I turned down the offer to become Rangers’ chief executive

Keith Wyness has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to become Rangers’ CEO years ago, claiming he knows what the club needs in leadership.

Following the San Francisco 49ers-backed takeover in the summer, new chairman Andrew Cavenagh appointed Patrick Stewart as CEO and Kevin Thelwell as sporting director.

However, a turbulent summer—including transfer misfires and the controversial hiring of Russell Martin—led the new ownership to dismiss both Stewart and Thelwell on the same day.

Speaking on the Inside Track podcast, the 68-year-old explained:

“It’s going to be important to make the right decision on who goes in there.

I don’t think Patrick Stewart was a great communicator or had a strong enough personality, and Kevin Thelwell didn’t either.

It’s very rare to see a CEO and a sporting director sacked on the same day. Normally, you try not to destabilise the club and would stagger such decisions.

I think their downfall came down to personality and the way they handled media and fan communication.

If you’re going to be Rangers’ chief executive—which I was offered a long time ago but turned down—you need to be forthright, strong, and fully understand the rough and tumble of Glasgow.

As for the sporting director, you need more than just a Premier League understanding, which is what Thelwell had. You need broader experience and, ideally, someone a bit older.”