Rangers have just made yet another club-changing signing following on from appointing James Bisgrove as CEO – the return of club medical chief Dr Mark Waller.
Lest we forget, on his exit, Rangers suffered probably the most catastrophic injury crisis in our entire club history, losing up to 15 players at the same time, leaving the side with just James Sands and Leon King in defence for great swathes of the season.
With Waller’s return, it’s a big coup, the main medical expert at the club who was such a familiar face on the pitch the season before last and earlier when stricken players required attention on the pitch, before his exit saw them fall like flies.
Waller is an safe pair of hands, and it was understandable that he wanted to give the Premier League a shot when Leicester head-hunted him – the big wages would tempt anyone.
But on their relegation, the Northampton-born medic felt it was time to return home to Rangers and when Rangers’ new regime got in touch, it was a no-brainer.
“This club holds a special place in my heart after the journey we embarked on as a team back in 2018, and I look forward to working closely with the manager and the entire backroom team as we continue our preparations for what promises to be an exciting campaign. The responsibility that I feel to serve as Director of Medical and Performance at this great club is immense, and I am hugely optimistic about what the future holds both on and off the pitch.”
Sure, it’s a bit saccharin and corporate, but the connection between he and Michael Beale is undeniable – they spent years together at Anfield and then 4 years under Steven Gerrard at Ibrox, so there’s a real bond there, and importantly, trust.
Beale himself bemoaned all the changes in medical staff in the past 18 months, and it all stems from Waller’s exit. That was someone Beale trusted and wanted to see at Rangers, and now it’s happened.
Another great move from the club who appear, finally, at long last, to have a regime in place that is doing things for the best of the football club and that the fans endorse.
Makes a lovely change eh?