A lot of Rangers fans are frustrated this morning after chairman Andrew Cavenagh’s explosive interview with Rangers TV. It confirmed Danny Rohl would be remaining as Rangers coach not just into next season, but beyond. And the real reasons Andrew Cavenagh is sticking by Danny Rohl are grim for Rangers.
He was being viewed 100% as a solution. The real question is why the about turn? Why has Andrew Cavenagh changed his mind?
Because every ounce of information that Ibrox Noise received from our sources, and other outlets received from theirs, tallied up with the same outcome. Cavenagh had ordered an internal review of Rohl, of the appointment process, and having seen the fallout between Rohl and Tavernier, was going to pull the trigger on his employment.
However, something changed.
Dan Purdy’s influence at Rangers
We believe we know a big part of what persuaded Cavenagh to change his mind. We will get to the 3 reasons that we believe Andrew Cavenagh is sticking by Rohl after all, despite all the misgivings and despite his own personal preference for Steven Gerrard.
Part A is Dan Purdy.
Dan Purdy has very strong links with Kevin Thelwell. Rangers’ head of recruitment worked with Thelwell very heavily at Everton. The two of them are strong allies and Thelwell, by working with Purdy and being close with Rangers’ current head of recruitment, still has some influence at Rangers.
Purdy stands by Danny Rohl.
Danny Rohl was a Thelwell appointment 100%, and Purdy is a big backer of Danny Rohl.
Consequently, the rubbish that came in during January, with the notable exception of Tuur Rommens, was heavily influenced not just by Danny Rohl, but by Dan Purdy and indeed indirectly Thelwell.
Basically Dan Purdy is a big ally of Rohl as a favour to Thelwell. Ergo, there is no question that Purdy has a big part in wanting Rohl to remain.
Rohl has the backing of Purdy big time. As well as one or two others on the board who are allies.
Purdy is now becoming the new Thelwell, and he could be a big problem going forward.
Andrew Cavenagh and his own ego
The second reason is Andrew Cavenagh’s own ego.
He came out brazenly and publicly with Danny Rohl on his unveiling and backed him to the hilt.
Then he condemned Russell Martin as a mistake. AND he said that the recruitment process had not done what it needed to do.
He then backed up Rohl as absolutely the right appointment and claimed that he was the answer.
He said all the things that a chairman does when they are backing a horse.
So to now turn around and realise that Danny Rohl was also an error in exactly the same way that Martin was, would make Andrew Cavenagh look like a fool.
By turning around and saying yes, we got it wrong again, he believed that he would look a fool and his ego cannot take that.
By saying that we got it wrong regarding Russell Martin, the blame was solely put on Thelwell.
Kevin Thelwell, of course, was initially backed by Andrew Cavenagh, but was then fired alongside CEO Patrick Stewart not that long after that.
Lastly?
Robbie Thelwell.
Yes, let’s not forget Kevin Thelwell’s son Robbie remains on Rangers’ staff, having been a painful fail at his previous gigs. The Thelwell family retain a painful influence on Rangers.
Why Rangers are stuck with Rohl
Cavenagh cannot do what he did before again. He cannot fire someone two minutes after backing them.
He backed Rohl heavily and has done so the entire time. All because he has an ego that favours not backing off from what he originally said, purely to save face and purely to avoid being embarrassed in his own mind.
Basically, he backed the wrong horse and refuses to admit it.
So instead of admitting it, of course, he doubles down and backs it even further.
This will be to the cost of Rangers, but it is what it is.
There is not a lot we can do to change the chairman’s mind. Purely on the basis that he already knows the truth but is sticking by his own outcome to avoid looking weak. The real reasons Andrew Cavenagh is sticking by Danny Rohl are grim for Rangers.
This is what Rangers fans are now stuck with, and consequently, we are going to be stuck with it for a long time.