Gary Teale thinks Rangers may have to move quickly if they want to land Paul Mitchell.
General view outside Ibrox
Former Scotland international Gary Teale has told the Glasgow Evening Times that ‘a few clubs’ are interested in Paul Mitchell amid links to Rangers.
The Gers may have landed Pedro Caixinha as their new manager in the last few days, but there is still work to be done for the Rangers board.
Mark Warburton’s replacement has been secured, but recruitment chief Frank McParland also left the club, meaning Rangers are now looking for a Director of Football to take his place.
A number of men have been linked with the job, but as reported by BBC Sport, Southampton’s Ross Wilson has rejected a move to Ibrox in order to stay with the Premier League club.
Rangers are now going back to the drawing board, with Sky Sports claiming that the Gers are interested in landing Paul Mitchell as their Director of Football.
Mitchell, 35, served as Tottenham’s Head of Recruitment having followed Mauricio Pochettino from Southampton to White Hart Lane in 2014, but left the club last week having handed in his notice last summer.
Mitchell was a well-respected contributor to Tottenham’s transfer plans in recent years, and his work in North London has put him in the frame to become Rangers’ new transfer chief.
Now, ex-Scotland international Gary Teale – who played alongside Mitchell at Wigan – has told the Glasgow Evening Times that Mitchell has a ‘vast knowledge of the game’ and is held in high regard in the game due to his work with Spurs.
New Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha poses with a scarf
Teale did though add that other clubs are wanting to hold talks with Mitchell, meaning Rangers will have to move quickly if they want to land him as their new Director of Football.
“I’m still in contact with Paul and have been over the last number of years,” said Teale. “My personal experience is he’s a very personable guy with a vast knowledge of the game for someone of such a young age. He is a great people person with a fantastic personality. He is able to engage with anyone. Paul is very personable guy. That has been a great asset to him since his career was ended by a bad injury and he moved into player recruitment.”
“It will have helped him when it comes to building relationships with agents, with clubs, with players. But, let’s be honest, you don’t get to do the jobs he’s done at the clubs he’s worked at without having great nous, intelligence and acumen. He’s very bright guy. That is why he is held in such high regard in the game. There are a few clubs that want to talk to him. I don’t know the circumstances behind him leaving Tottenham, but I am sure that ideally they would have wanted to keep him as well,” he added.
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