games in charge, but now Cavenagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe have turned their attention to other parts of the club.

"Our focus in the first part of our ownership period has been on the sporting side and that's where all of our attention went for obvious reasons," Cavenagh added.

"With Danny coming in, he has started to improve the on-pitch performance and that has created a space to allow Paraag and I to look at other parts of the club with new eyes and assess what we need going forward and that's what's led to this change.

"I think it is very much us being hands on. I think responsible change has to be measured - I don't think you can come in and tear something apart all at once, or you're likely to get something wrong.

"We have taken six months to make these changes and think they are the right changes for the club."