Andrew Cavenagh, head of a US consortium, took control of 51 percent of Rangers just last week. He has an eye on bringing the club back into a sustained period of success. Since taking over, Cavenagh has focused on building up her roster. He is in the midst of rebuilding Ibrox Stadium and wants the club competing at the furthest reaches of European football’s elite. With billions in investments underway and new leadership appointed, he feels bullish about the club’s future.
In July, as the American consortium completed their purchase of Rangers, it was Cavenagh who was steering the ship. The restoration and preservation agreement represents the largest shift in ownership thus far. More importantly, it opens the door for smart spending to improve the club’s competitive success and financial health. Under Cavenagh’s leadership, Rangers is gearing up to invest £20 million, a decision approved during the club’s Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
Strengthening the Squad
Cavenagh didn’t spend any time dillydallying on the team’s needs after the acquisition. Rangers have mutually agreed to terminate Jack’s loan agreement, unsurprisingly, as they swooped in to secure Bournemouth’s defender Max Aarons. This signing is going to further solidify their defensive front. The club are working on further signings, including Leicester centre-back Conor Coady and out-of-contract winger Kwame Poku.
Cavenagh underscored that these signings are part of a much larger strategy. His primary aim must be to create a competitive enough side to challenge the Scottish Premiership title again. He noted, “I would give you the simple answer which is we have been finishing second and we would like to finish first. We are one position away from where we would like to be.”
Beyond recruiting new players, Cavenagh approved for the team go ahead with the Russell Martin hiring as the new head coach. These criteria focus on coaching style, culture building, talent development, and ability to win matches. Martin was chosen based on these criteria. Cavenagh had a large number of excellent candidates to choose from. Among them were Davide Ancelotti and former player Steven Gerrard, but he eventually settled on appointing Martin.
Vision for Long-Term Success
Cavenagh’s aspirations for Rangers are more long-term than short-term wins. He is committed to achieving sustainable growth and long-term success both at home and in UEFA competitions. The club finished the 2022-23 season 17 points adrift of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. Cavenagh understands that closing this gap requires thoughtful planning and wise investment.
We can’t lie and say that we didn’t dream about turning Rangers into the best club in Scotland. Well, if we didn’t, we wouldn’t be here! He said Cavenagh laid out his approach to capital needs by evaluating plans through three lenses: having the right plans in place, adhering to Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), and ensuring sustainability.
When I think about the short term, I don’t think about challenges, I think about opportunities, he explained. So, suddenly, we have what I truly believe are the right plans… combined with us now starting to get the right team in place—as I don’t mean our squad—the staff is beginning to come together.
Despite his ambitious goals for Rangers, Cavenagh acknowledges that achieving success in European competitions like the Champions League will not be easy. As he has stated on numerous occasions, qualifying for Champions League games is still a primary goal of the club.
Champions League is the dream that we’re making our best efforts to reach every season, he said. It’s significant not just for the increase, though. It will always be our benchmark.
Future Development Plans
Beyond improving the team on the field, Cavenagh wants to make infrastructural upgrades at iconic Ibrox Stadium. Widening the stadium no longer appears to be a near-term priority. It is still the subject of a major ongoing debate due to the 14,000-person waiting list for season tickets.
“The expansion of Ibrox is something of interest to us but not one of our short-term goals,” Cavenagh remarked. He maintained that any revenue generated through such expansions would be reinvested into improving the team: “Any increase in revenue we can get, we’ll put it back on to the pitch.”
Cavenagh’s attention to near- and long-term needs showcases a thoughtful approach to Rangers’ overall strategy. He stated, “There are lots of different levers to pull on, certainly more than on the commercial side.” You demonstrate a serious commitment to finding the right balance between maintaining financial health and achieving competitive excellence. With surgical precision, this approach knows how to raise Rangers’ profile domestically in Scottish football and abroad.
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