So like most Rangers sources we’re reporting the story about Gareth Henderby potentially replacing Zeb Jacobs as Academy Director.
And we are looking at the incredible £70M transfer kitty that some outlets are alleging he generated at current club Nordsjælland over the course of 4 years.
What Henderby is, is in charge of the Ghanian Right to Dream Academy, which he has been for 13 years, and it produced Mohamed Diomande, who is hardly setting Ibrox alight. But he’s earned Nordsjælland £4.5M which Rangers will pay this summer.
Henderby’s big successes are Ernest Nuamah, yes, of Ghana, and that Right to Dream school, and he’s earned the Danes around £25M, Ibrahim Osman who nailed £20M, Kamaldeen Sulemana, £17M, and Mohammed Kudus, £10M.
That is £72M, give or take, and it’s put the Danish side on a very healthy keel – they are a selling club and Henderby’s Ghanaian Academy work has fed Nordsjælland with a tonne of players they’ve sold at big money.
Rangers have clearly seen this, a very specific niche market the man has created, feeding a Danish side with the very ‘best’ (we’ll get to that) Ghanaian players his Academy has produced.
And the funniest part? None of these players are remotely worth the amount the Danes are selling them for.
The Scandinavians are doing what Brighton are – bringing in cheap untested talent, letting it thrive in their own weak league (Brighton would send said players out on loan), then selling it for an absolute killing – half of these kids are barely even 20.
Ernest Nuamah, £25M, was doing quite well in Denmark. In France? 5 goals and assists in 32 outings.
Nowhere near the player he looked in Denmark.
And Kamaldeen Sulemana? They got £20M for him, he failed completely at Rennes, left, and now has 3 assists in 26 for Southampton.
In short, Henderby’s brilliant skill is making average to good players look fantastic, and then selling them for a massive sum to big clubs looking for talent.
Honestly? Not a bad model for Rangers to rip off.
If we can get £20M over and over again for guys like Calvin Bassey ourselves, we’ve done not bad.
Welcome aboard Gareth!